June 4, 2007
The Beatitudes: Blessed Are the Poor In SpiritPosted by Bryan
This is what Jesus declares: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Most people probably understand what "poor" means, but you have to be careful because there is an important distinction that is made in the Greek that you not embrace if you aren’t aware of it. "Poor" tends to mean living hand to mouth, paycheck to paycheck. Struggling to get by. Having to use the Mastercard to pay the Visa. That sort of thing.
The Greek word for that type of poor is penei and literally means 'to work for the day’s bread.' That’s not the type of poverty that is spoken of here, though. The word here is ptochos, and literally means 'beggarly.' It means to be constantly in need of injunction for assistance, to be destitute. This meaning is much more extreme than the understanding than most can identify with.
In this regard, these are the two classes of poverty. If you think of poverty in terms of finances, the first way (penei) is the wealthy cousin to the destitute second way (ptochos). People who are poor but live hand-to-mouth are often able to look down upon those people who are so poor that they do not possess even a single thing of their own.
Yet, God has said that you are blessed if you are ptochos poor in spirit. This is an important clarification because many people try to spiritualize their financial poverty. These are people who say they'll never work, they'll never take the initiative because if they do, they'll be self-sufficient. They are equating their financial poverty to spiritual blessing.
This just doesn't have the backing of God's Word. On one hand, Jesus praises the poor widow who tithes her mite. On the other, he speaks condemningly of the servant in the parable who hoards the master's talent. On one hand, Jesus tells the rich young ruler to give away his fortune, but on the other, he places no such expectation upon Nicodemus, a wealthy Pharisee meeting covertly with Jesus to speak about spiritual matters. The Bible consistently demonstrates that the "poverty" that brings blessing has nothing to do with finances and has everything to do with destitution of spirit.
So what is spiritual poverty?
To be "poor in spirit" is to understand the condition of the soul apart from God. Isaiah demonstrated spiritual poverty when, in His vision of the Lord, he cried out, "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts (Is. 6:5)."
Jesus illustrated spiritual poverty when he spoke of the prodigal son, who was jealous of pig slop and desired only the father's provisions.
John demonstrated spiritual poverty when in Revelation, He looked upon the Lord and fell at his feet, as though dead.
Spiritual poverty is the understanding that God is high, and you are low. It is the realization that God is holy and man is sinful. It is the comprehension that, in you dwells nothing good, but in God dwells the very definition of goodness. Spiritual poverty is the abject, profound, humbling realization that not only can you not earn our own way to heaven, but you can’t even lift your own face off the floor in the presence of Holy God. If you are to receive any spiritual, heavenly blessing, it comes solely and wholly through the benevolence of God Himself.
June 4, 2007 9:52 PM