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The Poor in Spirit
Matthew 5:3
The Beatitudes are probably the most famous section of Jesus’ teaching. These nine statements of blessings on those who the world would consider otherwise. We see the great inversion in the Kingdom of God, how the world and its expectations are turned upside down. But what do the Beatitudes actually mean? Jesus uses some pretty dense, tight language that invites us to sit with it, meditate on it, unpack it, see the parallels in the rest of Scripture. Ultimately, how we interpret and view the Beatitudes is going to impact how we interact with the rest of Jesus’ teaching ministry as well. They come at the beginning of Matthew chapter 5, right at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. They provide this bridge, this invitation to Jesus’ teaching. And as we’ll see, all of them point to the blessings that have been given to believers. We read the first Beatitude written in Matthew 5:3.
Jesus said,
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)
Now, we all know what it means to be poor. If you’re poor, you don’t have the resources or materials that you need. You’re unable to make ends meet. You ultimately need to rely on someone else for help and assistance. But what does it mean to be poor in spirit? Jesus isn’t talking about physical or material poverty here, but a kind of spiritual poverty.
But I think we can draw along the same lines to flesh that out.
The poor in spirit are those who are spiritually without resources, unable to help themselves. By nature, all of humankind is dead in sin. If we were able to stand before God on our own merit and standing, we would justly be condemned. Poor in spirit is a condition which all of mankind has inherited. Whether we recognize it or not, we are all poor in spirit. But just as this condition infects all of humankind, we see also the blessing and the free gift that is offered.
To all those who are poor in spirit, Jesus offers riches, a kingdom, the kingdom of heaven. We see the picture there, how He’s playing on those images. To the poor beggar, is given wealth and vast resources, riches beyond our wildest imaginations, and so it is with us.
Just as all men are poor in spirit, unable to help ourselves, Jesus freely offers to all men the riches of His grace.
By His death and resurrection, He won for us and freely offers us the forgiveness of sins, His grace and His mercy.
This free gift, these riches are available to all, readily available, freely offered, this free gift.
We have blessings of the Kingdom of Heaven now in this life as we receive Christ through faith, and we look forward to the fullness of the Kingdom of Heaven in the life to come. To us who are poor in spirit, God has bestowed the riches of His grace, the riches of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Amen.
