3 Bible Tips: The Beatitudes - Poor in Spirit
The Sermon on the Mount begins with what have come to be known as the Beatitudes, from the Latin word beatus, "blessed." The Greek word is makarios and means "supremely blest…fortunate, well off" and is translated "blessed" and "happy" (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, Greek #3107).
In the context of the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes especially promised future blessings in the Kingdom of God.
1. The first beatitude encourages Christians to be "poor in spirit"—to "realize their need for" God (New Living Translation).
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3; see also Isaiah 66:2).
2. This also acknowledges the fact that most of the followers of Jesus Christ have been poor physically, not the rich of the world.
"Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: 'Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God'" (Luke 6:20; see also 1 Corinthians 1:26).
3. God will rule fairly in His Kingdom and will act on behalf of the poor and meek who have been oppressed in this age.
"But with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked" (Isaiah 11:4; see also Isaiah 29:19).
For more about having a poor and contrite spirit that trembles at God's Word, see "Approach the Bible With the Proper Attitude."