Matthew 5:5 God blesses those who are humble (meek), for they will inherit the whole earth.
We are continuing to study the Sermon on the Mount, and Matthew 5:5 lists one of the most perplexing things Jesus ever said. When Jesus told this to his listeners, there were probably lots of people scratching their heads in disbelief. There were plenty of power figures in Jesus’ day-politicians, religious leaders, Roman soldiers and administrators, tax collectors, and others. Everything was highly regulated, including the fishing industry on the Sea of Galilee, for licenses were required for all aspects of the trade. Most of the people listening to Jesus suffered under the tyranny of one or more of these despots. When Jesus made this statement, most of his audience was thinking, “HUH?”
For many of us, meekness implies being a wimp, a patsy, a pushover. To quote a line from one of the songs in the musical “Camelot,” “It’s not the earth the meek inherit, it’s the dirt.” Our problem with this verse stems from our lack of understanding of the language. David Guzik in his “Enduring Word Commentary” explains the concept of meekness this way:
a. Blessed are the meek: It is impossible to translate this ancient Greek word praus (meek) with just one English word. It has the idea of the proper balance between anger and indifference, of a powerful personality properly controlled, and of humility.
i. In the vocabulary of the ancient Greek language, the meek person was not passive or easily pushed around. The main idea behind the word “meek” was strength under control, like a strong stallion that was trained to do the job instead of running wild.
ii. “In general the Greeks considered meekness a vice because they failed to distinguish it from servility. To be meek towards others implies freedom from malice and a vengeful spirit.” (Carson)
iii. “The meek, who can be angry, but restrain their wrath in obedience to the will of God, and will not be angry unless they can be angry and not sin, nor will be easily provoked by others.” (Poole)
iv. “The men who suffer wrong without bitterness or desire for revenge.” (Bruce)
v. The first two beatitudes are mostly inward; the third deals with how one relates to one’s fellow man. The first two were mainly negative; the third is clearly positive.
vi. To be meek means to show willingness to submit and work under proper authority. It also shows a willingness to disregard one’s own “rights” and privileges. It is one thing for me to admit my own spiritual bankruptcy, but what if someone else does it for me? Do I react meekly? This blessed one is meek:
· They are meek before God, in that they submit to His will and conform to His Word.
· They are meek before men, in that they are strong – yet also humble, gentle, patient, and longsuffering.
vii. “Our word meek comes from the old Anglo-Saxon meca, or meccea, a companion or equal, because he who is of a meek or gentle spirit, is ever ready to associate with the meanest of those who fear God, feeling himself superior to none; and well knowing that he has nothing of spiritual or temporal good but what he has received from the mere bounty of God, having never deserved any favour from his hand.” (Clarke)
b. For they shall inherit the earth: We can only be meek, willing to control our desire for our rights and privileges because we are confident God watches out for us, that He will protect our cause. The promise “they shall inherit the earth” proves that God will not allow His meek ones to end up on the short end of the deal.
i. “It looks as if they would be pushed out of the world but they shall not be, ‘for they shall inherit the earth.’ The wolves devour the sheep, yet there are more sheep in the world than there are wolves, and the sheep, continue to multiply, and to feed in green pastures.” (Spurgeon)
ii. “The meek of England, driven by their native land by religious intolerance, have inherited the continent of America.” (Bruce)
iii. “I had only to look upon it, all as the sun shone upon it, and then to look up to heaven, and say, ‘My Father, this is all thine; and, therefore, it is all mine; for I am an heir of God, and a joint-heir with Jesus Christ.’ So, in this sense, the meek-spirited man inherits the whole earth.” (Spurgeon)
iv. Through the first three beatitudes we notice that the natural man finds no happiness or blessedness in spiritual poverty, mourning or meekness. These are only a blessing for the spiritual man, those who are new creatures in Jesus. (https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/matthew-5/)
Reading this explanation may cause you to despair, for you feel you don’t fit the positive descriptions of meekness in any way, shape, or form. But don’t despair. Remember that God already knows your character and He is only waiting for you to ask Him so that He can change you into His likeness. Let’s pray.
PRAYER: Father God, thank You for loving us and caring for us. Lord, help us to learn true meekness and to embody it. We absolutely cannot do this by ourselves; You are the only One who can truly change us. Please change us so that we can suffer wrong without bitterness or desire for revenge and so that we will obey You promptly and explicitly. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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