Sermon on the Mount Poor in Spirit
Sun, 12/07/2008 - 15:15 — Richard Roper
Today at church I was surprised by something so simple. I have never
understood the verse of the sermon on the mount that says "Blessed are
the poor in spirit". (Mt 5:1)
"How can I not" you say. Its as plain as the nose on your face".
It may seem so to you but you see I've never accepted the common explanation that it refers to those that are humble. Because I don't accept the common view of humility.
The common view states that the humble are those that are self effacing and with very low self esteem. The problem I have with this is that Jesus was called humble and he was a long way from self effacing and with very low self esteem. In fact quite the opposite. This is a guy who confronted unrighteousness head on and not too quietly at that. The rope in the temple comes to mind (Mk 11:15).
No! Every verse in scripture that talks about humility talks about it in the context of someone who obeyed the Lord God. Jesus may have been meek but he was not week. The scripture declares him to be humble and here's a contradiction, He Himself declares Himself to be humble (Mt 11:29).
True humility is not self effacing it is a willingness to be obedient.
Don't get me wrong we are called to guard each man's dignity and save each man's pride. And that means that we should work with those that have a low self esteem. But low self esteem is not humility and we should stop putting it on that pedestal.
Besides, unless we are saying the Jesus felt it necessary to repeat himself in the same message he also says "blessed are the humble". In this case their seems to be no reason to repeat himself.
Our speaker at church today had a much better interpretation of this particular beatitude "Blessed are the poor in spirit". He said that he read a translation that said "Blessed are they that are at the end of their rope"
This just makes so much sense. It fits with the whole of the rest of the beatitudes.
Yet again God declares that He will lift us when we can't'!!
Richard
"How can I not" you say. Its as plain as the nose on your face".
It may seem so to you but you see I've never accepted the common explanation that it refers to those that are humble. Because I don't accept the common view of humility.
The common view states that the humble are those that are self effacing and with very low self esteem. The problem I have with this is that Jesus was called humble and he was a long way from self effacing and with very low self esteem. In fact quite the opposite. This is a guy who confronted unrighteousness head on and not too quietly at that. The rope in the temple comes to mind (Mk 11:15).
No! Every verse in scripture that talks about humility talks about it in the context of someone who obeyed the Lord God. Jesus may have been meek but he was not week. The scripture declares him to be humble and here's a contradiction, He Himself declares Himself to be humble (Mt 11:29).
True humility is not self effacing it is a willingness to be obedient.
Don't get me wrong we are called to guard each man's dignity and save each man's pride. And that means that we should work with those that have a low self esteem. But low self esteem is not humility and we should stop putting it on that pedestal.
Besides, unless we are saying the Jesus felt it necessary to repeat himself in the same message he also says "blessed are the humble". In this case their seems to be no reason to repeat himself.
Our speaker at church today had a much better interpretation of this particular beatitude "Blessed are the poor in spirit". He said that he read a translation that said "Blessed are they that are at the end of their rope"
This just makes so much sense. It fits with the whole of the rest of the beatitudes.
Yet again God declares that He will lift us when we can't'!!
Richard
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