“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”
MATTHEW 5:3
There are three elements to the first beatitude that need explaining: (1) the meaning of “blessed,” (2) the meaning of “poor in spirit,” and (3) what it means to have the kingdom of heaven. This article will look at each element individually and then (4) bring everything together for an explanation of the meaning of the first beatitude (click the hyperlinks to jump to the section you desire).
I. The Meaning of “Blessed”
The term “blessed” that occurs at the beginning of all the beatitudes is μακάριοι, the plural form of the adjective μακάριος. Although it has become common to hear μακάριος translated as “happy” (such as in the CEB), the term “happy” is much too shallow and superficial. In the New Testament and especially in the Gospel of Matthew, μακάριος is best understood as being the privileged recipient of God’s favour which results in a deep-seated joy. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature (BDAG) states the focus of μακάριος can either be on happiness/joy because of one’s circumstances or the focus can be on privilege that results in happiness/joy (BDAG, s.v. μακάριος).
In the Gospel of Matthew and in the beatitudes, the focus of μακάριος is on being the privileged recipient of God’s favour, rather than the joy or happiness, which is a result of God’s favour (also see Charles Quarles, Sermon on the Mount, 42; Donald Hagner, Matthew 1–13, 91).
We see this idea of being the privileged recipient of God’s favour that results in a deep-seated joy in many passages throughout the New Testament and the Gospel of Matthew. Note the following two passages from the Gospel of Matthew: 13:16-17 and 16:15–17
In Matthew 13:16–17, Jesus tells his disciples that they are “blessed” (μακάριοι) because they have seen and heard Jesus, his mighty works and his teaching:
“But blessed [μακάριοι] are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”
—MATTHEW 13:16–17
Jesus is not simply saying that his disciples are “happy,” but that they are the privileged recipients of God’s favour in that they get to see and hear Jesus and understand what it is that they see and hear! This seeing, hearing, and understanding results in a deep-seated joy of seeing, hearing, and knowing God’s messiah who is in the process of setting up the Kingdom of Heaven.
Another powerful passage that demonstrates Jesus’ understanding of μακάριος is Matthew 16:15–17:
“He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed [μακάριος] are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.’”
—MATTHEW 16:15–17
After asking his disciples who they think he (Jesus) is, Simon Peter answers that Jesus is the messiah (“Christ”), who is “the Son of the living God.” Jesus then tells Peter that he is “blessed” (μακάριος). Jesus is not telling Peter that he should now be happy that he got Jesus’ question correct; rather, Jesus is telling Peter that he is the privileged recipient of God’s favour in that the Father himself revealed to Peter the identity of Jesus. This revelation will result in a deep-seated joy because now Peter knows who Jesus truly is.
Thus, we can conclude that the term “blessed” (μακάριος) in the Gospel of Matthew means to be the privileged recipient of God’s favour that results in a deep-seated joy. Regarding the first beatitude, Jesus says that those who are “poor in spirit” are the privileged recipients of God’s favour, resulting in a deep-seated joy. Let us now turn to the meaning of “poor in spirit” and then we will discover how the poor in spirit are privileged recipients of God’s favour.
II. The Meaning of “Poor in Spirit”
A. The Meaning of “Spirit”
“Spirit” in the phrase “poor in spirit” refers to a person’s spirit, not the Holy Spirit. When not referring to the Holy Spirit or to breath or wind, “spirit” (πνεῦμα) frequently refers either to that which gives life to a person (Matt 27:50; Luke 8:55; BDAG, s.v. “πνεῦμα”) or one’s inner being where insight, feeling, and one’s will are seated (Mark 2:8; 2 Cor 2:13; 7:13; BDAG, s.v. “πνεῦμα”). Oftentimes, it is difficult to tell the difference between the two. As we will see, however, understanding “spirit” as referring to one’s inner being makes a lot of sense when paired with the term “poor” to which I now turn.
B. The Meaning of “Poor” (πτωχός) in the New Testament
The adjective “poor” (πτωχός) throughout ancient Greek literature and in the New Testament frequently means to be destitute or “beggarly” (see Matt 11:5; 19:21; 26:9, 11; Mark 10:21; 12:42-43; 14:5, 7; Luke 7:22; 14:13, 21; 16:20, 22; 18:22; 19:8; 21:3; John 12:5-6, 8; 13:29; Rom 15:26; 2 Cor 6:10; Gal 2:10; Jas 2:2-3, 5-6; Rev 3:17; 13:16) In Greek literature outside the New Testament, the adjective πτωχός is frequently used substantivally (as a noun) to mean “beggar” (NIDNTTE, s.v. “πτωχός”). Further, the related verb (πτωχεύω) means “to be or become poor as a beggar” (BDAG, s.v. “πτωχεύω”). Those who were “poor” (πτωχός) were often beggars who were crippled and unable to provide an income for themselves (see Luke 14:13 where the poor are paired with the crippled, lame, and blind). They were completely dependent on the graciousness and generosity of others (Quarles, Sermon on the Mount, 43).
C. The Meaning of “Poor” (עָנִי) in the Old Testament
In the Old Testament, the “poor” (עָנִי) are those who are in a needy condition; this includes those who are in need of God’s help. Quarles states, the poor are those “who cry out to God for help, depend entirely on God’s grace to meet their needs, have a humble and contrite spirit, experience God’s deliverance, and enjoy His undeserved favor” (Quarles, Sermon on the Mount, 43; Ps 10:17; 34:6; 86:1–5; Is 41:17–18; 57:15; 66:1–2). Psalm 86:1–5 demonstrates this wonderfully:
“Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day. Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.”
—PSALM 86:1–5
The “poor” are godly people who trust God for their salvation, cry out for God’s grace, and recognize God’s willingness to forgive.
D. The Meaning of “Poor in Spirit” in Matthew 5:3
Based on the meaning of “poor” in the New Testament and the Old Testament, we can conclude that to be “poor in spirit” means to be beggarly in spirit (essentially, a spiritual pauper). “Poor in spirit” describes someone “who is keenly aware that he is spiritually destitute and must rely entirely on the grace of God for salvation” (Quarles, Sermon on the Mount, 43). It is someone who stands “without pretense before God, stripped of all self-sufficiency, self-security, and self-righteousness” (Robert Guelich, The Sermon on the Mount, 98). It is someone who recognizes he is spiritually bankrupt, realizes there is nothing good in him that deserves God’s love and forgiveness, and depends on God’s grace alone for his salvation (Quarles, Sermon on the Mount, 44).
III. What It Means to Have the Kingdom of Heaven
In the first beatitude, Jesus claims that those who are poor in spirit are blessed “because” (ὅτι) “theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:3). Jesus is saying that the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are poor in spirit, which is accurately reflected in the NET translation of the first beatitude: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them” (Matt 5:3, NET).
To “have” or to “obtain” the kingdom of heaven means two things. First, to have/obtain the kingdom of heaven means to enter the kingdom of heaven and become a citizen of the kingdom of heaven. For example, Jesus says:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven [will enter the kingdom of heaven].”
—MATTHEW 7:21, emphasis added (also see Matt 5:20; 18:3; 19:23–24)
Second, to have/obtain the kingdom of heaven means to inherit the kingdom of heaven, meaning the poor in spirit will own the kingdom of heaven alongside of Jesus. Note two important passages here:
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (MATTHEW 25:34; also see 1 Cor 6:9–11; 15:50–57; Gal 5:19–21)
“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” (ROMANS 8:16–17, emphasis added)
The Father hands over the kingdom to his Son Jesus and to all who are united to Jesus through belief in Him.
The final question that must be answered is, what is the kingdom of heaven that the poor in spirit will enter and inherit? Patrick Schreiner gives a helpful definition of the kingdom of heaven: “The kingdom is the King’s power over the King’s people in the King’s place” (Patrick Schreiner, The Kingdom of God and the Glory of the Cross, 18, italics original). The kingdom of heaven is a real, material, kingdom that will fully manifest itself on earth as it is in heaven upon the return of Jesus; it is ruled by Jesus and those who are united to Jesus. The kingdom of heaven/God that Jesus inaugurated at his first coming and will consummate at his second coming encompasses the entire created order (Romans 4:13–17, note that the term “world” in verse 13 is the Greek κόσμος, which is better rendered “universe”: “heir of the universe”). Thus, the kingdom of heaven encompasses the entire created order with the New Jerusalem at its centre (Rev 21).
IV. The Meaning of the First Beatitude
Now that we understand (1) what it means to be blessed, (2) what it means to be “poor in spirit,” and (3) what it means to have/obtain the kingdom of heaven, we are able to understand the meaning of Jesus’ first beatitude: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
In Matthew 5:3, Jesus says that those who recognize they are sinners, unable to do any good in the sight of God and who are worthy only of punishment, yet rely on God and trust in him for their salvation (the poor in spirit) are privileged recipients of God’s favour (blessed) in that they enter and inherit the kingdom of heaven, which is a real material kingdom that encompasses the entire created order, consists of God’s people, under the rule of Jesus (theirs is the kingdom of heaven).
In short, spiritual beggars are privileged recipients of God’s favour because they inherit the kingdom of heaven!