Fortunate Are The Poor In Spirit
Written by Ed Allen
Saturday, 23 February 2002 19:00
Background:
- Centuries of foreign rule - sometimes oppressive.
- Long for ruler who would liberate them in the line and of the ilk of King David - prophet, priest, warrior King.
- Also long history of unfaithfulness to God and a longing to be just like their neighbors.
Analysis:
- Each Beatitude begins with God's affirmation of an emotional and spiritual posture.
- "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
- God's affirmation: In this culture, the idea of blessing was a potent, robust familiar idea. It happened in every home as oldest sons received the blessing of the family. It happened at every wedding as each couple received the blessing of both families. In physical terms, the best analogy might be what happens to a nation by receiving favored nation status with the U. S. ? Emotionally, the best analogy might be for us to think of the benefits of growing up in a fairly functional home where children are constantly reminded how special they are, where they are allowed to feel safe and secure because of the faithfulness and consistency of their parents. In this way God blesses the poor in spirit.
- "You are incredibly fortunate," is a fair synonym. So is, "you are in the right place."
- Our posture: Explain "posture"
- Poor in spirit = humble, fully recognizing our need for God, desperate to be in relationship with God, soft-hearted, even broken hearted over our own shortcomings.
- Each Beatitude concludes with God's response to that emotional and spiritual posture.
- God is the understood subject. "Theirs is the kingdom of heaven," meaning God will give us the KOH.
- KOH = right relationship with God, right standing with God, having God be in control of our lives.
The problem
While explaining this beatitude, I was going to have to explain the difference between Matthew's version and Luke's version. Matthew says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit," while Luke (Luke 6:20) records, "Blessed are the poor." I was going to explain how some commentators have suggested that Luke's was the original version and Jesus was offering a vision of a sociological change related to a physical kingdom. But we can only accept that as accurate if we allow Jesus to completely contradict himself. On at least 3 occasions he makes it very clear that his kingdom will not be a physical but a spiritual kingdom. And he makes it abundantly clear through his own explanation of his mission that he does not intend to bring about massive sociological change.
A better suggestion has been offered by many commentators who have suggested that Matthew records Jesus' more popular rendering of this principle, but Luke records a version that Jesus offered on certain occasions. This explanation fully satisfied me early in the week - and is probably close to being right. But I couldn't get this little problem out of my mind. And it struck me on Friday that Jesus didn't really see the distinction the same way we do. In Jesus' mind he did not separate and compartmentalize the spiritual and the physical. He understood that they are intimately connected. In fact, in this same teaching, Jesus proposes that even thinking lustfully is virtually equivalent to having an affair. This is unsettling stuff for those of us who like to comfort ourselves and excuse our sordid thoughts with the notion that at least we haven't cheated on our wives.
So, despite my best efforts I couldn't quite be satisfied with the idea that the difference between Luke and Matthew's versions is that these were just two different teaching occasions. Even if that's the case, and I believe it may have been, clearly Jesus has the same spiritual principle in mind in both! Because, I began to suspect, that in Jesus' mind there is no categorical difference between the poor and the poor in spirit.
Then 2 very disturbing ideas hit me like a runaway train. Please know that as I offer these ideas, I'm not trying to generate a general guilt session. I'm just trying to be honest about the hockey check with reality that God gave me this week.
(1) We cannot avoid the impression that Jesus believed that the poor and the poor in spirit are often the same.
a) Rich ruler - Matthew 19 - hard for a rich man to enter KOH
b) So much the case, that for centuries an influential idea among God's people was that voluntary poverty was an advanced spiritual condition.
c) This is certainly not the case, since Jesus never offers poverty as a universal solution or as an advanced spiritual condition.
d) Also worth noting that one of Jesus' followers, Matthew himself, was probably a fairly wealthy man.
e) Still the overall impression is unmistakable.
f) So why? Why are the poor/in spirit in the right place?i. Not because they are miserable. God wants to give us good things.
ii. I think because we won't seek God if there are any other options. Maybe if we are poor we will seek God.
(2) Second disturbing idea: as I looked closely at the Sermon on the Mount, I realized we probably weren't even there.
WHAT DO I DO, LORD?
Seek out poverty of spirit
Zephaniah 2:3 "Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness, seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD's anger."
Not easy - poverty of spirit feels retiring, it feels in the background, it sometimes feels bad
This is what Peter meant when he said, "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time." (1 Peter 5:6)
Some of you do that by:
- Coming on Sunday (God needs to be part of my life)
- Reading your Bible
- Prayer
Must grow in it (in your understanding that you need God). "The test of our observance of Christ's teachings is our consciousness of our failure to attain an ideal perfection. The degree to which we draw near this perfection cannot be seen; all we can see is the extent of our deviation." (Leo Tolstoy)
Recognize poverty of spirit
That's what Moses does in Deuteronomy 8. He gives the Israelites a briefing on recognizing poverty of spirit.
"A saint is one who exaggerates what the world neglects." (G. K. Chesterton)
It's my tendency to run from poverty of spirit, because my initial experience of it is negative.
Part of recognizing it is looking to Jesus. He was humble. (Matthew 11:28-30)
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
Embrace poverty of spirit
Feeling the devastating pang of conviction and guilt after he was confronted about his sin, King David wrote a song. Instead of responding with defensiveness or attacking his confronter, listen to his heart. Psalm 51:1-17
It is not easy to embrace poverty of spirit, but it is a necessary component to our spiritual growth.