What Does It Mean To Say Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit

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Jesus begins teaching a message to His disciples; a message which is also heard by the nearby multitude; a message which will be studied, scrutinized, debated, analyzed, and accepted as a spiritual guide by many millions of readers of the gospels for the next two thousand years.
Blessed are the Poor in Spirit. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:3). Jesus begins His lesson on discipleship by proclaiming that the kingdom of heaven belongs to the “poor in spirit.” Those whose social status was considered poor were looked down upon and treated badly by the “elite” classes, and those in power. Being poor in spirit would indicate one who feels no sense of spiritual influence, power; someone who feels unworthy to have a personal relationship with God. This type of person feels humbled, and thankful for God’s loving grace. Jesus says that the kingdom of heaven is theirs, not will be theirs. The spiritual kingdom is for true believers on earth as well as in the eternal Heaven. It encompasses all those who live a righteous life; one which is pleasing to God.
Blessed are those Who Mourn. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matt 5:4). The term mourn can be applied to a variety of emotions relating to …show more content…

Blessed are you when people revile you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account” (Matt 5:10-11). Jesus knew that His disciples were going to face persecution by His enemies; those who felt threatened by His power and authority. They feared that He was going to attempt to establish Himself as a king. The persecution for Christ’s sake can be manifested in many ways, from very mild ridicule to torture and death. This is true, even today. Jesus again offers the kingdom of God as an inheritance. We are to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors so that we may be “perfect, as God is

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