NLT Footnote:
* Greek poor in spirit.
* Greek poor in spirit.
Quick Prayer: Holy Spirit come, i welcome you, i need you, teach me what it means to be poor in spirit. Revive my soul, teach me to maintain what you have placed in me, i feel i am a leaky faucet, help me, help those that read this post, let us come out of the ashes of defeat and soar like eagles of gold in the fiery winds of revival. Sweep this nation, sweep my soul. In Jesus name -
It seems that the NLT has the best expression of what this verse means. Lets unlock the Greek and dive into the interpretation.
The greek states
πτωχός,a
\{pto-khos'}
1) reduced to beggary, begging, asking alms 2) destitute of wealth, influence, position, honour 2a) lowly, afflicted, destitute of the Christian virtues and eternal riches 2b) helpless, powerless to accomplish an end 2c) poor, needy 3) lacking in anything 3a) as respects their spirit 3a1) destitute of wealth of learning and intellectual culture which the schools afford (men of this class most readily give themselves up to Christ's teaching and proved them selves fitted to lay hold of the heavenly treasure) For Synonyms see entry 5870
1) reduced to beggary, begging, asking alms 2) destitute of wealth, influence, position, honour 2a) lowly, afflicted, destitute of the Christian virtues and eternal riches 2b) helpless, powerless to accomplish an end 2c) poor, needy 3) lacking in anything 3a) as respects their spirit 3a1) destitute of wealth of learning and intellectual culture which the schools afford (men of this class most readily give themselves up to Christ's teaching and proved them selves fitted to lay hold of the heavenly treasure) For Synonyms see entry 5870
πνεῦμα,n
\{pnyoo'-mah}
1) the third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, coequal, coeternal with the Father and the Son 1a) sometimes referred to in a way which emphasises his personality and character (the \\Holy\\ Spirit) 1b) sometimes referred to in a way which emphasises his work and power (the Spirit of \\Truth\\) 1c) never referred to as a depersonalised force 2) the spirit, i.e. the vital principal by which the body is animated 2a) the rational spirit, the power by which the human being feels, thinks, decides 2b) the soul 3) a spirit, i.e. a simple essence, devoid of all or at least all grosser matter, and possessed of the power of knowing, desiring, deciding, and acting 3a) a life giving spirit 3b) a human soul that has left the body 3c) a spirit higher than man but lower than God, i.e. an angel 3c1) used of demons, or evil spirits, who were conceived as inhabiting the bodies of men 3c2) the spiritual nature of Christ, higher than the highest angels and equal to God, the divine nature of Christ 4) the disposition or influence which fills and governs the soul of any one 4a) the efficient source of any power, affection, emotion, desire, etc. 5) a movement of air (a gentle blast) 5a) of the wind, hence the wind itself 5b) breath of nostrils or mouth
1) the third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, coequal, coeternal with the Father and the Son 1a) sometimes referred to in a way which emphasises his personality and character (the \\Holy\\ Spirit) 1b) sometimes referred to in a way which emphasises his work and power (the Spirit of \\Truth\\) 1c) never referred to as a depersonalised force 2) the spirit, i.e. the vital principal by which the body is animated 2a) the rational spirit, the power by which the human being feels, thinks, decides 2b) the soul 3) a spirit, i.e. a simple essence, devoid of all or at least all grosser matter, and possessed of the power of knowing, desiring, deciding, and acting 3a) a life giving spirit 3b) a human soul that has left the body 3c) a spirit higher than man but lower than God, i.e. an angel 3c1) used of demons, or evil spirits, who were conceived as inhabiting the bodies of men 3c2) the spiritual nature of Christ, higher than the highest angels and equal to God, the divine nature of Christ 4) the disposition or influence which fills and governs the soul of any one 4a) the efficient source of any power, affection, emotion, desire, etc. 5) a movement of air (a gentle blast) 5a) of the wind, hence the wind itself 5b) breath of nostrils or mouth
βασιλεία,n
\{bas-il-i'-ah}
1) royal power, kingship, dominion, rule 1a) not to be confused with an actual kingdom but rather the right or authority to rule over a kingdom 1b) of the royal power of Jesus as the triumphant Messiah 1c) of the royal power and dignity conferred on Christians in the Messiah's kingdom 2) a kingdom, the territory subject to the rule of a king 3) used in the N.T. to refer to the reign of the Messiah
1) royal power, kingship, dominion, rule 1a) not to be confused with an actual kingdom but rather the right or authority to rule over a kingdom 1b) of the royal power of Jesus as the triumphant Messiah 1c) of the royal power and dignity conferred on Christians in the Messiah's kingdom 2) a kingdom, the territory subject to the rule of a king 3) used in the N.T. to refer to the reign of the Messiah
οὐρανός,n
\{oo-ran-os'}
1) the vaulted expanse of the sky with all things visible in it 1a) the universe, the world 1b) the aerial heavens or sky, the region where the clouds and the tempests gather, and where thunder and lightning are produced 1c) the sidereal or starry heavens 2) the region above the sidereal heavens, the seat of order of things eternal and consummately perfect where God dwells and other heavenly beings
1) the vaulted expanse of the sky with all things visible in it 1a) the universe, the world 1b) the aerial heavens or sky, the region where the clouds and the tempests gather, and where thunder and lightning are produced 1c) the sidereal or starry heavens 2) the region above the sidereal heavens, the seat of order of things eternal and consummately perfect where God dwells and other heavenly beings
Blessed are the poor.
If Jesus left it at this, we would assume, those who are beggars, who cry out day and nite for their daily food, who are unable to live for themselves, those who know that their life is over if God doesnt move on their behalf and send someone to assist them, those who are reliant not on themselves but reliant on outside assistance, those that are willing to receive from others, those that live in a state of constant need, constant asking, constant seeking, constant desire for help, helpless and powerless.
Is there a parallel to being poor AND being poor in Spirit?
I was homeless for 3 months, i have somewhat of an idea, but i dont believe i was homeless long enough to fully understand. I will say that, your faith in God is all you have when your homeless! I spent all my time seeking, talking to, crying out to, dwelling with Jesus. Looking to Jesus in all i did.
Destitute is the word.
Understanding that your fully, utterly, helpless, hopeless and unable to save yourself. All of your confidence and trust and belief is on your savior Jesus Christ. Your bones cry out for reprieve! Does this remind you of any stories in the Bible?
The thief on the cross
The man by the pool of Bethesda
Every poor person Jesus encountered that cried out to Jesus
The thief on the cross won the jackpot, he acknowledged Jesus in his dying hour, accomplished nothing in his life, a valueless, helpless, miserable life, missed his calling and future, left a wake of hurt and broken relationships as well as a wake of destruction, but in his dying moment, being poor in spirit, feeling the wight of sins, he cried out with all his soul to his Savior, Jesus. Today you will be in paradise!
Let us make our dying moments as this man did on the cross, let us not cross the other side with any hopes in our good works, let us not place any faith in ourselves or our good works, for we are saved only by full and complete faith in Jesus and Jesus alone. Cast off any mindset that im good with God because i have been good. There is no one thats good, no not even one, all have sinned and fall short of Gods glorious standard. Pick up your beggerly cross, cry out to your savior in the depths of distress, when all around you all you see is death, know that life is near, know that life is but one breath away, life is but one cry out to the eternal one who comforts those who are poor in spirit!
Lord, let my dying breath be the poorest of the poor in Spirit, let my soul cry poverty, complete and utter helplessness, let my soul cry to the heavens for my saviors redemption, as my soul is escaping my body may your angels protect my journey to the heavens, bind the binding demons, let my journey be swift and fast, guided by faith and praise, let me breakthrough the heavens to praise you evermore! I cant figure this life out, i fall the moment i get up, im stuck, in a rut, mountains are growing and i cant see the light, but Christ in me the hope of Glory, i will have faith, faith in my savior, only He can change this wreck of a life, only He can redeem, only He is mighty to save, only He will finish what He started, my soul finisher
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