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POOR IN SPIRIT

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by Van, Jan 11, 2024.

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  1. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    Jesus said, “blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The question before us is just who are these that are “poor in spirit.”

    Now the Greek word translated as “poor” refers to folks that obtain what they need by begging as opposed to other poor folks who scrape by on what they can earn each day. Hence the verse (Matthew 5:3) might be understood to mean “blessed on the beggarly in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

    A beggar is neither self-sufficient nor proud; he or she relies on another for their needs and desires. So it is not too far of a stretch to think poor in spirit refers to reliance on God. In Luke 16, Jesus provides us with an insight into the afterlife where someone who was self-sufficient and did not rely on God goes to Hades where he then begs and this is contrasted with a beggar who trusted in God and becomes rich in comfort and relationships in the afterlife. Both could be aptly described by the oxymoron “affluent poor” because the one thought he was rich when in fact he was another of the wretched poor, whereas the other thought of himself as nothing, a needful beggar, but was in fact rich in spiritual rewards.

    In James 2:5, James tells us we should not judge folks by the world’s value system, i.e. how well to do a person is, but rather we should avoid becoming judges with evil thoughts. “Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in this world, rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which He promised to those who love Him?”

    To rely and depend of Christ, to trust Him with our life, rather than our self-sufficiency reflects the message of the verse “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
     
    #1 Van, Jan 11, 2024
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  2. CJP69

    CJP69 Active Member

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    Seems pretty straight forward.

    Directly, Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount" applies to Israel but the moral principle of humility is inter-dispensational.
     
    #2 CJP69, Jan 12, 2024
  3. Deacon

    Deacon Well-Known Member
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    [BLUE and UNDERLINING added}

    Van, your conclusion was good but the path you took to get there was faulty.
    The poor and beggars are one and the same, there is no opposition between the two.


    Lexicon Search
    Poor, [Mt 5:2] (Gr. πτωχοὶ)

    1. in class. Grk. from Hom. down, reduced to beggary, begging, mendicant, asking alms: Lk. 14:13, 21; 14:20, 22.

    2. poor, needy, (opp. to πλούσιος): Mt. 19:21; 26:9, 11; Mk. 10:21; 12:42, 43; 14:5, 7; Lk. 18:22; 19:8; 21:3; Jn. 12:5, 6, 8; 13:29; Ro. 15:26; 2 Co. 6:10; Gal. 2:10; Jas. 2:2, 3, 6; Rev. 13:16; in a broader sense, destitute of wealth, influence, position, honors; lowly, afflicted: Mt. 11:5; Lk. 4:18, (fr. Is. 61:1); 6:20; 7:22;

    Joseph Henry Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Being Grimm’s Wilke's Clavis Novi Testamenti (New York: Harper & Brothers., 1889), 557.


    ① pert. to being economically disadvantaged, orig. ‘begging’ (s. πένης for a differentiation betw. the two words; note the juxtaposition in Ps 39:18; 69:6 al.), dependent on others for support, but also simply poor (as Mod. Gk. φτωχός) χήρα πτωχή Mk 12:42; cp. vs. 43; Lk 21:3. Mostly as subst. (Jos., Bell. 5, 570) opp. ὁ πλούσιος one who has more than enough (Pla., Tht. 24, 175a; Maximus Tyr. 1, 9a) Lk 6:20 (cp. vs. 24); Rv 13:16; 1 Cl 38:2; Hs 2:4.—Mt 26:11; Mk 14:7; Lk 14:13, 21; 16:20, 22; J 12:6, 8; Ro 15:26 (οἱ πτ. τῶν ἁγίων τῶν ἐν Ἰερουσαλήμ, part. gen. On the other hand πτωχοί [in the sense of 2]=ἅγιοι: KHoll, SBBerlAk 1921, 937–39 and Ltzm., exc. on Ro 15:25); 2 Cor 6:10 (in wordplay w. πλουτίζειν); Gal 2:10; Js 2:2f, 6; B 20:2; D 5:2. οἱ πτ. τῷ κόσμῳ those who are poor in the world’s estimation Js 2:5 (opp. πλούσιοι ἐν πίστει). διδόναι (τοῖς) πτ. Mt 19:21; Mk 10:21; Lk 19:8; cp. 18:22; J 13:29; D 13:4. Pass. Mt 26:9; Mk 14:5; J 12:5.

    William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 896.


    The Hebrew Scriptures often employ poetic parallelism that can aid in the definition of a word.
    The Greek translation (LXX) of "poor" uses the same word as in Matthew 5:2).

    Isaiah 41:17 (Brenton LXX Gk)
    Καὶ ἀγαλλιάσονται οἱ πτωχοὶ καὶ οἱ ἐνδεεῖς· ...​

    Isaiah 41:17 (Lexham English Septuagint, LES)
    And the poor and the needy will rejoice, for they will seek water and there will be none; their tongue will dry up from thirst. I am the Lord God; I will hear them; I am the God of Israel, and I will not forsake them,
    ​
    Rob
     
    #3 Deacon, Jan 12, 2024
    • Informative Informative x 1
  4. Van

    Van Well-Known Member
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    We disagree, I believe the Greek word used by Jesus in Matthew 5:3 refers to being beggarly, being dependent upon others (God is this case) rather than being devoid of worldly wealth

    I did not suggest "opposition" but rather "difference."

    In Isaiah 41:17, those oppressed and in need are in view, thus again being dependent on God. Note God hears them, thus they beg for God's provision.
     
    #4 Van, Jan 14, 2024
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