Matthew 5:3 3Blessed are the poor in spirit, because theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
The first beatitude shows how the poor in spirit are blessed. The placement of this beatitude as first is significant because it expresses the primary characteristic of people who are part of God’s kingdom. The word spirit describes the inner person. Jesus’ sermon is not about outside circumstances but about the inner person; the focus is on the condition of the heart. This beatitude gets to the heart issue. Being poor in spirit means recognizing in humility our position before God as people in desperate need of grace. It does not mean feeling sorry for ourselves or having a poor self-image or poor self-esteem but realizing that something is missing in our lives, and only God can provide the answer. We have a spiritual void in our lives that only God can fill. We realize we are nothing without God. The more we mature in our Christian walk, the more we realize our spiritual poverty. Confession, repentance, and humility are the marks of spiritual maturity.
Being “poor” is not a matter of money. Money may actually be a problem for entering the kingdom. Jesus said in Matthew 19:23-24, “Truly I say to you that it is diffucult for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Pride is one of the biggest challenges we face. Pride can slip in the heart of even a sincere believer if humility before God is neglected. Being poor in spirit is not something that comes naturally to us, and it is not a quality that is celebrated in our time and culture. The world’s values self-reliance and self-confidence.
As first in the list, this beatitude opens the way for all other blessings. It prepares for the crucified life that expresses the heart of Jesus. Being poor in spirit is the basic requirement to entering God’s kingdom. Having a kingdom assumes there is a king who has power and jurisdiction. Jesus is the king of the kingdom and the kingdom itself. Any aspect of the kingdom is an aspect of Jesus. Where Jesus is, there is the kingdom. Everything in the kingdom derives from his kingship. Jesus is the model of being poor in spirit. He humbled himself to die on a cross for sins of the world. The way to the kingdom is the way of the cross. To experience the kingdom requires that we die to our old self and old ways by being crucified with Christ. The way to be part of the kingdom is by submitting ourselves to the sovereignty of the king of the kingdom. This beatitude comes first in the Sermon on the Mount because everything after this describes kingdom life. This is what life under God’s rule should be like. Jesus was showing his new disciples what their life should be like.
The ways of the kingdom are much different than the ways of the world. We are confronted with the question of our values and worldview. The values of the kingdom challenge and counter the values of the world. The pull and temptation of the world and its fleshly values are very strong upon us. We all give in to these. As 1 John 1:8, 10 reminds us, none of us is beyond sin. As we follow the ways of the world, we find the kingdom far away and difficult to find. The kingdom is not about self-sufficiency or self-sovereignty but self-sacrifice. The world and its values are not blessed. The world seeks happiness, but this pursuit is based on circumstances. Disciples of Jesus find blessing when they find Jesus. Our treasure is found on the cross and not in the bank.
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