Title: The Blessing of the Meek
blessing of the meek
Text/ Matthew 5:5
1. Introduction
Today, we are going to share grace while meditating on the third beatitude among the Beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount, “the blessing of the meek.” First, we will read the text in several translations.
*Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth (KJV)
*Happy are the meek. They will take possession of the land
*溫良者福矣, 因其將得地也
*Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.(NIV)
2. New Testament exegetical understanding of the meek person
Psalm 37 is the Old Testament biblical background of the text “Blessed are the meek”. This psalm is a psalm dealing with the theodicy (theological clarification that deals with the problem of theocratic: how can the wicked prevail in this world and the righteous suffer rather than suffer?).
The writer of Psalm 37 says, “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently. Do not complain about him who prospers in his way, and who makes evil plans. Stop anger and forsake the oar. don't complain It just leans towards evil. For those who do evil will be cut off, but those who trust in the Lord will possess the land. After a while the wicked will be gone, and if you look carefully, they will not be found. But the meek will inherit the earth, and they will rejoice in abundant peace” (Psalm 37:7-11). Based on Psalm 37, the Anchor Bible Commentary interprets the meek person as a humble person or poor person. Prof. Park Soo-am also interprets in “The New Testament Commentary on the Sermon on the Mount” that a meek person is not a person with a soft heart and attitude, but rather a person who humbly waits for God's righteousness to be realized in this world. It is said that the meek means the same as the poor in spirit.
As the commentators say, based on a simple linguistic analysis, if the poor in spirit and the meek mean the same thing in the end, then it means that Jesus repeated the same meaning with only different words. Did Jesus really change the same sound? I don't think so. “He who trusts in the Lord will possess the land. Only the meek will inherit the earth, and they will rejoice in abundant peace.” In addition to the spiritual blessings of the poor in spirit, I think it also implies concrete blessings, namely, the blessings of occupying the real land. If we look at the meaning of the Old Testament blessings that emphasize concrete and practical blessings, I think it would be more appropriate to interpret the blessings that the meek receive as the meaning of receiving real earthly blessings rather than spiritual blessings.
3. The Biblical Concept of the Meek
A meek person, in the face of all the sorrows, calamities, pains, injustices, doubts, fears, worries, anxieties, and anxieties that arise in life, does not become irritated with complaints and complaints, grumbles, and fuss. He is a person who firmly believes that blessings will be poured out, does not waver, does not become discouraged, perseveres, perseveres, and moves forward steadily toward the goal. The following verses are biblical concepts for the meek.
* God gave and God took away; blessed be the name of the LORD (Job 1:21). If we are blessed by God, shall we not receive disaster (Job 2:10)? *Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest (Matthew 11:29). *We are afflicted on every side, but we are not crushed; we are perplexed, but we are not discouraged (2 Corinthians 4:8). *We do not lose heart, for though our outward man perishes, but inwardly we are being renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16). *Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not grow weary (Galatians 6:9). He is a person who does not sin even when he is angry (Ephesians 2:26), and a person who disciplines those who disobey with meekness (2 Tim. 2:25).
4. Then, what are the blessings of the meek?
first. A meek person will receive blessings. People do not gather for people who complain, complain, fuss, hustle, and annoyance. It is the way people gather with meek people who are generous, patient, understanding, relaxed, and generous. The wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous are gracious and give. Those who are blessed by the Lord will inherit the earth, and those who are cursed by the Lord will be cut off (Psalm 37:21-22).
second. The meek will inherit the earth. In a concrete real life, the family prospers and material blessings abound, and they enjoy and live. As Abraham, Isaac, Joseph, Job, David, and Jabez received, it means to receive the blessing of occupying a specific land in this world. In oriental terms, 積善之家 必有餘慶 積惡之家 必有餘