1st and 3rd beatitudes

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thomasjefferson

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Does anyone know the difference between the first and third beatitudes? I was told to interpret “poor in spirit” as “humble” and also “meek” as “humble in spirit”?

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.
 
The first is humble, meek may be humble as well but they are gentle pacifists and obedient to the Lord. That’s how I’d describe meek.
 
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thomasjefferson said:
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Click to expand...
yes its humility

Matthew 18:4 Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
thomasjefferson said:
Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.
Click to expand...
This is meekness like gentleness as Jesus said
Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle(Meek) and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Colossians 3:12 As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
 
To be “poor in Spirit” is less about material poverty and more about recognizing our reliance on God for all things. This is how I was taught to understand the first beatitude.

Humility, or meekness, is not bowing or cowering as it is often portrayed. Rather it more an understanding of who we are in God’s eyes. We are “precious in His sight.” At the same time, we are insignificant, and He is all powerful.

When I was young, a Dominican priest visited our military chapel. He shared the answer a young boy, about my age at the time had given to the question, “How big is God?”
“God is so big the Universe cannot hold Him, and yet so small He fits in my heart.”
 
thomasjefferson said:
Does anyone know the difference between the first and third beatitudes? I was told to interpret “poor in spirit” as “humble” and also “meek” as “humble in spirit”?

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are the meek,
for they shall inherit the earth.
Click to expand...
Meek is a combination quality of strength with gentleness from the Greek word praeis.
 
Vico said:
Meek is a combination quality of strength with gentleness from the Greek word praeis .
Click to expand...
Thanks for your help understanding this everyone… Vico, this answer made most sense to me, thank you
 
My thoughts…
Meekness is impossible without humility, as all of the beatitudes are impossible without the first, which is about humility. Meekness is more a way of life after admitting the need for God and after our morning our sins and the sins of the whole world. It is the allowing this relization of our need to form our heart, to etch away at those parts of us that are attached to the things of this world. Meekness is allowing the Spirit to lead us where we do not necessarily want to go and allowing ourselves to be formed in ways that we before did not envision because of who God is. To me it differs from poverty of spirit (the realization of our need for God) and is the allowing of who God is to be the defining point of how we live. It us following His lead in our lives, meekly accepting our state of life and all that come in the moments of daily living.
 
Poor in Spirit is talking about detachment to worldly things.
 
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