“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5)
Hafpor “The Mountain” Bjornsson holds the record as being the “World’s Strongest Man.” In May of 2020, Bjornsson gained this title as he deadlifted 1,100 pounds and squatted 1,000 pounds.
Since 1977 men have gathered to compete in the “World’s Strongest Man” competition and men from around the world push their bodies to the limits to prove which of them are indeed the strongest men on earth. Of course, the gathering of men to prove which of them was the strongest did not begin in 1977.
Every high school and middle school is filled with young men who boast they are the strongest among their peers and will quickly “flex” their muscles for anyone who asks and some who do not.
The ancient Romans and Greeks would meet on the fields of battle and competition to prove dominance over anyone who defied them.
In the list of people that are “blessed,” Jesus did not say “blessed are those that are physically strong” but rather He stated “blessed are the meek” (Matt. 5:5).
What is meekness and what blessings are given to those that are such?
State of Being.
“Blessed are the meek…”
The word “meek” is translated from the Greek word “praus” which is defined as “gentle, kind, forgiving, mild, benevolent, humane.” The common definition given for the word “meek” is “strength under control.”
Generally speaking, the world does not boast about having a mild, gentle, or kind attitude. The majority of people today do not exhibit an attitude of meekness but desire to be the strongest, the boldest, the best of the best, and if one is to exhibit an attitude of meekness or gentleness, then they are considered to be weak.
In giving the great invitation, Jesus stated “I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matt. 11:29). Would we dare to say that Jesus was weak?
Jesus could never be considered to be weak, and although we do not have a description of His physical prowess and stature, we are told in Scripture of the torture He endured at the hands of the Romans that scourged and crucified Him, keeping in mind He was strong enough to do what no one else could do in shedding His blood for the remission of the sin of the world.
Jesus is the perfect example of meekness and it is His example that we should follow. When Jesus was mistreated, beaten, mocked, smitten, and such like, He never reviled, He never threatened, He never acted maliciously towards anyone, but instead He bore it all.
It is meekness that produces peace and it is meekness that is proof of the true greatness of the soul.
Albert Barnes commented in his commentary on Matthew 5:5:
“Meekness produces peace. It is proof of true greatness of soul. It comes from a heart too great to be moved by little insults.”
If you were to examine yourself, would you be able to say you are among the meek of this world, or would you be listed among the proud and arrogant?
State of Blessing.
“…they shall inherit the earth.”
Many have suggested that when Jesus spoke of inheriting the earth He was using a common Jewish manner of expressing blessings from God.
The Jews were promised to inherit the Promised Land and looked forward to their inheritance while wandering through the wilderness, and during the days of Jesus, the Jews had a habit of using Old Testament promises of land inheritance as a proverbial expression to denote any great blessing.
Those who are meek will inherit a blessing from God, but what is the meaning of “the earth” of Matthew 5:5? Is Jesus teaching that the earth will be renovated and/or restored or is the earth spoken of in this verse used figuratively?
I might suggest that the “earth” of this passage is the same as the “new heavens and new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13). When Jesus spoke of the inheritance that belongs to the meek, He is referring to the final home that will be given to those that have obeyed the commands of God.
Each year many may gather to prove themselves to be the strongest person on earth, but how many will compete to prove which person is the most meek?
Those who will humble themselves and follow the example of Jesus have the promise of inheriting the eternal dwelling place with God.
Will you be among the meek or the proud?
Jeremy Thornton preaches for the Highway 77 Church of Christ in Marion, Arkansas. I’ve known Jeremy for several years and appreciate his good work in the Lord’s kingdom!
Grateful for this post💖
New Christian here. Learning to not be reactive toward people who are hostile