Matthew 5:5 - Printer Friendly

ESV: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

NIV: Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

NASB: Blessed are the gentle, for they will inherit the earth.

CSB: Blessed are the humble, for they will inherit the earth.

NLT: God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.

KJV: Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

NKJV: Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.

Jesus continues to describe the Beatitudes: sayings about who is blessed and why, especially as it relates to the coming kingdom of heaven. Now Jesus declares those who are meek to be blessed because they will inherit the earth. The word meek does not mean "weak," though that's how many misinterpret it. The word is best understood as "gentleness," or a refusal to take control by brute force or manipulation. Meekness, from a Christian perspective, is about faith. It is about trusting God to win the battle in the end instead of going to extremes to win the battle on our own terms. The concept is often referred to as "strength under control," rather than "strength seeking control."

This is exactly backwards from the world's common understanding. Most believe the world to be controlled by those strong and ambitious enough to take what they want. The world belongs to the rich, the dominant, and the bold. Jesus flips that around. He declares that the true inheritors of the earth are the meek.

Once again, Jesus' meaning here is in connection to those who have faith in Him. If we belong to the Lord, and if the Lord becomes king of the earth, as the Messiah will, then all those who are His will inherit the earth with Him. "Meekness" is not a requirement for becoming a true Christian, but meekness is something which naturally comes from having a saving knowledge of Christ.

It should be said that true meekness takes courage; we must fight with ourselves to trust God's plan and His character. It's hard to be humble and patient when we cannot fully understand how good will win in the end.

Matthew 5:1–12 contains the beautiful Beatitudes delivered by Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount. The series of nine sentences describes an unlikely group of people as blessed: the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those hungry for righteousness, and the merciful. All are blessed because of their part in the kingdom of heaven. This includes those persecuted for the sake of righteousness and on account of Jesus. Instead of despairing, they should rejoice for the great rewards they will receive in heaven. These are not prerequisites for salvation; instead, they are the natural expressions of saving faith in the life of those who know Christ.

The Sermon on the Mount contains some of Jesus' most challenging teaching. It begins with the unlikely blessings of the Beatitudes. Jesus' disciples must do good works in order to be a powerful influence: as the salt of the earth and light of the world. The superficial righteousness of the Pharisees is not good enough to earn heaven. Sins of the heart, such as angry insults and intentional lust, are worthy of hell just as much as adultery and murder. Easy divorce and deceptive oaths are forbidden. Believers should not seek revenge. Instead, God intends us to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors. In short, we should strive to be perfect, as God is perfect.

Matthew 5 follows Matthew's description of the enormous crowds that were following Jesus (Matthew 4:25). One day, Jesus sits down on a hill to teach them, in an address we now call the Sermon on the Mount. He describes as blessed those who are poor in spirit, who mourn, and who are persecuted. Christ also explains how God's standards of righteousness go far beyond behaviors and speech; they also include our thoughts and attitudes. Meeting God's standards means perfection. Chapter 6 continues this sermon, with more examples of Jesus clarifying God's intent for godly living.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.