As people began to gather on a hillside along the north shore of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus began to teach them about many things relating to life in His Kingdom. He wanted to provide them with a blueprint (so to speak), outlining certain ethical standards and personal qualities for those who enter this Kingdom, a spiritual Kingdom in which the King of kings rules and reigns in the lives of those who have become its “citizens.” This message has become known as “The Sermon on the Mount,” and is recorded in the Gospel of Matthew (chapters 5-7). We will only focus upon the opening part of His sermon, looking at certain qualities, that if possessed, will result in receiving God’s richest blessings. The opening part of His sermon is often referred to as “The Beatitudes.”

Jesus began His sermon by saying, “Blessed are those are poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 5:3). What does it mean to be “poor in spirit”? Interestingly, the Greek has two words that we translate as “poor.” One word is penes, and refers to a person who does manual labor and earns enough to provide for the basic necessities of life for himself and/or his family. The second is ptochos, and refers to one who has no work, and is therefore unable to provide for even the basic necessities of life. Those who are ptochos are completely destitute of all resources and virtually helpless. Guess which word Jesus uses to describe this quality? You guessed it — it’s the second word, ptochos. 

Our “spirit” is that part of us that relates to God. We can’t touch it or identify it with x-rays, but we know that it is there. We can’t see it, but we can feel it. And Jesus said that this “spirit” needs to be poor to the point of being “destitute.” Sadly, most people tend to be “proud” in spirit rather than “poor” in spirit. These people are self-confident and self-reliant. They don’t feel a need for God, and therefore never bend the heart, head, or knee to Him. They resist Him, even to the point of being rebellious toward Him.  

The “poor in spirit,” on the other hand, feel a desperate need for God. They’ve tried everything else, but nothing has worked, and they realize that nothing ever will. They have come to the point where they realize that only God can fill the void within them, a void that longs to be filled. They come to realize that filling that void with possessions or pleasure has never worked, and that only God can fill the void and satisfy the soul. That’s what Jesus meant when He spoke of being “poor in spirit.”

Later in His ministry, Jesus told the story to two men who went to the Temple to pray. One was a despised tax collector and the other was a self-righteous religious leader (a Pharisee). When he prayed, the Pharisee told God how good he was, and how God must be so proud of all the things he had done and continued to do. But the tax collector, too ashamed to lift his eyes toward heaven said, “God, be merciful to me, the sinner” (Lk. 18:9-14). Most translations do not include the definite article, thinking that the tax collector was referring to himself as simply “a sinner,” one who is just like any other sinner. But he used the definite article as the tax collector was thinking of himself as “the sinner,” that is, “the sinner” above all other sinners. His attitude was that of one who, if he were looking for the definition of “sinner” in the dictionary, the picture of the tax collector would be there right along with the definition. And, it’s the picture of one who is “poor in spirit.” 

Most importantly, Jesus said that this tax collector went home “justified,” that is, in a right relationship with God, while the Pharisee left the Temple unchanged, remaining his own self-righteous self. The tax collector was forgiven and changed. With those simple seven words, he entered the Kingdom of God. And that’s what happens to the “poor in spirit.” They enter a Kingdom in which Jesus is King, and extends His blessings upon each “citizen,” which Jesus chose to call “His adopted children.” And that “adoption” comes as a result of being “poor in spirit,” and like the tax collector, comes in repentance seeking God’s mercy and forgiveness.  

If you are outside of His Kingdom, maybe it’s time to step into it. It’s not easy. In fact, it’s the most difficult thing you will ever do. Why? It’s because the key to the gate is to be “poor in spirit,” and like the tax collector in Jesus’ story, one must humbly come before God in repentance. Indeed, it would be so much easier to fulfill some religious duties or rituals, but to repent before God, that’s the most difficult thing you will ever do. And yet, it is the most rewarding because you will enter into God’s “upside down” Kingdom, a Kingdom in which the “poor in spirit” are blessed, and the “proud in spirit” are kept out. If you are not already there, I pray that you will enter His Kingdom, even today.