Beatitudes Week 3: Meek

When you think of the word meekness, what comes to mind? How would you define it?

Meek is an interesting word. It is important for us to note that there are two different views of the word Meek in the world.

There is the Biblical understanding of meekness.

There is also the Worlds understanding of Meekness.

Before we get into that let’s read the passage again.

Matthew 5:1–12 NIV

1 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them. He said: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Matthew 5:5 NIV

5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Meek: Definitions

Meek is defined as—Quiet, gentle, and easily imposed on, Submissive

What about that definition stands out to you?

For me personally what stands out about that definition is the word submissive. That word is a fundamentally difficult word when it comes to our understanding of the idea of meekness. Submission is often viewed as negative. Most people will see that word and see that a person is a door mat. That they would be a person who just give in all the time and people can impose on. That is where the worlds understanding of meekness doesn’t align with a Biblical understanding of meekness.

Biblical Understanding

Meek—A Calm temper of mind, not easily provoked, gentle, Strength under control.

These are some of the views that i found when i was looking up this word and studying it. In fact the greek word that is used is translated one of two ways. Meek or Gentle. Here are some of those examples.

Matthew 11:29 NIV

29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Matthew 21:5 NIV

5 “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”

1 Peter 3:4 NIV

4 Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

When you think of someone who is described as Gentle who or what Comes to mind?

I can’t help but think of some of the roughest and toughest dads in the world people you would never espect to be gentle but you give them a child or a baby and they become the silliest or the most compassionate men in the world. They can be the big tough guy and they can also be the softest teddy bear.

Two Men described as Meek.

In the Bible only two men were ever described as meek.

Moses and Jesus.

Neither of these men were pushovers. Yet, they were described as Meek.

Numbers 12:3 NIV

3 (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)

The Two passages from Matthew where they are translated in the NIV as Gentle in Matthew are the same word used for meek. One of the ideas that I shared earlier was the idea of Meekness as Strength under control. This is a description to me of these two men. They were leaders who had great strength yet kept it under control. I can only imagine some of the times that Jesus had to get so frustrated with people or the things going on around him yet he was gentle and under control That is a powerful way to think and to approach life.

Psalm 37 is often looked to as a great example of the inheritance that the meek will obtain.

Psalm 37:1–11 NIV

1 Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; 2 for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. 3 Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: 6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. 7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. 8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. 9 For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. 10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look for them, they will not be found. 11 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.

To exercise meekness we must first. “trust in the Lord and do good”

Meekness is always the most difficult when we hit difficult times and when we face challenges that press us and we don’t want to be gentle with people. When we want to allow our strength to get out of hand. When we can maintain the control that we need to. It is at this point that we need to take to heart this kind of passage. Because we can know he will take care of us that when the end comes he will make right the wrongs that might be committed against us because we are willing to bend.

Psalm 37:5–7 NIV

5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: 6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. 7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

We have to remember that sometimes the world is going to challenge us and is going to present us with opportunities to show meekness to show restraint and control.

Have you ever had to show control in a moment? How did you handle it?

The civil rights leaders.

Meakness is not weakness we can ever for get that. Meekness is the ability to be under control in all situations. It is not just submission or being a pushover instead it is a great strength in trust that we know God has us and he is in control.