Guided Bible Studies for Hungry Christians

The Word on the Mountain
(Lesson 3)

The Poor in Spirit

       Blessed [are] the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Mt 5:3 AV)

The first teachings delivered on the Mountain, by the LORD GOD, through Jesus Christ, to those chosen and called to learn the Things of God, define the eight categories of people who are happily blessed by Him. These eight characteristics are often mistakenly taught to be the eight conditions of holiness that are reachable by believers, and many faithful Christians and many dedicated congregations have patterned their walk after these blessings.

As all Things are in the Word of God, the teachings of the eight blessings of the LORD GOD go so much deeper than first can be discerned by a cursory study.

The beginning of the ministry of Jesus Christ shook up the common religious practices and beliefs of the time. To learn those who truly receive the blessings of the LORD GOD to be those who are commonly excluded from religion and society were radical and surprising. To learn that those most vulnerable in the world, were most highly favored by the LORD GOD and promised the greatest happiness, went against everything that had been preached, dictated and controlled by the Pharisees.

The Pharisees were a prominent sect of Jews that controlled the political and religious order of things at the time of Christ’s walk on earth. They were sanctimonious, hypocritical, self-righteous heretics who practiced and advocated strict observance of external forms and ceremonies of religion or conduct without regard to the spirit. They made hypocritical shows of religious devotion, piety, and righteousness. They were confident of their own righteousness, and smugly moralistic and intolerant of the opinion and behavior of others. They pretended to have moral, religious beliefs and principles that they do not really possess.

The very beginning of the ministry of Jesus Christ announced that the Pharisees were all wrong. The LORD GOD did not favor the self-righteous, powerful, sanctimonious Pharisees of tradition, and He would not bless them or their movement.

Jesus Christ was sent to bring those most rejected, repulsive, weakened, and vulnerable to the LORD GOD. It was the peacemakers, not the warriors, the meek rather than the strong, who found favor with the LORD GOD, and it was Jesus Christ that was sent to deliver His message to all chosen or called to hear.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3 AV)

Oftentimes, Christians try to emulate their interpretation of the “poor in spirit” by embracing an impoverished lifestyle and rejecting the things of wealth. While these may be noble ventures in the rejection of the world, and sometimes specific Works directed by the LORD GOD at His Will, they are NOT a duplication of the “poor in spirit” spoken of in the sermon on the mountain.

The “poor in spirit” were people who felt undeserving and little. They would not have imagined great things coming to them, nor would they have hoped or dreamed of a better life. They would not have set goals, nor would they have struggled to overcome the hardships of their life.

They were poor in spirit. When in the public presence of the holy acting Pharisees, they would have hidden themselves in shame if possible, and if seen, bowed down in pitiful subservience. They would have never thought themselves worthy enough to stand in a Pharisee’s presence, and to think that they had the ability to gain the LORD GOD’s attention would have been preposterous to them.

With this description in mind, the “poor of spirit” today are more easily known.

Some are the ones who feel undeserving to search for the Things of God, to enter into a congregation of believers, to be unable to reach and touch anything holy.

Some are the great sinners, whose souls feel to unclean to ever hope to be cleansed.

Some are the lost, who have been pushed down in the cracks of the world, and forgotten.

Some are the rejected who have been hated and discarded at the world’s will.

It is those who truly feel undeserving of God’s attention that His blessing is pronounced upon. It is those who feel the most unworthy, that will receive the Kingdom of Heaven. It will not be the religious, nor the holy acting, nor the powerful, nor the showy devoted to receive the Kingdom.....it will be the lowly poor who had no feelings of entitlement, that will receive Heaven and great happiness by His undeserved Grace!

“And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another? And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.” (Luke 7:19-23 AV)

John the Baptist knew Jesus Christ (Luke 1). The presence of Jesus within the womb of Mary caused John to leap in his own mother’s womb, and be immediately filled with the Holy Ghost. John baptized Jesus with the knowledge that he was the Messiah, and in no recognizable need for that Baptism. He even heard the LORD GOD speak His Words “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”. John the Baptist knew exactly who Jesus Christ was.

They were second cousins. From the day that John the Baptist was born, he had a mission to prepare the way for Jesus Christ’s arrival. He was dedicated in his effort and was the greatest prophet to ever have lived, according to Jesus Christ. Before the ministry of Jesus even began, John’s ministry was so powerful and influential, that he had many devout and loyal followers.

For John the Baptist to send two of his disciples to Jesus to find out if he was the Messiah, or should they look for another was presumptuous and controlling. By asking that question, John was overstepping his place and his ministry that should have been focused on preparing the way. It showed a very spiritually powerful prophet asking Jesus Christ to prove he was more powerful than himself, and hinted that John thought Jesus was not convincingly living the part of the Promised Messiah.

Maybe John felt a dedicated lifetime of ministry preparing people for the Coming of Jesus Christ, would result in more of a reward than imprisonment. Maybe John even expected that when Jesus Christ the Messiah finally began his ministry that his own ministry would become even more powerful, as he walked side by side with Jesus, rather than being confined in a prison. Maybe John judged the identity of the Messiah for an instant with his human natural desires rather than his spiritual knowledge and prophesies of the Word of God.

Whatever was in his mind, we can be certain that his sending two of his disciples to check on Jesus Christ to prove him caused offense. This brought a warning back to John and all who heard, and was a reminder that great happiness comes to those who do not offend and try to entrap Jesus Christ and his ministry.

“And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and much more than a prophet. This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him. And the Lord said, Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like? They are like unto children sitting in the marketplace, and calling one to another, and saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned to you, and ye have not wept. For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil. The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners! But wisdom is justified of all her children.” (Luke 7:24-35 AV)

After the messengers of John left, Jesus Christ explained his ministry, and the ministry role of His greatest prophet, John the Baptist to the all of the people gathered. The group of people gathered to hear Jesus Christ’s words included Publicans, Pharisees and Lawyers.

The Publicans - The class of people employed as tax collectors were detested among Jews and other nations for their harshness, greed, deception and sin. These specific publicans that had gathered around Jesus and heard him speak, were able to understand his words as righteous and true because they had received the baptism of John.

The Pharisees - An exclusively religious and separate class of people, they were a prominent sect of Jews that controlled the political and religious order of things at the time of Christ’s walk on earth. They were sanctimonious, hypocritical, self-righteous heretics who practiced and advocated strict observance of external forms and ceremonies of religion or conduct without regard to the spirit. They made hypocritical shows of religious devotion, piety, and righteousness. They were confident of their own righteousness, and smugly moralistic and intolerant of the opinion and behavior of others. They pretended to have moral, religious beliefs and principles that they do not really possess. The Pharisees gathered around Jesus Christ rejected the council of God because they had not been baptized and had no understanding.

The Lawyers - Experts in Mosaic Law. This group interpreted and taught about the laws given by the LORD GOD to Moses. They also rejected the council of God through Jesus Christ because of their inability to understand as a result of not being baptized with the baptism of John.

“17 When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. 18 I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. 19 I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together: 20 That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.” (Isaiah 41:17-20 AV)

Water = The Will of the LORD GOD given freely to (thirsty) men. The influence and Spirit of God operating in man through grace, to regenerate, strengthen and refresh man’s spiritual (inward) and natural (outward) life experience.

Thirst = Natural Body - To languish and become weak, weary and faint and to lose vigor and vitality and lack in spirit or interest. Spiritual Soul - Intense and greedy desire to satisfy a need and craving toward the LORD GOD.

Fountain = A source or supply (of water, blood, enjoyment) that gushes. It delivers the fresh, moving water of grace of the LORD GOD that is given freely to (thirsty) men.

Wilderness = The absence of the LORD GOD’s grace of regeneration, resulting in a barren, unproductive, unimaginative, secluded and lifeless natural life experience.

Mountains = Spiritual Realm

Valley = Far away from the Spiritual Realm

River = Provides fresh moving water to the thirsty. It delivers the grace of the LORD GOD that is given freely to His (thirsty) men to regenerate, strengthen and refresh their spiritual and natural lives

Cedar Tree = A spiritual character that is filled with perseverance, firmness, and steadfastness with strong and tenacious roots.

Shittah Tree = A spiritual character that is pierced, flogged, goaded, and scourged because of persecution, opposition and hate.

Myrtle Tree = A spiritual character of peace. Also a life that is sent by the LORD to walk to and fro through the earth and bring peace. Angels.

Olive (Oil) Tree = A spiritual character that is anointed with spiritual enlightenment, prominence, beauty and richness to honor God and man.

The Trees planted in the desert (with typology) include...

Fir Tree = A noble and stately spiritual character of worship, praise, rejoicing.

Pine Tree = A spiritual character that is enduring, suffers without yielding, able to support adverse force or influence, and able to bear with patience. Box Tree = A spiritual character that is erect, straight, level, right, happy, honest, prosperous, blessed.

“And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.” (Luke 6:20 AV)

“But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.” (Luke 6:24 AV)

“14 ¶ And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all. 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” (Luke 4:14-21 AV)

Notice how verse 19 also mentions that Jesus Christ was to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. This religious duty given to him by the LORD GOD is not specific to the intended audience and is understood to be the reason that he performs the other religious duties to the poor, brokenhearted, captives, blind and bruised.

Jesus Christ preaches the gospel to the poor so they can know through hearing that the scripture of Isaiah was fulfilled through his coming. It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news that Jesus Christ had come to earth and lived amongst men, with the Spirit of the LORD GOD upon him, and fulfilling the promise of his arrival as Savior.

It was the poor who got to hear this very special and very hoped for “Good News”, from the mouth of the one prophesized throughout Scripture....Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah and Deliverer had come, and it was very good news to hear!

“15 ¶ And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. 16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.” (Luke 14:15-24 AV)

To Eat = (Taste) To devour and consume at a higher, more difficult, more intense level of understanding

Bread = Doctrine

Ground = Worldly field where stupid and brutish people (cattle) live

Yoke of Oxen = Servants

Street = A broad (wide) path

Lane = A crowded path with rushing people in the midst of a city

City = A large town properly defined with bordering walls

Poor in Spirit = Unworthy beggars and paupers thought beneath the upper society of the elite. They are people who feel undeserving of rewards, attention, dreams and hopes. They view the hardships of their life to be deserved and destined to continue forever. They physically and symbolically hide themselves in shame, and bow down in pitiful subservience to those who appear holy or powerful to them. They would never think themselves worthy enough to stand in a Pharisee’s presence, and to think that they had the ability to gain the LORD GOD’s attention would be preposterous to them.

Maimed = Crippled People forced to wallow in the unwanted dregs and dirty remnants cast from the lives of the worldly because of their severe injuries. Their mutilated conditions prevent them from standing upright, and their disabilities cause them to sink into the muck of the world.

Halt = People who are lame, and unable to stand erectly and move toward the LORD GOD. They are unable to walk a straight path because of their disability, and are turned out of His Way.

Blind = People that are inflated with self-conceit, high minded and proud. Their eyes are enveloped with smoke causing them to be opaque and impenetrable to light. They are unable to perceive and has no intuitive recognition. They are dull and stupid and unintelligent. Arrogant is their first name and Bore is their last. They have an exaggerated estimate of their own ability and importance. They display an offensive assumption of superior importance and rights. They are overbearingly assuming and insolently proud. Their spiritual awareness is obscured and hazy. Spiritual matters are vague, ambiguous, and unknown to them. They are in the worldly dark and have no concept of the spiritual light.

Highway = A way of travel that is progressing forward. A journey on the highway is both mode and means, the way of progression and the opportunity to move ahead. The traveled road reveals the journey that represents the course of conduct and the way of life.

Hedge = Enclosing barrier that separates and prevents two from coming together, and creating a silence through blocking. It is also used to fence in for formation, protection or restraint.

Compel = To make another realize that action is necessary and to one’s advantage

Supper = Chief meal of food eaten in the evening

“15 ¶ And when one of them that sat at meat with him heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. 16 Then said he unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many: 17 And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. 18 And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it: I pray thee have me excused. 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them: I pray thee have me excused. 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. 21 So that servant came, and shewed his lord these things. Then the master of the house being angry said to his servant, Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind. 22 And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room. 23 And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.” (Luke 14:15-24 AV)

Throughout our study of the Word of God, we have learned that time plays a great importance in the interpretation of His Things. The LORD GOD’s main, evening meal of supper represents the offering of the Kingdom of God to the Gentiles and to those who the poor, maimed, lame, blind, and those who were moving forward toward the LORD GOD and separated from the others.

“18 ¶ And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. 20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. 21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. 22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. 23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. 24 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 26 And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? 27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” (Luke 18:18-27 AV)

“1 ¶ Then Jesus six days before the passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. 2 There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. 3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. 4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, 5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. 7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. 8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.” (John 12:1-8 AV)

“1 ¶ My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; 3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: 4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? 5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? 6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? 7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?” (James 2:1-7 AV)

It is not the richest, the most powerful, the most popular nor the most vocal that receive the greatest gift of faith from the LORD GOD. That precious and most valuable gift goes to the poor in spirit, to those who feel the most unworthy.

Once that gift of great and rich faith is given to the unworthy poor by the LORD GOD, they become rich in spirit.

No longer inferior, unworthy, shameful, and impoverished, the poor in spirit are empowered. They receive faith, salvation, hope, dreams, goals, deep things, teachings and most importantly...LIFE! They have hope given to them through the promise of their inheritance of the Kingdom of Heaven. They have comfort of great faith, and confidence of their salvation.

The blessed and faithful lover and follower of Jesus Christ cannot be poor in spirit after the Gift of Faith is given, for the Gift heaps the LORD GOD’s riches upon him in abundance!

Cite Article Source

MLA Style Citation:
McFarland, Kathy L. "The Poor in Spirit." The Word on the Mountain Jan 2007.   <http://guidedbiblestudies.com/sermon/3mountain.htm>.

APA Style Citation:
McFarland, Kathy L. (2007, January) "The Poor in Spirit." The Word on the Mountain Retrieved   from http://guidedbiblestudies.com/sermon/3mountain.htm

Chicago Style Citation:
McFarland, Kathy L.(2007) "The Poor in Spirit." The Word on the Mountain (January), http://guidedbiblestudies.com/sermon/3mountain.htm (accessed )

About the Author

Kathy L. McFarland is a Becker Bible Studies Teacher and Author of Guided Bible Studies for Hungry Christians. She is a Religious Studies student of Liberty University, Hebrew language student attending Israeli taught Ulpan and a Homeschool parent teaching the things of God. She is also well-known as a child advocate of innocent children tortured and suffering from the abuse of sexual perversion, out-of-control violence, and pathetic neglect by a carnal world gone mad.

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