Matthew 5:3
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
THOMAS WATSON (1620-1686): Why does Christ here begin with poverty of spirit?
C. H. SPURGEON (1834-1892): A ladder, if it is to be of any use, must have its first step near the ground, or feeble climbers will never be able to mount it. Our Divine Instructor begins at the beginning—with the very ABC of experience—and so enables the babes in Grace to learn of Him. This first Beatitude, though thus placed at a suitably low point where it may be reached by those who are in the earliest stages of Grace is, however, none the less rich in blessing.
MARTYN LLOYD-JONES (1899-1981): This, of necessity, is the one which must come at the beginning for the good reason that there is no entry into the kingdom of heaven, or the kingdom of God, apart from it. There is no-one in the kingdom of God who is not “poor in spirit.”
THOMAS WATSON: Well then, what are we to understand by “poor in spirit?”
C. H. SPURGEON: First—what is it not?
MARTYN LLOYD-JONES: There are those who tell us that it should read “Blessed in spirit are the poor.” They seem to derive a certain amount of justification for that from the parallel passage in Luke 6:20, where you will read, “Blessed be ye poor,” without any mention of “poor in spirit.” So they would regard it as a commendation of poverty. But surely that must be entirely wrong. The Bible nowhere teaches that poverty itself is a good thing.
A. W. PINK (1886-1952): There is no virtue, and often no disgrace, in financial poverty; nor does it, of itself, produce humility of heart, for anyone who has any real acquaintance with both classes soon discovers there is just as much pride in the poor as there is in the rich.
H. A. IRONSIDE (1876-1951): Jesus emphasizes, not simple poverty as to material means, but says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”
THOMAS WATSON: Roman Catholics give a wrong gloss upon the text—By “poor in spirit,” they understand those who, renouncing their estates, vow a voluntary poverty, living in their monasteries. But Christ does not pronounce them blessed who make themselves poor, leaving their estates and callings.
MARTYN LLOYD-JONES: Most of the Roman Catholic commentators are very fond of interpreting this statement in that sense. Their patron saint is Frances of Assisi. But there is no merit or advantage in being poor. Poverty does not guarantee spirituality. Clearly, therefore, the passage does not mean that…If those are the negatives, then what is the positive aspect of being “poor in spirit?”
A. W. PINK: This ‘poverty of spirit’ is a fruit that grows on no merely natural tree. It is a spiritual grace wrought by the Holy Spirit in those whom He renews…It is the opposite of that haughty, self-assertive and self-sufficient disposition which the world so much admires and praises. It is the very reverse of that independent and defiant attitude which refuses to bow to God, which determines to brave things out, which says with Pharaoh, “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice?”
MARTYN LLOYD-JONES: I think the best way to answer that question is to put it in terms of Scripture. It is what Isaiah said, “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones,” Isaiah 57:15.
MATTHEW HENRY (1662-1714): The foundation of all other graces is laid in humility. Those who would build high must begin low; and it is an excellent preparative for the entrance of gospel-grace into the soul; it fits the soil to receive the seed.
THOMAS ADAM (1701-1784): Alas! who is humble? Humility is knowing that we are not humble.
THOMAS WATSON: What is the difference between ‘poverty of spirit’ and humility? These are so alike that they have been taken one for the other. John Chrysostom, by “poverty of spirit,” understands humility. Yet I think there is some difference. They differ as to the cause and the effect. Tertullian says, “none are poor in spirit but the humble.” He seems to make humility the cause of poverty of spirit. But I rather think that poverty of spirit is the cause of humility, for when a man sees his want of Jesus Christ, and how he lives on the alms of free grace—this makes him humble.
A. W. PINK: It corresponds to the initial awakening of the prodigal in the far country, Luke 15:14, when he “began to be in want.”—And what is poverty of spirit?” To be “poor in spirit,” is to realize that I have nothing, am nothing, and can do nothing, and have need of all things. Poverty of spirit is a consciousness of my emptiness, the result of the Spirit’s work within. It issues from the painful discovery that all my righteousnesses are as filthy rags. It follows the awakening that my best performances are unacceptable…Poverty of spirit evidences itself by its bringing the individual into the dust before God, acknowledging his utter helplessness and deserving of hell.
MATTHEW HENRY: It is to acknowledge that God is great, and we are mean; that He is holy and we are sinful; that He is all and we are nothing, less than nothing, worse than nothing; and to humble ourselves before Him, and under His mighty hand.
JOHN NEWTON (1725-1807): You know nothing aright, if you know not yourselves.
MARTYN LLOYD-JONES: How does one therefore become poor in spirit?
GEORGE WHITEFIELD (1714-1770): The poor in spirit are only they who are willing to go out of themselves, and rely wholly on the righteousness of another.
MATTHEW HENRY: It is to come off from all confidence in our own righteousness and strength, that we may depend only upon the merit of Christ for our justification, and the spirit and grace of Christ for our sanctification. We must call ourselves poor, because always in want of God’s grace, always begging at God’s door. That “broken and contrite spirit,” with which the publican cried for mercy to a poor sinner, is that ‘poverty of spirit.’
JOHN GILL (1697-1771): Being sensible of their poverty, they place themselves at the door of mercy, and knock there; their language is, “God be merciful, a sinner.”
JOHN NEWTON: Pray that you may likewise be poor in spirit.
MARTYN LLOYD-JONES: The way to become poor in spirit is to look at God…It is also to look at the Lord Jesus Christ, and to view Him as we see Him in the Gospels—and the more we look at Him, the more hopeless shall we feel by ourselves, and in and of ourselves, and the more we will become “poor in spirit.” Look at Him—keep looking at Him…You cannot truly look at Him without feeling your absolute poverty, and emptiness. Then you say unto Him:
“Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling.”
H. A. IRONSIDE: It is to acknowledge that in yourself you have absolutely nothing to satisfy God, but when you trust His grace, then you can say that yours is the kingdom of God.
JOHN NEWTON: Are you poor in spirit?
