Bulletin Articles
“Meek, or Weak?”
Categories: Iron sharpens iron“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
(Matthew 5.5)
Jesus said this, and so it’s clearly worth remembering and applying. But what does it mean? Meek is not a word that gets much use today. But the Greek word behind it, πραύς-praus, refers to a realistic opinion of oneself. Synonyms include lowly and humble. Inasmuch as it pertains to a lack of arrogance or self-importance, it’s easy to understand, and clearly a good quality! Paul sums up the attitude, as well as the resultant behavior, although without using the word itself:
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
(Philippians 2.3-4)
However, Jesus did not speak his blessing into a void. He was talking to an audience of Jews, God’s chosen people whose culture strongly encouraged devotion to God and the study of his word. Of all the beatitudes, this one most clearly refers to a passage in previously revealed Scripture: “But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace” (Ps 37.11). It’s fine to notice that Jesus is quoting Scripture, but it would be a mistake not to tug that thread any further. As the incarnate Word, he has a unique relationship with the written word of God, and he has always taken that very seriously. So, what was the point of this verse in the Old Testament? Was it merely a warning against self-importance? Well, what does the context say?
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!
Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
For the evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.
In just a little while, the wicked will be no more;
though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
But the meek shall inherit the land
and delight themselves in abundant peace.
The wicked plots against the righteous
and gnashes his teeth at him,
but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he sees that his day is coming.
(Psalm 37.7-13)
This Psalm addresses people in difficult circumstances, suffering harm at the hands of the wicked, and tempted to give in to anger and commit evil themselves, in retribution. Rather than encouraging them to lash out, it reminds them that God sees, and knows, and will see to it that everyone gets what he deserves; so wait for him.
To the victims of evildoers, the temptation is strong, and this sort of assurance may seem like a hollow coping mechanism. The meekness we’re considering is seen as weakness, and scorned. To be clear, being too weak to act in your own interests is not virtue. But possessing both power and the discipline to use it properly does not diminish a person’s claim on meekness.
Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth.
(Numbers 12.3)
Moses’ meekness was mistaken for pride covering up weakness, when Korah, Dathan, Abiram led a rebellion. They asked Moses and Aaron, “Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?” (Nu 16.3). But they had it backward! Moses exercised authority, because God had given it to him! He was far from arrogant, as he demonstrated then and there, falling on his face before his challengers in a submissive posture (v4). He left the judgment in God’s hands, and was quickly vindicated when the earth opened and swallow the rebels whole.
Take note, also, of the author of the Psalm we’ve considered—David. Not only did he have extensive experience in victimhood, but he also kept his temper under a tight rein, to the extent that his closest friends couldn’t understand why he didn’t lash out, as they would have done.
So David and Abishai went to the army by night. And there lay Saul sleeping within the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head, and Abner and the army lay around him. Then Abishai said to David, “God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice.” But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can put out his hand against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless?”
(1 Samuel 26.7-9)
We’ve seen that strength can be combined with self-control, constituting a virtue called meekness. Our impulse to retaliate against those who harm us, while natural, does not lead to God’s justice. There are times when violence is not only acceptable, but good— rescuing an innocent person being subjected to great harm, for example. But most of the time, the right choice is to wait for the Lord, who provides the clearest example of power kept under righteous control.
Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?”
(Matthew 26.50-54)
The meekest of all shall, indeed, inherit the earth.
Jeremy Nettles
