Introduction: The Paradox of Inheritance
We continue our journey through the Sermon on the Mount of Jesus Christ—a text that many call the “Constitution of the Kingdom of God.” We have already considered the first two steps of this spiritual ladder. Entering God’s Kingdom begins with an awareness of one’s complete inadequacy before God—this is “poverty of spirit”. This awareness inevitably causes deep sorrow over one’s sin—the state of “those who mourn”.
Today we move on to the third beatitude, which sounds like this: “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5).
While the world can still somehow perceive the first two beatitudes as “religious exercises,” the third causes clear bewilderment and even protest. In a world where self-confidence, aggressive success, and the ability to “elbow one’s way through” are glorified, the word “meekness” sounds almost like an insult. It is associated with weakness, spinelessness, and an inability to stand up for oneself.
Our life experience suggests something completely different: the earth is inherited by the strong, the cunning, the arrogant, and the influential. Those who know how to take what is theirs by force. A phrase attributed to Al Capone well reflects the philosophy of this world: “You can get much farther with a kind word and a gun than you can with a kind word alone.”
For the Jews listening to Jesus, this commandment was no less shocking. They lived under Roman occupation and were waiting for a warrior Messiah who would crush enemies with a rod of iron and restore the greatness of Israel. And Jesus speaks of meekness. Does this mean that a Christian should be a spineless “rag” that everyone wipes their feet on? Not at all. Let’s figure out what biblical meekness actually means.
What Is Meekness? Strength Under Control
In the Greek language, the word praus (meek) has a very deep and interesting meaning. The ancient Greeks used it to refer to animals that had been tamed. Imagine a wild horse—powerful, fast, headstrong. Huge strength is enclosed in its muscles, but it is uncontrollable and can be dangerous.
When a horse is tamed, it does not become weak. It retains all its power and speed. But now this strength is subject to the will of the rider. It is directed toward construction, not destruction. Now the horse can carry a load, deliver a messenger, or save the owner’s life.
Meekness is strength under control. It is the ability to master oneself, one’s emotions, and one’s resources, subordinating them to a higher goal.
An interesting analogy can be found in music. In choral singing, there are two main volume modes: forte (loud) and piano (quiet). Singing forte is relatively easy—just turn your voice on at full power. But singing piano correctly is an art. A good conductor will say: “Sing piano as if a forte is sounding inside you.” This means that the sound should be quiet, but at the same time dense, saturated, and full of inner energy. It is a restrained power.
Meekness is a spiritual “piano,” inside which a powerful “forte” is hidden. It is a softness of character combined with an iron firmness of spirit. A meek person is not someone who cannot strike, but someone who can, but chooses not to do so for the sake of love and obedience to God.
Biblical Examples: Meekness in Action
Meekness was a hallmark of all the great heroes of faith. And if we look at their lives, we will see that they were anything but weak people.
Abraham was a rich and influential man, the head of a huge clan. When a dispute arose between his herdsmen and the herdsmen of his nephew Lot, Abraham showed amazing meekness. As the elder, he had every right to choose the best lands for himself. But he said to Lot: “Choose for yourself. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.” He yielded because he trusted God more than fertile soil. But when Lot was captured by four kings, this “meek” Abraham gathered his warriors, overtook the enemy armies, and in a decisive battle freed his nephew. His meekness was submission to God, not fear of people.
Moses is called in Scripture “the meekest man on earth” (Num. 12:3). And this is said of a man who led two million former slaves out of Egypt, led them through the desert for forty years, and opposed the most powerful monarch of that time. Moses had an explosive character (remember how he killed an Egyptian in his youth), but God tamed him. When his own brother and sister, Aaron and Miriam, rose up against his authority, Moses did not defend himself. He was silent. God Himself interceded for him. Moses’ meekness consisted in giving the right to revenge and the protection of his reputation into the hands of the Lord.
David showed incredible meekness in his relationship with King Saul. Saul persecuted David, trying to kill him. Once David was in a cave where Saul had entered. David could have ended all his wanderings and sat on the throne with one blow of his sword. His men whispered: “This is a sign from God! Kill him!”. But David only cut off a corner of Saul’s robe and later said: “I will not lift my hand against the Lord’s anointed.” David’s meekness is a conscious refusal of revenge when you have all the opportunities and even moral justifications for it.
The Apostle Paul was a man of huge energy and intellect. Before meeting Christ, he furiously persecuted the church. After the meeting, he directed all this passion to preaching the Gospel. But look how he writes to troubled churches. Having the apostolic authority to command, he often pleads and asks “by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.” In his letter to Philemon, he asks to receive the runaway slave Onesimus not as a criminal, but as a brother, offering himself as a guarantor. This is the meekness of a leader who values people’s souls above his status.
Meekness as a Fruit of Salvation
Why is meekness a mandatory quality for a Christian? Because it is a logical consequence of the first two beatitudes.
When I realize that I am “poor in spirit”—a spiritual bankrupt who has nothing to boast about before God—my pride is broken. When I “mourn” over my sin, understanding how much pain I have caused God and people, I lose any desire to look down on others or demand “justice” for myself.
Meekness is the reaction of a saved person to God’s grace. If God was so merciful to me, a sinner, then who am I to be angry at others or take revenge?
Meekness manifests itself in two directions:
- In relationship with God: This is complete obedience. When God speaks, the meek person does not argue, does not look for excuses, but asks: “Lord, what do you want me to do?”. This is the recognition of Jesus not only as Savior, but also as Lord (King) of one’s life. Christianity is not just a set of ideas; it is a change of power in the heart.
- In relationship with people: This is a refusal of revenge and a readiness to forgive. A meek person understands that judgment belongs to God. He does not spend his life on grievances and proving his rightness. He is ready to “suffer loss” if it serves the glory of God.
Our Meek King
The supreme example of meekness is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He said: “Learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart” (Matt. 11:29).
Think about His life. The Creator of the Universe enters Jerusalem not on a warhorse, but on a young donkey—a symbol of peace and meekness. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He has the authority to call legions of angels who would destroy all His enemies in an instant. But He voluntarily offers His hands to the shackles.
Before Pilate, He maintains a majestic silence, although His one word could change the course of the trial. On the cross, He does not curse His executioners, but prays: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Jesus was not weak. He authoritatively drove the merchants out of the temple and denounced the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. But His strength was always subordinated to the Father’s will and directed toward our salvation. He “emptied himself,” so that we could become heirs of His riches.
The Promise: Inheriting the Earth
Jesus promises: “the meek shall inherit the earth.” At first glance, this seems impossible. But if we look at history, we will see that empires built on force and the sword collapsed and disappeared. And the Kingdom of Christ, built on meekness and love, continues to grow and embrace more and more hearts around the world.
Ultimately, when the Kingdom of God comes in all its fullness, there will be no place on the new earth for the proud, tyrants, and abusers. It will belong to those who have learned meekness from their King.
But this promise begins to be fulfilled already now. A meek person “inherits the earth” in the sense that he gains inner peace and contentment. He does not need to participate in an endless race for status and things. He already possesses everything, because he belongs to God, to whom everything belongs.
Conclusion
Meekness is not something we are born with. It is something we learn from Christ. It is the result of the Holy Spirit’s work in our heart.
If today you feel that you are easily provoked, that grievances gnaw at you, and the desire for revenge seems “just”—come to the meek Jesus. Remember your spiritual poverty. Remember His cross, on which He died for your sins.
Let His meekness become your strength. Let your “forte” be directed toward fighting your own sin and serving God, and your “piano” toward tenderness and forgiveness in relationships with your neighbors. And then you will truly feel the bliss of a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven.
“He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name” (Phil. 2:8-9).