Blessed are the Poor in Spirit
A. W. Pink (1886—1952) was a British pastor and author, little known in his time. But after death, his writings became popular and were formative for some of the most spiritually influential men of the 20th century.
He authored a monthly magazine, Studies in the Scriptures. At the time of writing, the magazine seemed as insignificant as its author. But its message, which directed readers back to an understanding of the gospel rarely heard since the days of Charles Spurgeon, later became a key factor in the recovery of expository preaching and biblical living.
The following is an excerpt adapted from his Exposition on the Sermon on the Mount.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall he comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake."
Matthew 5:3–11
Are you truly happy?
A careful study of the Sermon on the Mount reveals that it has twelve divisions, varying considerably in length. It is the first of them which is now to engage our attention. In it, our Lord makes known wherein true happiness or blessedness consists, disclosing to us a secret which is hidden from the unregenerate, who suppose that outward comforts and luxuries are absolutely indispensable to contentment of mind and felicity of life. Herein, too, He strikes at the root of the carnal conceit of the Jews, who vainly imagined that external peace and prosperity were to result from a receiving of the Gospel.
It is indeed blessed to observe how this Sermon opens. Christ began not by pronouncing maledictions on the wicked, but benedictions on His people. How like Him was this, to whom "judgment" is a "strange work"! Nevertheless, later, we also hear Him pronouncing "woe" after "woe" upon the enemies of God (Matthew 23). It was not to the multitude at large that the Redeemer first spoke, but to the elect, who had a special claim upon Him, as given by the Father’s love to Him (John 17:9–10). Nor was it to the favored apostles He addressed His opening remarks, but rather to the poor of the flock, the afflicted in soul, those who were conscious of their deep need. Therein, He has left an example for all His under shepherds: "Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees;" "Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God" (Isaiah 25:3; 40:1).
"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3). In these words, Christ began to draw a picture of those characters upon whom the Divine benediction rests. It is a composite picture, each line in it accentuating some distinct spiritual feature; and with the whole we should honestly and carefully compare ourselves. At what complete variance is this declaration of Christ’s from the popular view among men! The idea which commonly obtains, the world over, is: Blessed are the rich, for theirs is the kingdom of the world. But Christ says the contrary: "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," which is infinitely better than all the kingdoms of the earth; and herein we may see that the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God (1 Corinthians 1). Who, before Christ, ever regarded the poor in spirit as the blessed or happy ones of the earth? And who, except genuine Christians, do so today? How this opening word struck the keynote of all the subsequent teaching of Him who was Himself born in a stable: not what a man does, but what he is in the sight of God.