05.18.2025 Sermon by Pastor Jeungbok Lee
Scripture: Matthew 5:1-5
Title: Blessed Are the Meek

**Matthew 5:1-5**  
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to Him, and He began to teach them, saying:  
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”

**1. The Context of the Sermon on the Mount**  
When reading the Sermon on the Mount, the first thing we must remember is that these words were spoken to Jesus’ disciples, the people of God’s kingdom. Jesus’ disciples are pilgrims in this world, confessing that their true home is not here. They live with their hope fixed on heaven, and this is a clear truth for us as well. Yet, when we read, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth,” we often think, “If I become meek, God will give me land in this world.” Let me first address the misunderstanding of this verse and provide its correct interpretation.

1) **The Misunderstanding of Jesus’ Jewish Disciples at the Time**  
The Jewish disciples understood “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” literally, believing it meant receiving physical land in this world. This stemmed from their experience with God’s promise in Exodus 3:7-8, where God delivered the Israelites from Egypt and gave them the land of Canaan. This Old Testament background shaped their view of “land” as a physical inheritance.

2) **The Misunderstanding of Modern Christians**  
Some modern Christians also interpret this verse literally, thinking that being meek will lead to receiving land as an inheritance. They might pray, “If I become meek, God will give me land, just as He gave Canaan to the Israelites.” This is a superficial understanding and not what Jesus intended to convey.

3) **The Correct Understanding of “The Meek Will Inherit the Earth”**  
The “earth” in this context is a symbolic representation of all the blessings the meek will receive. It is not a promise that being meek will immediately result in owning physical land. However, it is true that the meek will inherit the earth. Jesus inaugurated the kingdom of God when He came to earth, but it has not yet reached its full completion. The kingdom began with Jesus and will be fully realized when He returns, establishing a new heaven and a new earth where God’s reign is visibly manifest. Therefore, Christians who think they will receive land in this world based on present-day values are mistaken. This mindset reflects a prosperity gospel, which is not rooted in true Christian faith. The correct understanding is that the people of God’s kingdom, who believe in Jesus Christ, will truly inherit the earth in the new heaven and new earth when God’s kingdom is fully realized. For now, being “blessed” as the meek means receiving the good blessings God has promised, which will ultimately be fulfilled in the completed kingdom of God.

4) **Why Do Perspectives on “the Earth” Differ?**  
As I’ve emphasized, those who believe in Jesus as Savior and belong to God’s kingdom have different values from those who do not. Christians, as people of God’s kingdom, live with spiritual and future-oriented values, following God’s will. In contrast, those of this world live with earthly, materialistic values. People with worldly values cannot understand the spiritual values of God’s kingdom. Different values lead to different interpretations of the same words or events—sometimes even opposite ones. For example, consider politicians: even among those focused on worldly values, how different are the perspectives of passionate Republicans and Democrats? Therefore, as people of God’s kingdom, we must hold the correct values to properly hear, understand, and apply Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.

**2. Who Are the Meek?**  
To understand the meek, we must not start with the word “meek” itself. Instead, we begin with the two virtues that define them. The meek are those who are poor in spirit, recognizing their spiritual bankruptcy due to sin, and those who mourn over their sin. Without knowing who we are, we cannot possess a meek character. If we only understand “meek” through a dictionary definition, we will grasp only a fraction of what Scripture intends and miss the blessed promise of this teaching.

1) **Examples of the Meek in Scripture**  
To better understand who the meek are, let’s look at those whom Scripture identifies as meek.

**Moses**  
*Numbers 12:3, 7-8*  
“Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth… ‘Not so with My servant Moses; he is faithful in all My house. With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses?’”

This passage arises from a situation where Miriam and Aaron criticized Moses for marrying a Cushite woman. God evaluates Moses as the meekest man on earth, rebuking Aaron and Miriam. The reasons for Moses’ meekness include his faithfulness and close relationship with God. Moses remains faithful to God’s word in all circumstances and lives in intimate communion with Him, seeing God’s form face to face. God Himself declares Moses the meekest person on earth.

**Jesus**  
*Matthew 11:29*  
“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart.”  
Though Jesus is the Son of God, He demonstrated meekness throughout His life by entrusting Himself to the Father rather than retaliating against those who insulted or slandered Him. He did not yield to the threats of Pilate, an official of the powerful Roman Empire, but stood firm in God’s will.

*1 Peter 2:23*  
“When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.”

**Paul**  
Paul, despite being slandered by the Corinthian church he founded, did not assert his rights as its founder. Instead, he humbled himself to better proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ’s cross.

Through Moses, Paul, and our Lord Jesus, we see that meekness is not a passive, quiet, or conflict-avoiding trait. The meek in Scripture are those who actively obey God’s word, aligning their will with God’s. They are fully surrendered to God’s will, unaffected by others’ slander or attacks because they recognize their own sinfulness and lack of personal rights. While Jesus, being sinless, is an exception, He experienced our pain and weakness to bring salvation. The meek, having fallen due to sin, can rise again through obedience to God’s word. If you want to understand the meek, think of Moses, who boldly proclaimed God’s word despite Israel’s disobedience; Paul, who courageously wrote and prayed despite the Corinthian church’s slander; and above all, Jesus, who left His throne of glory, endured insults, and fulfilled God’s will through His death on the cross. Remembering who the meek are provides a proper guide for our faith.

2) **Distinguishing Humility and Meekness**  
We must be careful not to equate humility and meekness, as they are often confused.

2-1) **Commonality**  
Both humility and meekness are qualities revealed in relationships with others and oneself.

2-2) **Differences**  
Humility involves considering others better than oneself in relationships, lowering oneself. In contrast, meekness primarily concerns one’s relationship with God. A humble person elevates others above themselves, as Jesus did. As His disciples, we should emulate this humility.

*Philippians 2:3*  
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”

2-3) **Meekness**  
*Galatians 5:22-23*  
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”  
Meekness (gentleness) is a fruit of the Spirit, a quality formed in those reborn through faith in Jesus Christ. The meek have a heart inclined to fully obey God’s word, unafraid of opposition from the powerful because their character is shaped by the Holy Spirit to align with God’s will. They do not allow anything to sway God’s purpose and are willing to lay down their lives for it. However, becoming fully meek does not happen instantly upon believing in Jesus. It grows through a life of increasing obedience to God’s word.

3) **The General vs. Biblical Understanding of Meekness**  
The English word “meek” often implies being submissive, weak, harmless, or lacking vigor, suggesting passivity. This does not accurately reflect the biblical concept of meekness. In Scripture, the meek are neither passive nor weak but courageously obedient to God’s will, actively pursuing His truth. They do not yield to injustice from the powerful but are willing to sacrifice their lives for God’s purposes. However, they are not aggressive in defending their own interests or engaging in personal disputes. Thus, where the meek are, there is peace, but not all peacemakers are meek. The meek avoid conflict for their own sake but boldly advance like warriors to fulfill God’s will.

**3. Summary and Application**  
First, the meek are people of God’s kingdom who actively obey God’s will, even to the point of martyrdom. I’ve emphasized this to correct the common misconception of meekness as passivity.

Second, meekness also includes not retaliating against personal slander, aligning with the common idea of avoiding conflict.  
In *Numbers 14*, when the Israelites slandered Moses after the spies’ report, fearing they could not conquer Canaan, Moses did not fight back but fell face down before the assembly, even when they threatened to stone him. He trusted God’s command, waiting on Him rather than defending himself. Similarly, *1 Peter 2:23* testifies that Jesus did not curse or threaten those who insulted Him but entrusted Himself to God.  
Moses is the Old Testament’s prime example of meekness, and Jesus is the ultimate example in all of Scripture. Both did not use their authority or power to fight slander. This is how the Holy Spirit produces the fruit of meekness in us. In practice, meekness means enduring unjust slander without immediate retaliation.  

For example, I know a pastor who was falsely accused by a church member of harassment, a plot to expel him from the church. Despite the lack of evidence, the accusation caused an uproar. The pastor endured slander without fighting back, and after ten years, the accuser repented, proving his innocence. Through his patience and refusal to fight for himself, the congregation saw his Christ-like meekness, growing in trust and respect for him. However, when it came to fulfilling God’s will, he boldly stood firm. This is meekness.  

What about you? Do you quickly fight back against personal slander but remain silent when God’s church or truth is attacked? If so, you are not the meek described in Scripture.  

I pray in the name of the Lord that our church members become the blessed meek who will inherit the earth, as today’s Word declares.  

Let us pray. (End)