Blessed are the Poor in Spirit

“BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven…”
(Blessed are the destitute, the bankrupt, for they are ones who belong to God’s Kingdom) Matthew 5:3

Poverty of spirit is the pre-requisite for knowing God’s grace. As long as we are not poor in spirit, we cannot receive grace. The Greek word used for poverty in Matthew 5:3 is “ptokas”.
It refers to a person so poor, so wretched, so hungry for food, that he has to beg!


1. What does it mean to be “poor in spirit”?
Psalm 51:17 “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken & contrite heart, O God,
Thou wilt not despise”

Mercy is defined as not getting what we deserve from God at the end of the day. Grace is getting what we don’t deserve at all from God!

2. What’s the result of being poor in spirit?

Blessed are the Poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is exclusively theirs!

3. The Pharisee & a tax-collector
(Self-righteousness, “I can make it” vs Poverty of spirit, “I cannot make it)

The tax-collector. taught by Jesus in Luke 18:10-14, illustrates our posture in approaching God, when we are poor in spirit.