Albert Barnes Commentary Matthew 5:3

"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." — Matthew 5:3 (ASV)

Blessed are the poor in spirit. The word blessed means happy, referring to that which produces true happiness, from whatever source it may come.

Poor in spirit. Luke says simply, blessed are THE poor. It has been disputed whether Christ meant the poor in reference to the things of this life, or the humble. The gospel is said to be preached to the poor (Luke 4:18; Matthew 11:5). It was predicted that the Messiah would preach to the poor (Isaiah 61:1).

It is said that they have special advantages for being saved (Matthew 19:23; Luke 18:24). The state of such persons is therefore comparatively blessed, or happy. Riches produce care, anxiety, and dangers, and not the least of these is the danger of losing heaven through them.

To be poor in spirit is to have a humble opinion of ourselves; to be aware that we are sinners and have no righteousness of our own; to be willing to be saved only by the rich grace and mercy of God; to be willing to be where God places us, to bear what He lays on us, to go where He tells us, and to die when He commands; and to be willing to be in His hands and to feel that we deserve no favor from Him.

This spiritual poverty is opposed to pride, vanity, and ambition. Such are happy:

1. Because there is more real enjoyment in thinking of ourselves as we are, than in being filled with pride and vanity.
2. Because such Jesus chooses to bless, and on them He confers His favors here.
3. Because theirs will be the kingdom of heaven hereafter.

It is remarkable that Jesus began His ministry in this manner, so unlike all others. Other teachers had taught that happiness was to be found in honor, or riches, or splendor, or sensual pleasure. Jesus overlooked all those things and fixed His eye on the poor and the humble, saying that happiness was to be found in the lowly vale of poverty more than in the pomp and splendors of life.

Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. This means either that they have special advantages for entering the kingdom of heaven and of becoming Christians here, or that they will enter heaven hereafter. Both these ideas are probably included.

A state of poverty—a state where we are despised or unhonored by people—is a state where people are most ready to seek the comforts of religion here, or a home in the heavens hereafter. (See Barnes on Matthew 2:2).