Why will the meek inherit the earth?

[G F Sladcik]

The simple answer is because Jesus said so.

"Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth." Matthew 5:5 NKJV

But why? Doesn't meek mean weak? Why would the weak inherit the earth?

Meek vs Weak
I believe one of the main reasons we think of the meek as weak is because we recognize that Jesus and His Apostles were supposed to be meek...but were they weak?

This is an image of DaVinci's "Last Supper" and you can see that these guys do not appear very manly.

I would argue that Peter, for example, was very manly. Consider that he was a fisherman that hauled in hundreds of pounds of fish at a time. Remember his encounter with the guards in the Garden of Gethsemane where sliced an ear -- those guards did not charge back at him. They were obviously intimidated by him.

Jesus himself would have been manly. He was a carpenter or stonemason depending how the Greek word for artisan is translated...regardless, he was not wimpy.

Should we be Meek
Moses was meek.
David was meek.
They both were Old Testament types for Christ who was also meek. We are to be Christ-like.

Silence or quietness is not weakness.

Teddy Roosevelt said, "Speak softly and carry a big stick!"
In other words, you don't have to use a lot words or any words to have power.

Jesus had all the power of Heaven at his disposal when Pontius Pilot accused Him and He merely stood silent. Why? Jesus was fulfilling His destiny so that He could show His strength at the right time.

We too, as Christians, need to choose when to speak and when to exercise our strength. When the ultimate time is right, the Meek shall inherit the earth and the saints will join Him.

For now, remember that meekness is just Quiet Strength.

 

[rockytopva]

Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: - 1 Peter 5:5-6

Which is why a footwashing service is a good thing.

 

[ewq1938]

Doesn't meek mean weak?

No.


H6035
עָנָיו עָנָו
‛ânâv ‛ânâyv
aw-nawv', aw-nawv'
The second form is by intermixture with H6041; from H6031; depressed (figuratively), in mind (gentle) or circumstances (needy, especially saintly): - humble, lowly, meek, poor`. Compare H6041.
Total KJV occurrences: 21

H6035
עָנָיו עָנָו
‛ânâv ‛ânâyv
aw-nawv', aw-nawv'
The second form is by intermixture with H6041; from H6031; depressed (figuratively), in mind (gentle) or circumstances (needy, especially saintly): - humble, lowly, meek, poor`. Compare H6041.
Total KJV occurrences: 21

In Hebrew and Greek the word means to be humble.

 

[Michael S Surrarrer]

"Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth." Matthew 5:5 NKJV

But why? Doesn't meek mean weak? Why would the weak inherit the earth?

Heaven and Earth are synonymous with upper and lower class, royal and common, clergy and citizen, left wing and right wing. The meek always are the earth workers in the current system of things that is supposed to fade away when the old earth and the old heaven fade away, when things not written in the book of life fade away, it is from a faulty translation meant to incriminate and make workers out of general everyday people, the original bible story goes differently, and instead of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the adam eats from the tree of life with the spirit under the idea of "you", the word state depicts originally the two trees, the serpent, adam and eve in the garden and you can see from state what eats from which trees.

 

[qwaslkpotuyjsn]

you're focusing on the wrong part of the verse to answer the question.

Here's the broader set of statements:

Matt 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
Matt. 5:4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
Matt. 5:5 “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.
Matt. 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Matt. 5:7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
Matt. 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
Matt. 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
Matt. 5:10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matt. 5:11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.


ALL of the second part of the statements are pointed to the age post the coming of Christ. Some of these are obvious like "kingdom of heaven", but others, like the meek one is less so on the surface (but inheriting the earth is promised in the prophets for that age of the reign of Christ). They all play with the character trait, like "merciful" getting "mercy" (in the age to come). The meek one is the same. As you were testifying, how do the meek inherit everything... aren't they too timid? Now there is room to move and the traits and statements do mean more than simply as phrase referencing the age to come/heaven. There is meaning of the exact phrase, but the main point here is that you should start by seeing the pattern of all of the 'what they get' parts. It's future oriented.

The first part of the statements should be that which you see in a Christian, and some are closely related...

 

[sawdust]

As it was said earlier, meek means humble and humble means a willingness to learn. As they are learning from the greatest ruler of all, it follows they know how to rule correctly and therefore are in the best position to inherit the earth as their own and rule justly and mercifully.

 

[hedrick]

Luz (in the Hermeneia commentary) suggests that the Greek word means humility and kindness, not weakness. TDNT points to OT references implying peaceful. Matthew uses it three places. One of them is
"Look, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey, "
Thus the implication is that this attitude is one that Jesus had.

On the meaning, TDNT says "Those who are now oppressed and bowed down will be rulers of the world in the eschaton"

That would be consistent with Jesus' teaching, which say that what God honors is not what the world thinks is important.

 

[Pathfinder627]

The simple answer is because Jesus said so.

That's definitely true enough. My 2c: Jesus disrupts the whole world order. We live in a world that values strength (or in the modern day, "survival of the fittest", but it's always been the same in the ancient world too). It's also a world of mercilessness. Yet Jesus blesses mercy. It's a world at war. Yet Jesus blesses the peacemakers. Most importantly, Jesus conquered death itself.

 

[public hermit]

But why? Doesn't meek mean weak? Why would the weak inherit the earth?

As has been pointed out the word "meek" means humble or gentle. It's someone who doesn't force their way. The meek are not violent and forceful. The meek will inherit the earth because their way of life fits the coming kingdom. Similar to how peacemakers resemble their Father in heaven, the pure in heart will see God, the poor in spirit know upon whom they depend and will inherit the kingdom, those who thirst for righteousness will be satisfied when the kingdom comes, those who mourn the sorrows and evils of this world will be comforted by God, etc. Jesus is presenting the kind of person who is fitting, or whose way of life is appropriate, for the kingdom. Hence, the meek shall inherit the earth.