Blessed Are The Poor In Spirit (Mat. 5:3)

Wade Webster

As you know, one of the requirements of true worship is that it is in spirit or with the right attitude (John 4:23-24). For the next few weeks, we will analyze and adjust our attitudes by examining the beatitudes of the Bible.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). Jesus began the Sermon on the Mount with this beatitude. It seems logical for us to begin our study the same way. Although Jesus wasn’t specifically talking about worship, He was talking about the attitude that should be true of those in the kingdom in both service and worship.

The Greek term that is translated as poor in this passage was used to describe the beggar Lazarus who sought the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table (Lk. 16:19-21). Poor is from a verb that means to “shrink” or “cower.” It described the action of beggars at the time. A beggar would crouch in the presence of a potential benefactor, hold out one hand to receive a gift, and cover his face with the other hand. For sure, the beggar avoided making eye contact. It seems clear in this beatitude that Jesus was talking about spiritual poverty, and not physical poverty. There is nothing inherently better in being physically poor or inherently worse about being rich. Jesus was talking about being poor in spirit and not poor in silver. He was describing the man who knew his spiritual bankruptcy before God. No doubt, the Bible student is reminded of the Parable of the Pharisee and Publican. We read, “Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14). The publican displayed the poverty of spirit upon which Jesus pronounced blessing. The Pharisee displayed the opposite attitude. If our worship is to be acceptable, then we must imitate the humble publican and not the haughty Pharisee.

As we get ready to worship this week, let’s check our attitude. Let’s make sure that we are poor in spirit. Then, and only then, will our worship be acceptable.

Do Not Swear (Jam. 5:12)

Wade Webster

As James draws his little letter to a close, he gives a succinct sermon on swearing. He wrote, “But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment” (Jam. 5:12). As we examine this passage, we will see the prohibition, the prescription, and the precaution.

The Prohibition: James instructed his brethren not to swear by heaven or by earth or by any other oath. The words “above all” put a priority on the prohibition (Eph. 6:16; Col. 3:14; 1 Pet. 4:8). The Greek tense suggests that this was an ongoing problem for James’ brethren. They were instructed to stop doing it. Likely, the prohibition in this passage reminds the Bible of similar statements in Scripture. One of the Ten Commandments warned against swearing by the name of God. We read, “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain” (Exodus 20:7). The Hebrew word translated as “in vain” refers to a light or flippant use of God’s name. God’s name was to be used carefully and with great reverence. In the Sermon on the Mount , Jesus declared, “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one” (Matthew 5:33-37). It seems clear that Jesus and James were addressing the same problem. Individuals were swearing by a host of things - heaven, earth, the temple, the altar, Jerusalem, etc. They were careful not to invoke the name of God. They believed that only oaths that used the name of God were binding. Both James and Jesus were condemning this deceitful practice.

The Prescription: James’ prescription for the deceitful oaths was for the brethren to let their “Yes” be “Yes,” and their “No,” “No.”. Notice the little word “but.” It is a word of contrast. James’ brethren were supposed to be different. They were to be men and women of their word. They were not to lie one to another. To the Christians at Colosse, Paul wrote, “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” (Col. 3:9-10). They were to provide for things honest in the sight of all men (Rom. 12:17).

The Precaution: James ended his words about swearing with a precaution. He warned the brethren about falling into judgment. God would not hold guiltless those who misused His name (Exod. 20:7). He would judge all liars (Rev. 21:8). These brethren might fool some with their deceitful oaths, but they would not fool God. Everything is naked and open to His eyes (Heb. 4:13). He would bring everything into judgment, even the secret things (Rom. 2:5-6, 16). Jesus declared, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Mat. 12:36-37).

Having discussed the tongue in detail in the third chapter, James addressed it one final time before the book closes. Hopefully, his brethren were listening.

Three Examples of Patience (Jam. 5:7-11)

Wade Webster

Most of us need patience (Heb. 10:36; cf. 6:12; Lk. 21:19). James’ brethren needed it also. He addressed it in the opening verses of the book and brought it up again in the closing verses (Jam. 1:2-4). He began the book talking about patience with things and ended the book talking about patience with people. We read, “Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door! My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful” (Jam. 5:7-11). Clearly, James believed that his brethren needed patience to finish the race or to make it to the Lord’s coming. To encourage them, James gave three examples. One example was taken from everyday life (farming) and the other two examples were taken from Old Testament history (the prophets and Job).

The Sower

The first example of patience that James gave was that of the farmer or the sower. The farmer sows his seed and waits patiently for the precious fruit. He waits for the early rain to help the seed to come up and for the latter rain to help the fruit to develop. The farmer trusts God to give him what he needs for a harvest. In like manner, James wanted his brethren to wait patiently for the coming of the Lord. Just as the Lord promised to give seed time and harvest, He had promised to come again (Gen. 8:22; John 14:1-3). James’ brethren just needed to trust God and to wait patiently. Their hearts needed to be established or rooted and grounded until the coming of the Lord.

The Seers

The second example of patience that James gave was that of the prophets or seers who spoke in the name of the Lord. The prophets paid dearly for delivering God’s word. Their suffering is well documented in Scripture. The prophets took their persecution patiently knowing that the Lord would keep His promises. In like manner, James wanted his brethren to take the persecution that they were facing patiently. James may have been referencing the Sermon on the Mount. In the sermon, Jesus declared, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12).

The Sufferer

The final example of patience that James gave was that of Job. Job was well known for his patience. Although Job didn’t know why he was suffering, he took it patiently (Job 1:20-22; cf. 13:15; 19:25-26). He eventually saw the end of the Lord and enjoyed God’s compassion and mercy. In like manner, James wanted his brethren to patiently wait till the end. They too would enjoy the goodness of the Lord if they didn’t give up . Paul wrote, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:7-9).

James’ brethren needed patience to hold on until the coming of the Lord. The three examples that James gave showed them that it could be done (Rom. 15:4).

Rebuking the Rich (Jam. 5:1-6)

Wade Webster

James had a lot to say about the rich (1:10-11; 2:5-6). His strongest words were saved for the final chapter. He wrote, “Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter. You have condemned, you have murdered the just; he does not resist you” (James 5:1-6). As we examine these words, we will see their future, their fortune, their fraud, and their feasting.

Their Future

“Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!” (Jam. 5:1). The rich were to weep and to howl for the miseries that were coming upon them. Some think that this is a reference to the suffering that was coming upon the Jews in the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman armies in A.D. 70. However, this destruction came upon the poor and the rich. It seems more likely that these words have reference to the final judgment. On that day, those found wanting by the court of heaven will be sentenced to hell where there will weeping and gnashing of teeth (Mat. 25:41). This sure sounds like misery.

Their Fortune

“Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days” (Jam. 5:2-3). The fortune of the rich consisted of garments, gold, and silver. Their riches were corrupted or rotted. Their garments were moth-eaten. Their gold and silver were corroded. Since gold and silver don’t literally corrode, the reference must be figurative. Because they laid up their fortune on earth, rather than in heaven, they lost it. This is likely a reference to what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount. We read, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Mat. 6:19-21). Instead of storing up treasure in heaven, they were storing up wrath (Rev. 2:5).

Their Fraud

“Indeed the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, cry out; and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth” (Jam. 5:4). It seems that the rich had accumulated their fortune through fraud. They had hired workers to harvest their wheat and had kept back their wages (Col. 4:1). This was a strongly denounced sin in the Old Testament (Jer. 22:13; Lev. 19:13). Although the rich had likely manipulated the local courts, they couldn’t manipulate the court of heaven (Jam. 5:6). The Lord of hosts had heard the cries or yells of the withheld wages and the wronged workers. He would act on their behalf.

Their Feasting

“You have lived on the earth in pleasure and luxury; you have fattened your hearts as in a day of slaughter” (Jam. 5:5). The rich had lived in luxury and passed their time in pleasure. They had feasted. They had fared sumptuously (Lk. 16:19). They had enjoyed the good things of life (Lk. 16:25). Like the rich farmer, they had set their hearts on eating, drinking, and merriment (Lk. 12:16-21; 21:34-35; Amos 6:1-6). They had lived selfishly. They had turned a deaf ear to the cries of the workers and the poor. In their feasting, they had simply fattened themselves up for judgment.

James’ brethren were showing preference to the rich (Jam. 2:1-4), even though they were blaspheming the name that they wore (Jam. 2:6-7). Perhaps, they were hoping for preferential treatment from the rich. Maybe, they even had dreams of their own of being rich (Jam. 4:13). Either way, James wanted to set them straight. The rich that James had just described were not to be envied.

A Brief Introduction to the church of Christ

Allen Webster

The church of Christ dates back to the days of the New Testament (Romans 16:16). It was founded by Christ on the Day of Pentecost, a.d. 33 (Acts 2), not long after His ascension back to heaven. In the years that followed, it rapidly grew to fill Jerusalem, then Judea, Samaria, and finally the whole Roman Empire (Acts 1:8; Colossians 1:23). In America, the first churches of Christ were planted in the late 1700s as the result a movement begun to go back to the Bible and do Bible things in Bible ways and call Bible things by Bible names (cf. 1 Peter 4:11).

We believe that Jesus is the Son of God (John 20:30–31), that the Bible is inspired of God (2 Timothy 3:16–17), and that Christ will return to take His kingdom home to God (1 Corinthians 15:24). We emphasize sincere worship (John 4:24), every-member evangelism (Acts 8:4), godly living (Titus 2:11–12), love for each other (John 13:34–35), and helping those in need (James 1:27). We believe the Bible teaches that sinners are saved by learning of Jesus, faith in Jesus, repentance of sin because of Jesus, confession of Jesus, and baptism into Jesus (John 6:44–45; 3:16; Mark 16:15–16; Romans 10:9–10; Acts 2:38). The church of Christ is organized with elders, deacons, preachers, and members, as in New Testament times (Philippians 1:1). It has no governing body on earth higher than the local congregation.

The church of Christ is noted for its emphasis upon returning to New Testament Christianity and for its desire to unite all Christians into one body (1 Corinthians 1:10). We believe that the New Testament is the only rule for faith and practice in religious matters (2 Timothy 3:17; 2 Peter 1:3), and that God’s Word must authorize all that is done in Christian worship (Colossians 3:17; Revelation 22:18–19). Thus we try to strictly follow the New Testament. We believe that it is possible to have religious unity in a day of division by simply following the New Testament pattern and putting aside human traditions.

To put it simply, the church of Christ is seeking to be the same church one reads about in the New Testament. We aim to restore its doctrine, its practice, its lifestyle, and its zeal.