Matthew 5:5
Encyclopedia
Matthew 5:5 is the fifth verse of the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew
in the New Testament
. It is the third verse of the Sermon on the Mount
, and also third of what are known as the Beatitudes
.
In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads:
The World English Bible
translates the passage as:
For a collection of other versions see BibRef Matthew 5:5
This is a very well known verse, and perhaps the most famous of the Beatitudes. Unlike the previous two this one has no parallel in Luke's Sermon on the Plain
. Luke's Sermon contains four Beatitudes and four Woes. There is considerable debate over whether this Beatitude was in Q, and Luke left it out, or if it is an original addition by the author of Matthew. Gundry's theory is that the author of Matthew wanted to remove the woes for later use against the Pharisees
in Matthew 23
, however he wanted to keep the same eightfold structure and thus needed to create four new sayings. He sees this verse as essentially just a rephrasing of Matthew 5:3
, this same wording is also found at Psalm 37:11. Meek and poor, which can also be translated as humble, mean essentially the same thing. Schweizer feels meek should be understood as meaning powerless.
The phrase "inherit the earth" is also similar to "theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven" in 5:3. Schweizer notes that two terms reflect the two different views of the end times
current when Matthew was writing. One view was that the end of the world would see all the believers brought up to join the Kingdom of Heaven
. The other view was that the end times would have God come down to directly rule Earth, and the chosen people would then be given dominion over the entire world. Hill does not see the two verses referring to different things. He does not feel that word "earth" means the physical world. Rather he notes that Deuteronomy 4:1 and 16:20 both use the word inherit to refer to the Israelites taking possession of the Holy Land
. Hill feels that earth, which can also be translated as land, is an allusion to the new Holy Land, which might not be on Earth.
Meek in the Greek literature of the period most often mean gentle or soft Nolland writes that a more accurate interpretation for this verse is powerless Clarke notes how important and revolutionary this elevation of meekness was in the Mediterranean's societies of the time that placed enormous stock in honour and status. This verse has been much praised, even by some non-Christians such as Mahatma Gandhi
. Some have seen it less favourably. Baron d'Holbach
felt that this verse, and those around it, reflected the interests of Christians when they were a small and powerless sect. He felt that whenever Christians gained power these views were inevitably abandoned. Friedrich Nietzsche
was harshly critical over this verse, which to him embodied the "slave morality" of Jesus. It has also been criticized by James Joyce
, William Blake
, and Theodore Dreiser
who all rejected a life without striving.
Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...
in the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
. It is the third verse of the Sermon on the Mount
Sermon on the Mount
The Sermon on the Mount is a collection of sayings and teachings of Jesus, which emphasizes his moral teaching found in the Gospel of Matthew...
, and also third of what are known as the Beatitudes
Beatitudes
In Christianity, the Beatitudes are a set of teachings by Jesus that appear in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. The term Beatitude comes from the Latin adjective beatus which means happy, fortunate, or blissful....
.
In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads:
- Blessed are the meek:
- for they shall inherit the earth.
The World English Bible
World English Bible
The World English Bible is a public domain translation of the Bible that is currently in draft form. Work on the World English Bible began in 1997 and was known as the American Standard Version 1997...
translates the passage as:
- Blessed are the gentle,
- for they shall inherit the earth.
For a collection of other versions see BibRef Matthew 5:5
This is a very well known verse, and perhaps the most famous of the Beatitudes. Unlike the previous two this one has no parallel in Luke's Sermon on the Plain
Sermon on the Plain
In Christianity, the Sermon on the Plain refers to a set of teachings by Jesus in the Gospel of Luke, in 6:17-49.This sermon may be compared to the longer Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew....
. Luke's Sermon contains four Beatitudes and four Woes. There is considerable debate over whether this Beatitude was in Q, and Luke left it out, or if it is an original addition by the author of Matthew. Gundry's theory is that the author of Matthew wanted to remove the woes for later use against the Pharisees
Pharisees
The Pharisees were at various times a political party, a social movement, and a school of thought among Jews during the Second Temple period beginning under the Hasmonean dynasty in the wake of...
in Matthew 23
Matthew 23
Matthew 23 is the twenty-third chapter in the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament section of the Christian Bible.-Description:Matthew 23 consists almost entirely of the accusations of Jesus against the Pharisees. The chapter is also known as the "Seven Woes." In the chapter, Jesus harshly...
, however he wanted to keep the same eightfold structure and thus needed to create four new sayings. He sees this verse as essentially just a rephrasing of Matthew 5:3
Matthew 5:3
Matthew 5:3 is the third verse of the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. It is the opening verse of the Sermon on the Mount, and the section of the sermon known as the Beatitudes....
, this same wording is also found at Psalm 37:11. Meek and poor, which can also be translated as humble, mean essentially the same thing. Schweizer feels meek should be understood as meaning powerless.
The phrase "inherit the earth" is also similar to "theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven" in 5:3. Schweizer notes that two terms reflect the two different views of the end times
End times
The end time, end times, or end of days is a time period described in the eschatological writings in the three Abrahamic religions and in doomsday scenarios in various other non-Abrahamic religions...
current when Matthew was writing. One view was that the end of the world would see all the believers brought up to join the Kingdom of Heaven
Kingdom of God
The Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven is a foundational concept in the Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.The term "Kingdom of God" is found in all four canonical gospels and in the Pauline epistles...
. The other view was that the end times would have God come down to directly rule Earth, and the chosen people would then be given dominion over the entire world. Hill does not see the two verses referring to different things. He does not feel that word "earth" means the physical world. Rather he notes that Deuteronomy 4:1 and 16:20 both use the word inherit to refer to the Israelites taking possession of the Holy Land
Holy Land
The Holy Land is a term which in Judaism refers to the Kingdom of Israel as defined in the Tanakh. For Jews, the Land's identifiction of being Holy is defined in Judaism by its differentiation from other lands by virtue of the practice of Judaism often possible only in the Land of Israel...
. Hill feels that earth, which can also be translated as land, is an allusion to the new Holy Land, which might not be on Earth.
Meek in the Greek literature of the period most often mean gentle or soft Nolland writes that a more accurate interpretation for this verse is powerless Clarke notes how important and revolutionary this elevation of meekness was in the Mediterranean's societies of the time that placed enormous stock in honour and status. This verse has been much praised, even by some non-Christians such as Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
. Some have seen it less favourably. Baron d'Holbach
Baron d'Holbach
Paul-Henri Thiry, Baron d'Holbach was a French-German author, philosopher, encyclopedist and a prominent figure in the French Enlightenment. He was born Paul Heinrich Dietrich in Edesheim, near Landau in the Rhenish Palatinate, but lived and worked mainly in Paris, where he kept a salon...
felt that this verse, and those around it, reflected the interests of Christians when they were a small and powerless sect. He felt that whenever Christians gained power these views were inevitably abandoned. Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was a 19th-century German philosopher, poet, composer and classical philologist...
was harshly critical over this verse, which to him embodied the "slave morality" of Jesus. It has also been criticized by James Joyce
James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
, William Blake
William Blake
William Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of both the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age...
, and Theodore Dreiser
Theodore Dreiser
Theodore Herman Albert Dreiser was an American novelist and journalist of the naturalist school. His novels often featured main characters who succeeded at their objectives despite a lack of a firm moral code, and literary situations that more closely resemble studies of nature than tales of...
who all rejected a life without striving.
Cultural uses
As one of the most famous of Beatitudes, the meek shall inherit the earth has appeared many times in works of art and popular culture:- The title of a song in the Little Shop of Horrors musical
- The title of a song on the Frank ZappaFrank ZappaFrank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
album You Are What You IsYou Are What You IsYou Are What You Is is a double album by Frank Zappa. It was originally released as a two-record set in 1981 and later by Rykodisc as a 20-song CD. The album relies on a heavy use of overdubbing. This album was the first one to feature material recorded using Zappa's home studio Utility Muffin...
("The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing") - The songs "Visions of the Night" and "Walking in your Footsteps" by The PoliceThe PoliceThe Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
each contain the line, "They say the meek shall inherit the earth" - The theme of the RushRush (band)Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
album 21122112 (album)2112 is the fourth studio album by Canadian rock band Rush, released in 1976.The album features an eponymous seven-part suite written by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, with lyrics written by Neil Peart telling a dystopian story set in the year 2112. The album is sometimes described as a concept album... - An episode of the War of the WorldsWar of the Worlds (TV series)War of the Worlds is a television program that ran for two seasons, from 1988 to 1990. The series is an extension of the original 1953 film The War of the Worlds, using the same War Machine, often incorporating aspects from the film, radio adaptation, and original novel into its mythology.Though...
television series - J. B. PriestleyJ. B. PriestleyJohn Boynton Priestley, OM , known as J. B. Priestley, was an English novelist, playwright and broadcaster. He published 26 novels, notably The Good Companions , as well as numerous dramas such as An Inspector Calls...
's Midnight of the Desert contains a discussion of this verse by the characters as does Arnold Bennet's Anna of the Five TownsAnna of the Five TownsAnna of the Five Towns is a novel by Arnold Bennett, first published in 1902 and one of his best-known works.-Plot summary:The plot centres on Anna Tellwright, daughter of a wealthy but miserly and dictatorial father, living in the Potteries area of Staffordshire, England. Her activities are... - A parody of the Beatitudes in Monty Python'sMonty PythonMonty Python was a British surreal comedy group who created their influential Monty Python's Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC on 5 October 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four series...
1979 film Life of BrianMonty Python's Life of BrianMonty Python's Life of Brian, also known as Life of Brian, is a 1979 British comedy film written, directed and largely performed by the Monty Python comedy team...
includes the verse - "How blest are those of gentle spirit. They shall have the earth for their possession." - Don Pendleton's Mack BolanMack BolanMack Bolan, alias The Executioner, is a fictional character who has been serialized in over six hundred novels with sales of more than 200 million, according to Amazon.com. Created by Don Pendleton, Bolan made his first appearance on the printed page in 1969's War Against the Mafia...
, when reminded that the "meek shall inherit the earth", replied, "Only after the violent have tamed it." - A line rapped by Jay-ZJay-ZShawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
in the song LuciferLuciferTraditionally, Lucifer is a name that in English generally refers to the devil or Satan before being cast from Heaven, although this is not the original meaning of the term. In Latin, from which the English word is derived, Lucifer means "light-bearer"...
from The Black AlbumThe Black Album (Jay-Z album)The Black Album is the eighth studio album by American rapper Jay-Z, released November 14, 2003, on Roc-A-Fella Records. It was promoted as his final studio album, which serves as a recurring theme, although Jay-Z returned to solo recording with Kingdom Come in 2006.The album debuted at number one...
. - A line spoken by Rev. David Marshall Lee in the Larry ShueLarry ShueLarry Shue was an American playwright and actor, best known for writing two often-performed farces, The Nerd and The Foreigner.-Early life:...
play The ForeignerThe Foreigner (play)The Foreigner is a play by Larry Shue.Set in a resort-style fishing lodge in rural Georgia, the comedy revolves around two of its guests, Englishman Charlie Baker and Staff Sergeant Froggy LeSueur. Charlie is so pathologically shy that he is unable to speak...
. - A line in the song The Geek by German band Wir Sind HeldenWir sind HeldenWir sind Helden is a German Alternative Rock band from Berlin, established in 2001 in Hamburg. The quartet is composed of lead singer Judith Holofernes and musicians Pola Roy, Mark Tavassol, and Jean-Michel Tourette. The group's style has often been considered similar to that of the Neue Deutsche...
. - The Simon & Garfunkel song "Blessed", from their album Sounds of SilenceSounds of Silence (album)Sounds of Silence is the second album by Simon and Garfunkel, released on January 17, 1966. The album's title is a slight modification of the title of the duo's first major hit, "The Sound of Silence", which originally was released as "The Sounds of Silence"...
. - "Try not to forget that the meek inherit earth" is a quote from Staind's song, "How About You"
- A line in the song "Anything for Jah" by Easy Dub All-Stars
- In the episode of The Outer LimitsThe Outer Limits (1995 TV series)The Outer Limits is an American television series that originally aired on Showtime,the Sci Fi Channel and in syndication between 1995 and 2002...
, The Vaccine, "The meek shall inherit the Earth" was used as the end quote. - Welsh Indie Band Gorky's Zygotic MynciGorky's Zygotic MynciGorky's Zygotic Mynci were a Welsh alternative rock band, formed in Carmarthen, west Wales in 1991. They sang songs in both Welsh and English. They split up in May 2006.-Biography:...
has a song titled "Blessed are the Meek" on their 1992 album PatioPatio (album)Patio is the debut album by Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, it was originally released on 10" vinyl only in June 1992 on the Ankst label. It was re-issued on CD in June 1995 with nine extra tracks. It is made up of a mixture of live, studio and home recordings....
. - A line in the song "The Grind Date" by De La SoulDe La SoulDe La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres...
from their album The Grind DateThe Grind DateThe Grind Date is the seventh album from hip-hop group De La Soul, released on October 5, 2004. The album was originally intended to be the final album of the Art Official Intelligence trilogy, but as the album quickly changed focus, the group decided to put AOI III on hold and finish The Grind...
. - The title of a poem by Charles BukowskiCharles BukowskiHenry Charles Bukowski was an American poet, novelist and short story writer. His writing was influenced by the social, cultural and economic ambience of his home city of Los Angeles...
. - Title of 1980s album by jazz saxophonist Bobby WatsonBobby WatsonBobby Watson is an American post-bop jazz alto saxophonist, composer, producer, and educator. Watson now has 26 recordings as a leader. He appears on nearly 100 other recordings as either co-leader or in a supporting role...
. - In the song "1000 More Fools" by Bad ReligionBad ReligionBad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
in their album No ControlNo Control (Bad Religion album)- Release history :- Notes/Trivia :* Track 2, "Big Bang" was featured on video game Tony Hawk's Underground.* Track 3, "No Control" quotes Scottish natural historian James Hutton, "no vestige of a beginning, no prospect of an end."... - Comedian Eddie IzzardEddie IzzardEdward John "Eddie" Izzard is a British stand-up comedian and actor. His comedy style takes the form of rambling, whimsical monologue and self-referential pantomime...
describes a scenario in his show CircleCircle (Eddie Izzard)Circle is the name of a stand-up tour by the comedian Eddie Izzard in 2000.It was released on VHS and DVD in the United Kingdom on 18 November 2002...
, in which the meek conclude that it's about time they actually did inherit the earth, and proceed to do so in an organised, armed revolution. - The poem "Mushrooms" by Sylvia PlathSylvia PlathSylvia Plath was an American poet, novelist and short story writer. Born in Massachusetts, she studied at Smith College and Newnham College, Cambridge before receiving acclaim as a professional poet and writer...
contains the lines "we are meek...we shall by morning, inherit the earth." - The Firefly episode "Our Mrs. Reynolds" contain the following line in a deleted scene, spoken by Mal Reynolds encouraging Saffron to act decisively: "More than 70 earths spinnin' about the galaxy, and the meek have inherited not a one."
- In the 1989 film Dead Poet's Society, John Keating (Robin WilliamsRobin WilliamsRobin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
) says to the character Stephen Meeks "Mr. Meeks, time to inherit the earth". - J. Paul GettyJ. Paul GettyJean Paul Getty was an American industrialist. He founded the Getty Oil Company, and in 1957 Fortune magazine named him the richest living American, whilst the 1966 Guinness Book of Records named him as the world's richest private citizen, worth an estimated $1,200 million. At his death, he was...
once quoted "The meek shall inherit the earth, but not the mineral rights."