How do you interpret this quote from the New Testament?

[ZombieHorde]

Matthew 5:5
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

This passage seems simple, but the more I ponder it, the more I realize I don't really know what it means.

[SidneyCarton]

1. It's obvious proof that the Bible is flawed.

The only ones who inherit the earth are the rich, the fanatical and the well-armed. Usually a combination of the three.

:sarcasm:

[madeline_con]

2. People who never get a break will get it all in the end. n/t

[ZombieHorde]

3. "all in the end." Do you mean the afterlife?

The quote says they will inherit the earth.

[madeline_con]

7. Isn't there supposed to be a "New Heaven" and "New Earth"?

Which blows the rapture thing out of the water. :shrug:

[ZombieHorde]

9. I don't know if there is supposed to be a "New Heaven" and a "New Earth". nt

[madeline_con]

12. Link

New heaven and a new earth (21:1)

http://www.apocalipsis.org/t21-new-heavens.htm

[ZombieHorde]

15. If the earth in "Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." is the New Earth,

than that sort of redefines "meek".

But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulphur (as opposed to the new earth). This is the second death.

() mine.

A meek person would not be:
Cowardly
vile (may fit dictionary version of the word "meek," "vile" is pretty vague)
Murderers (fits dictionary version of the word "meek")
Sexually immoral (may fit dictionary version of the word "meek")
Occultists
An idol worshiper
A liar

[madeline_con]

20. I don't claim to be an expert.

I gave up on that stuff long ago. :shrug:

[ZombieHorde]

22. I understand. Thanks for the link and discussion. nt

[FreakinDJ]

16. The Rapture came and gone in 70 AD

http://planetpreterist.com/news-2008.html

[ZombieHorde]

19. Fun link. nt

[iris27]

24. yup, that is the Lutheran view.

Well, not the rapture specifically, but that the events described in Revelations were predicting the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD, and not the end of the world.

[iris27]

25. Well, there are groups who believe the rapture will take them out of

harm's way while the earth is razed during the tribulation, which clears the surface to make it the New Earth. The FLDS are one group I know who believe this way.

[LiberalFighter]

47. Do they really want to inherit the earth?

[ZombieHorde]

48. I don't know, but if the words attributed to JC are correct, they will. nt

[snagglepuss]

4. Injunction not to harbour hostility, to turn the other cheek, and forgive enemies.

[ZombieHorde]

6. What do you think "inherit the earth" means?

[snagglepuss]

26. I don't know what inherit the earth means. What I find very interesting is

that number of people on this thread who aren't sure either but have a clear idea what meek means. Frankly I'm impressed because what is being promised is clearly irrelevant. If it were relevant we would know because it is the other side of the bargain, its like accepting a job but not knowing what the wage. That impresses me.

[rrneck]

5. Patience is a virtue. nt

[ZombieHorde]

8. What do you think "inherit the earth" means?

[rrneck]

23. If I recall

what little I have read of game theory as it relates to human relationships, those who are unfailingly agressive and greedy eliminate each other like a too agressive virus.

At this point in my life, (and in light of the last few weeks), inherit the earth means that out there somewhere you will find what you need since the earth pretty much includes everything.

But that really doesn't do the text justice.

[Ruby the Liberal]

10. God hates greed. The love of money is the root of all evil.

Jesus was a liberal Socialist.

JMO as a Christian Liberal DSA member. :hi:

[ZombieHorde]

11. What do you think "inherit the earth" means?

I think "blessed are the meek" means meek people are good people, but inherit the earth?

[Ruby the Liberal]

13. I think it means that cosmic justice is coming.

Meek = humble + poor (IMO, I am not a scholar by any means)

Karma is enroute. One can hope anyway...

[ZombieHorde]

17. So, all of the non-meek people will go away, and only meek people will remain?

Do all meek people inherit the earth, or only the ones who are alive during the inheritance?

[safeinOhio]

14. Only if they probate the will

[Sinti]

18. Meek: Enduring injury with patience and without resentment

Those who don't hit back when you hit them will "inherit the earth," because they'll be the only ones left after all the angry folk kill each other maybe.

[ZombieHorde]

21. That is not how the world works, but that could be what the author meant. nt

[Deep13]

35. merely this...

[dbonds]

27. All the bold alpha people will kill each other off...

And the world will be left to the more gentle people.

[LuvNewcastle]

28. I looked up the passage in "The Message"

Bible and here's what it said:

"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought."

That's the best translation I could find that gives tangible meaning to Jesus' words.

[Nihil]

33. That's an interesting thought ...

> "You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less.
> That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't
> be bought."

Again, a touch of buddhism found in the red letters.

[ZombieHorde]

41. Seems more like some liberty has been taken with the passage to make it sound Buddhist. nt

[ZombieHorde]

40. A new definition for the words "meek" and "inherit"?

Could be, but seems like a stretch.

[TlalocW]

29. All I know is that I've been teaching myself how to make Roquefort

Because, "Blessed are the cheese makers."

TlalocW

[paulsby]

30. the meek

the meek shall inherit nothing - frank zappa

[tama]

31. Greedy have shitty end n/t

[ZombieHorde]

39. Do you mean hell? How will the meek inherit the earth? nt

[tama]

43. What do you mean by hell?

We have a saying, roughly translated: "one who reaches for the top of spruce will fall on juniper" (our language has not really come out of the woods ;)).

Maybe sitting on a juniper with sore butt is experience of meekhood? :)

[ZombieHorde]

45. I mean an alternate plane of existence as described in the Holy Bible. nt

[zbdent]

32. yeah, but what shape will it be in after the bullies and the sleazebags are done with

"the earth"?

[Deep13]

34. It's a lie designed to fool people into not overthrowing the rich. nt

[54anickel]

36. Wow, that's the most cynical take on the Beatitudes I've seen in a long time. Turns my

understanding of Jesus as a revolutionary radical against the powers of oppression completely upside-down.
Interesting, I wonder if the ubber-rich see it through that sort of lens...Jesus protecting the wealthy from being overthrown :freak:

[darkstar3]

37. You know, it could be,

What with the whole "Render unto Caesar" bit.

A lot of people think that Jesus actually spoke more against rich people than anyone else. But MAYBE the root of his message can be found by reading the verse below in a different light:
"It is easier for a camel to travel through the eye of a needle than for a wealthy man to enter heaven."

Maybe he's trying to say "Let them have their fun, they'll never get into heaven" so as to make the poor lay off?

[conscious evolution]

46. I remember reading somewhere

that eye of the needle is a mistranslated word.The original word meant the small door besides the big gates in the city walls.
I think that the beatitude in question is either mistranslated or an edited version of what he said that day.

[Deep13]

38. That seems to be the lesson C-Street has taken.

Much of the NT is an admonition to accept injustice in life in exchange for the promise of reward in the afterlife.

[ZombieHorde]

42. Yes, that very well could be "The Family's" interpretation. nt

[Deep13]

44. no doubt. nt

[struggle4progress]

49. The word "meek" in King James has an obsolete meaning: "disciplined" or "tamed"

It reflects something like self-control, the opposite of being a wild animal

[westerebus]

50. Perhaps.

The message of the speaker is the reflection on his tribe's past and its' hoped for future. By this time, Matthew's tribe had a history of captivity having been conquered by the Babylonians' and the Egyptians'.

Meek would best describe their circumstances having been enslaved and landless in captivity. Then under Roman rule, they are under occupation though not in exile.

One step closer to the prophetic return of the promised land. Radical liberation theology.

[ZombieHorde]

51. You suspect "earth" refers to a portion of earth, such as a country or region?

[westerebus]

53. That's my understanding.

It would not be heaven or he would have said heaven, or Eden, or Paradise. Their exile was a prominent theme of the Hebrew peoples' history. The earth of the promised land was the earth of their forefather's.

[saltpoint]

52. It's ambiguous. As if we have to supplly the in-depth consideration.

It doesn't seem to me that anybody inherits the earth.

That concept alone is problematic.

In the context of the speaker, I'm guessing that there is the notion of humans' earthly sojourn and of believers' eternal home in the Kingdom. To inherit the earth in that context would seem to suggest that the meek inherit a flawed, distressed venue wrought with despair and destitution, suffering, uninterrupted warfare, and strife.

[deutsey]

54. The Greek shall inherit the earth?

:evilgrin: