Nevertheless, since the two responses — resignation and meekness are externally often indistinguishable, it is easy to see how what was once perceived as a virtue has become a defect in contemporary society. 2 My brethren, () count it all joy () when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces [] patience. Late twentieth-century Western culture does not hold meekness to be a virtue, in contrast to the ancient Near East and the Greco-Roman world, which placed a high premium on it. Of Moses it is said he "was very meek, above all the men that were upon the face of the earth," notwithstanding the Divine revelations given him, and in the face of opposition (Numbers 12:3; compare 2 Corinthians 12:1-6). What does meek in the Bible mean to God and to the writers of individual books of the Bible? Meekness is the power to absorb adversity and criticism without lashing back. We will read James 1:19–21: “Meekness is the power to … Being meek must never be confused with being timid. Merits of meekness. Key Bible Verse: Matthew 5:5, ESV Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. The human heart is like receptive soil to the seed of the Word of God. 9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way. The Heb. All rights reserved. The Greek word translated here as “meek” is the word “Praus”, and it means a mildness of disposition or a gentleness of spirit. Titus 3:2 - To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, [but] gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men. The definition of meekness is someone who is humble, teachable, and patient under suffering. This difficult-to-translate root (pra-) means more than "meek. Thus, it is something His followers ought to seek after (1 Timothy 6:11). Salem Media Group. While humility and piety are human qualities only, gentleness and condescension may be both human and divine. [The English term "meek" often lacks this blend – i.e. Canonicity. Meekness is a grace which Jesus alone inculcated, and which no ancient philosopher seems to have understood or recommended. The Bible tells us that with Jesus' birth the "Word was made flesh". Num.12. spineless or spiritless; compliant. It is not being selfish and … Meekness definition, the quality of being patient or quiet in nature:The theme of her sermon was that quietness and meekness are the beginning of wisdom. Please enter your email address associated with your Salem All-Pass account, then click Continue. Likewise he commends it to Timothy and to Titus (1 Tim 6:11; Titus 3:2). They Commit Their Way to God. A: The usual definition of meekness in the Bible is “strength under control.” The “world” defines strong people as those who are assertive, take charge, proud, self-sufficient, self-reliant, and independent. There is an identical teaching for the virtue ‘a•na•va’ in both the Old Testament where it is mentioned seven times, and the New Testament where it appears twice as many times. Paul not only extolled and emulated this virtue of Christ, but commended it to his churches. "Biblical meekness is not weakness but rather refers to exercising God's strength under His control – i.e. Meekness is often misunderstood, yet Jesus says that we must learn meekness from Him, and the meek will inherit the earth … What is the fruit of the Spirit? MEEKNESS (עֲנָוָה, H6708; πρᾳότης, πρᾳῦτης). For usage information, please read the Baker Book House Copyright Statement. 1915. our Lord's opening of His ministry at Nazareth (Luke 4:18, "He anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor"), and His message to John (Matthew 11:5, "The poor have good tidings preached to them") are in harmony therewith. Believers are called to share the gospel message in gentleness and meekness. Jesus took Psalm 37:11 as His third Beatitude: “Blessed are the gentle [humble, meek], for they shall inherit the earth” (Matt. Meekness is an elusive virtue that few can accurately define. In recording God’s rebuke of Miriam and Aaron for speaking against Moses, the writer states, “Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all men that were on the face of the earth” (Num 12:3). Meekness. Meekness Is Not Weakness. Copyright © 2021, Bible Study Tools. They believe that he will work for them and vindicate them when others oppose them. Bibliography Information The word is sometimes translated "poor" ( Job 24:4, the Revised Version margin "meek"; Amos 8:4 ); "humble" ( Psalms 9:12,18, the Revised Version margin "meek"); "lowly" ( Proverbs 3:34; 16:19, the Revised Version … It seems like foolishness to us, but it was one of Jesus’ greatest strengths. Article Images Copyright © 2021 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Receiving the Word with Meekness. Meek people begin by trusting God (verse 5b). Meekness does not mean weakness but, rather, brokenness. 1. These, however, are not synonyms, but may contribute to a spirit of meekness. In the Apocrypha also "meekness" holds a high place (Ecclesiasticus 1:27, "The fear of the Lord is wisdom and instruction: faith and meekness are his delight," the Revised Version (British and American) "in faith and meekness is his good pleasure"; Ecclesiasticus 3:19, "Mysteries are revealed unto the meek" (the Revised Version (British and American) omits); compare 10:14). mek'-nes (`anawah; praotes, prautes): "Meekness" in the Old Testament (`anawah, `anwah) is from `anaw, "suffering," "oppressed," "afflicted," denoting the spirit produced under such experiences. Jesus said, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" ( Matthew 5:5 ). Meekness and timidity are opposites. It is definitely NOT being spineless, weak, timid, soft. of The word meek from the original language was used to describe reining in a stallion. To see another feature of the portrait of meekness let’s turn to the book of James. We'll send you an email with steps on how to reset your password. Meekness glossary term meaning as seen in the King James Bible. How to use meekness in a sentence. Most definitions are vague on its meaning, and many people equate it to weakness. 3. Meekness is an attribute of human nature and behavior. certain Ethiopian Jews). Bible Dictionaries - Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Meekness, Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology, Bible Dictionaries - Easton's Bible Dictionary - Meekness, Encyclopedias - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Meekness, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. A humble or meek person is like a strong but broken horse: powerful, yet submissive to its master’s touch. 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