Difference between revisions of "Meekness"

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== Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament <ref name="term_56667" /> ==
<p> [[Meekness]] was hallowed as a [[Christian]] virtue by the beatitude of &nbsp;Matthew 5:5, though it is not improbable that our Lord’s use of the phrase ‘the meek’ implied the semi-technical connotation of the OT, where they are the godly remnant, often oppressed and nearly always obscure, in opposition to ‘the rich,’ the men of violence and pride, who dominated the society of [[Israel]] in the ages of warfare, defensive and offensive. Christ’s own character (&nbsp;Matthew 11:29) was the immortal witness of His sympathy with the saint, who was downtrodden, misunderstood, and persecuted, and who endured contradiction with courage and patience. ‘Christ Himself is the Christian law,’ and His moral pre-eminence was the ground of His claim to human obedience; but in calling upon the race to take His yoke, He speaks as One ‘meek and lowly of heart,’ <i> i.e. </i> as One who had Himself mastered self-will, especially in the form of ‘the restless desire for distinction and eminence,’ and had subordinated His nature to the love which seeketh not its own, but the things of others (cf. J. R. Seeley, <i> Ecce Homo </i> 11, 1873, ch. xv.). Thus, the meekness which He blessed and taught by His own conduct was the self-conquest which rendered Him indifferent to the glamour of external conditions such as wealth, ease, fame, and sovereignty, by which even the greatest minds have been dazzled; and further, it was opposed to the spirit of resentment, hatred, and pride, which is often the product of contumely, pain, unjust suffering, and obscurity. For the application of this principle to slavery in the Christian economy of life, see articleSlave, Slavery. </p> <p> In apostolic literature the word ‘meekness’ (πραΰτης, also found in the form πραότης or πρᾳότης, and πραϋπάθεια, only in &nbsp;1 Timothy 6:11 and Ign. <i> ad Trall. </i> viii. 1) is of frequent occurrence. St. Paul uses it eight times and the [[Apostolic]] [[Fathers]] about a dozen. In &nbsp;1 Corinthians 4:21 it is linked with ‘love,’ and indicates the forgiving spirit which has abandoned stern measures; in &nbsp;2 Corinthians 10:1 with ἐπιείκεια, and is used of Christ in a memorable phrase; in &nbsp;Galatians 5:23 it is one of the fruits of the Spirit and in &nbsp;Galatians 6:1 is applied to the kindly treatment of an offender; in &nbsp;Ephesians 4:2 the context suggests the gentleness of patience (cf. &nbsp;Colossians 3:12, &nbsp;2 Timothy 2:25, and &nbsp;Titus 3:2). In &nbsp;James 1:21 it refers to the attitude of humble receptivity, and in &nbsp;James 3:13 is a quality of Christian ‘wisdom.’ In &nbsp;1 Peter 3:15 it is united with φόβος as a safeguard against the calumny with which the opponents of [[Christianity]] pursued the believer. </p> <p> In 1 Clem. xxi. 7 and xxx. 8 we find it allied with ἐπιείκεια (cf. Diog. vii. 4), and in lxi. 2 with εἰρήνη; in <i> Ep. Barn. </i> xx. 2 it stands side by side with ὑπομονή (cf. <i> Did. </i> v. 2). In Ign. <i> ad Trall. </i> iii. 2 it is described as ‘the power of the bishop,’ and later on, in iv. 2, as the weapon which is to destroy the ruler of this world (cf. <i> ad Polyc. </i> ii. 1 and vi. 2). [[Hermas]] ( <i> Mand. </i> v. ii. 6) links it with ἡσυχία (cf. &nbsp;1 Peter 3:4; &nbsp;1 Peter 3:1 Clem. xiii. 4, where the corresponding adjectives are used, the former being defined by Bengel as <i> mansuetus </i> , ‘one who does not cause disturbance,’ the latter as <i> tranquillus </i> , ‘one who bears calmly the disturbances of others’) and ( <i> ib. </i> XII. iii. 1) with πίστις. </p> <p> Thus, it would appear that the ideas of patience under injury, the forgiving spirit, peaceableness of disposition and life, and gentleness toward the erring enter into the use of the word in apostolic and sub-apostolic literature. </p> <p> R. Martin Pope. </p>
       
== Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology <ref name="term_18054" /> ==
<p> 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. This dramatic shift in values is problematic for contemporary biblical translation. Most modern versions replace the noun "meekness" by "gentleness" or "humility, " largely as a result of the pejorative overtones of weakness and effeminacy now associated with meekness. These connotations were not always predominant in the word, for ancient Near Eastern kings were not reluctant to describe themselves as meek in the same context in which they described themselves as mighty kings (Babylonian <i> asru </i> and <i> sanaqu </i> ; [[Aramaic]] <i> nh </i> ). What has prompted the discrepancy between the biblical and contemporary attitudes toward this virtue? </p> <p> There are two essential components for this quality to come into play in the Bible: a conflict in which an individual is unable to control or influence circumstances. Typical human responses in such circumstances include frustration, bitterness, or anger, but the one who is guided by God's spirit accepts God's ability to direct events (&nbsp;Galatians 5:23; &nbsp;Ephesians 4:2; &nbsp;Colossians 3:12; &nbsp;1 Timothy 6:11; &nbsp;Titus 3:2; &nbsp;James 1:21; &nbsp;3:13 ). Meekness is therefore an active and deliberate acceptance of undesirable circumstances that are wisely seen by the individual as only part of a larger picture. Meekness is not a resignation to fate, a passive and reluctant submission to events, for there is little virtue in such a response. Nevertheless, since the two responses—resignation and meeknessare externally often indistinguishable, it is easy to see how what was once perceived as a virtue has become a defect in contemporary society. The patient and hopeful endurance of undesirable circumstances identifies the person as externally vulnerable and weak but inwardly resilient and strong. Meekness does not identify the weak but more precisely the strong who have been placed in a position of weakness where they persevere without giving up. The use of the Greek word when applied to animals makes this clear, for it means "tame" when applied to wild animals. In other words, such animals have not lost their strength but have learned to control the destructive instincts that prevent them from living in harmony with others. </p> <p> Therefore, it is quite appropriate for all people, from the poor to ancient Near Eastern kings, to describe their submission to God by the term "meek" (Moses in &nbsp;Numbers 12:3 ). On the other hand, this quality by definition cannot be predicated of God, and therefore constitutes one of the attributes of creatures that they do not share with their Creator. Nevertheless, in the incarnation Jesus is freely described as meek, a concomitant of his submission to suffering and to the will of the Father (&nbsp;Matthew 11:29; &nbsp;21:5; &nbsp;2 Corinthians 10:1 ). The single most frequently attested context in which the meek are mentioned in the Bible is one in which they are vindicated and rewarded for their patient endurance (&nbsp;Psalm 22:26; &nbsp;25:9; &nbsp;37:11; &nbsp;76:9; &nbsp;147:6; &nbsp;149:4; &nbsp;Isaiah 11:4; &nbsp;29:19; &nbsp;61:1; &nbsp;Zephaniah 2:3; &nbsp;Matthew 5:5 ). </p> <p> Samuel A. Meier </p> <p> <i> See also </i> [[Gifts Of [[Holy]] Spirit]] </p>
       
== Holman Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_42404" /> ==
<p> Meekness or gentleness is exemplified by God (&nbsp;2 Samuel 22:36 , &nbsp;Psalm 18:35 ), Moses (&nbsp;Numbers 12:1-13 ), and Jesus (&nbsp;Zechariah 9:9 , &nbsp;Matthew 11:29 , &nbsp;Matthew 12:14-21; &nbsp;Matthew 21:5 ). In the Old [[Testament]] the meek were often the poor and the oppressed (&nbsp;Amos 2:7; &nbsp;Amos 8:4; &nbsp;Job 24:4; &nbsp;Psalm 9:18; &nbsp;Proverbs 3:34; &nbsp;Proverbs 16:19 ). The [[Hebrew]] word translated meek ( <i> anaw </i> ) means, “wretched, impoverished, oppressed, in need, bowed over,” but came to mean, “humble, pious.” </p> <p> The meek receive the special concern of God and are called blessed (&nbsp;Psalm 37:11; &nbsp;Matthew 5:5 ). God identifies with the poor and oppressed, hears their pleas, and helps them (&nbsp;Psalm 10:17; &nbsp;Psalm 22:26; &nbsp;Psalm 25:9; &nbsp;Psalm 147:6; &nbsp;Psalm 149:4 ). The [[Messiah]] will also have a special ministry to the meek (&nbsp;Isaiah 11:4; &nbsp;Isaiah 61:1; &nbsp;Luke 4:18 ). </p> <p> [[Christians]] are encouraged to be meek (&nbsp;Ephesians 4:1-2; &nbsp;Colossians 3:12 ). Meekness is a fruit of the Spirit (&nbsp;Galatians 5:23 ) and should mark the Christian's attitude toward sinners (&nbsp;Galatians 6:1 ). Paul was meek with the Corinthians (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 4:21 ). [[Pastors]] should be meek and teach meekness (&nbsp;1 Timothy 6:11; &nbsp;2 Timothy 2:25; &nbsp;Titus 3:2 ). Christians should receive God's Word with meekness (&nbsp;James 1:21 ). Wisdom is expressed with meekness (&nbsp;James 3:13 ). Christian wives can witness to their unbelieving husbands with their meek spirit (&nbsp;1 Peter 3:1-4 ). All Christians should be prepared to give a defense of their faith in meekness (&nbsp;1 Peter 3:15 ). See [[Humility]]; [[Patience]]; [[Pride]]; Poor; [[Spiritual Gifts]] . </p> <p> [[Warren]] McWilliams </p>
       
== Bridgeway Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_18845" /> ==
<p> In the Bible, meekness is so closely linked with humility, gentleness and kindness that the reader may have difficulty distinguishing between them. [[Together]] they represent a quality of human nature that was found perfectly in Jesus Christ (&nbsp;2 Corinthians 10:1), and that is desirable in all those who follow him (&nbsp;Ephesians 4:1-2). </p> <p> There is nothing weak or colourless about meekness. It is the very opposite of all that is self-centred, and therefore is a quality of strength. It enables people not merely to be patient when suffering unjust criticism or persecution, but to be positively forgiving (&nbsp;Colossians 3:12-13; &nbsp;Titus 3:2; see [[Patience]] ). The meek do not demand revenge, but leave the matter in God’s hands (&nbsp;Numbers 12:1-3; &nbsp;Numbers 16:4-5; &nbsp;1 Peter 2:20-23). They do not insist upon their rights, but when circumstances arise where they are forced either to defend themselves or correct opponents, they do so with gentleness (&nbsp;2 Timothy 2:25; &nbsp;1 Peter 3:15). </p> <p> Jesus is the perfect example of meekness. He never made a show to attract praise for himself, and never damaged the faith of even the weakest believer (&nbsp;Matthew 12:19-20; &nbsp;Matthew 18:5-6; &nbsp;Matthew 21:5). Yet he never hesitated to denounce cruelty, pride, injustice and hypocrisy, even when it made him unpopular (&nbsp;Matthew 15:7-14; &nbsp;Matthew 21:12-13; &nbsp;Matthew 23:13; &nbsp;Matthew 23:33). He submitted to his Father and willingly served the needy around him (&nbsp;Matthew 20:28; &nbsp;John 5:30), and he expected others to do likewise. As the meek and gentle one, he accepted the burden of sin on behalf of repentant sinners. At the same time he demanded that they accept his lordship in their daily lives (&nbsp;Matthew 11:28-30; cf. &nbsp;Psalms 25:8-10). </p> <p> Meekness is a characteristic of life in Christ’s kingdom (&nbsp;Matthew 5:5); therefore, those who enter that kingdom must exercise meekness (&nbsp;Matthew 20:25-26). They will learn to do this as the indwelling Spirit of God changes them into the likeness of Christ and produces the quality of meekness in them (&nbsp;Galatians 5:22-23; &nbsp;Philippians 2:3-5). (See also [[Humility]] .) </p>
       
== Charles Buck Theological Dictionary <ref name="term_20154" /> ==
<p> A temper of mind not easily provoked to resentment. In the Greek language it is quasi, facilis, sasiness of spirit, and thus it may be justly called; for it accommodates the soul to every occurrence, and so makes a man easy to himself, and to all about him. The Latins call a meek man mansuetus, qu. manu assuetus, used to the hand; which alludes to the taming and reclaiming of creatures wild by nature, and bringing them to be tractable and familiar, &nbsp;James 3:7-8 : so where the grace of meekness reigns, it subdues the impetuous disposition, and learns it submission and forgiveness. It teaches us to govern our own anger whenever we are at any time provoked, and patiently to bear the anger of others, that it may not be a provocation to us. The former is its office, especially in superiors; the latter in inferiors, and both in equals, &nbsp; James 3:13 . </p> <p> The excellency of such a spirit appears, if we consider that it enables us to gain a victory over corrupt nature, &nbsp;Proverbs 16:32; that it is a beauty and an ornament to human beings, &nbsp;1 Peter 3:4; that it is obedience to God's word, and conformity to the best patterns, &nbsp;Ephesians 5:1-2 . &nbsp;Philippians 4:8 . It is productive of the highest peace to the possessor, &nbsp;Luke 21:19 . &nbsp;Matthew 11:28-29 . It fits us for any duty, instruction, relation, condition, or persecution, &nbsp;Philippians 4:11-12 . To obtain this spirit, consider that it is a divine injunction, &nbsp;Zephaniah 2:3 . &nbsp;Colossians 3:12 . &nbsp;1 Timothy 6:11 . [[Observe]] the many examples of it; Jesus Christ, &nbsp;Matthew 11:28; Abraham, &nbsp;Genesis 13:1-18 : &nbsp; [[Genesis]] 16:5-6; Moses, Numb. 12: 3; David, Zeck. xiil 8. &nbsp;2 Samuel 16:10; &nbsp;2 Samuel 16:12 . &nbsp;Psalms 131:2; Paul, &nbsp;1 Corinthians 9:19 . How lovely a spirit it is in itself, and how it secures us from a variety of evils. That peculiar promises are made to such, &nbsp;Matthew 5:5 . Is. 66: 2. That such give evidence of their being under the influence of divine grace, and shall enjoy the divine blessing, Is. 57: 15. </p> <p> See Henry on Meekness; Dunlop's Ser. vol. 2: p. 343; Evan's Ser. on the Christian Temper, ser. 29; Tillotson on &nbsp;1 Peter 2:21; and on &nbsp;Matthew 5:44; Logan's Sermons. vol. 1: ser. 10; and Jortin's Sermons, ser. 11, vol. 3: </p>
       
== Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible <ref name="term_52789" /> ==
<p> <strong> MEEKNESS. </strong> In the earlier literature of revelation meekness is simply an excellent virtue. Moses is described as ‘very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth’ (&nbsp; Numbers 12:3 ), and his character illustrates the Hebrew ideal of meekness in those days. There was no weakness or cowardice about him. He was ‘a still, strong man,’ patient and pitiful. Subsequently the word acquired a peculiar significance. In the days of Israel’s conflict the men of pride and violence came to the front, while the godly were thrust into the background, contemned and oppressed (cf. &nbsp; Psalms 10:2; &nbsp; Psalms 10:8-10 ). Thus ‘rich’ and ‘wicked’ came to be synonymous (&nbsp; Isaiah 53:9 ); and corresponding to these there was a group of terms: ‘meek,’ ‘humble’ (or ‘lowly’), ‘poor,’ ‘needy.’ In our Lord’s time these terms denoted the godly remnant in Israel, those who, despised by the rulers, lived devout lives in obscure corners, nourishing their faith on the Scriptures, and ‘waiting for the consolation of Israel’ (&nbsp; Luke 2:25; &nbsp; Luke 2:38 ), the blessed [[Advent]] of the Messiah. And, just as the Psalmists and [[Prophets]] had sympathized with the Lord’s hidden ones and promised them deliverance (&nbsp; Psalms 9:12; &nbsp; Psalms 9:18; &nbsp; Psalms 10:12-18; &nbsp; Psalms 37:11 [cf. &nbsp; Matthew 5:5 ] &nbsp; Psalms 72:2; &nbsp; Psalms 72:4 , &nbsp; Isaiah 11:4 ), so Jesus was their champion. He called them ‘blessed’ (&nbsp; Matthew 5:3-12 ), and He took His place by their side, Himself ‘meek and lowly’ (&nbsp; Matthew 11:29 ), the homeless Son of Man, despised and rejected of men. He shared their humility that they might share His glory. </p> <p> David Smith. </p>
       
== Easton's Bible Dictionary <ref name="term_32666" /> ==
&nbsp;James 3:13&nbsp;Matthew 5:5&nbsp;Isaiah 66:2&nbsp;Colossians 3:12&nbsp;1 Timothy 6:11&nbsp;Zephaniah 2:3&nbsp;Matthew 11:29&nbsp;Genesis 13&nbsp;16:5,6&nbsp;Numbers 12:3&nbsp;Zechariah 12:8&nbsp;2 Samuel 16:10,12&nbsp;1 Corinthians 9:19
       
== King James Dictionary <ref name="term_61419" /> ==
<p> MEE'KNESS, n. Softness of temper mildness gentleness forbearance under injuries and provocations. </p> 1. In an evangelical sense, humility resignation submission to the divine will, without murmuring or peevishness opposed to pride, arrogance and refractoriness. &nbsp;Galatians 5 <p> I beseech you by the meekness of Christ. &nbsp;1 Corinthians 10 </p> <p> Meekness is a grace which Jesus alone inculcated, and which no ancient philosopher seems to have understood or recommended. </p>
       
== Webster's Dictionary <ref name="term_142861" /> ==
<p> (n.) The quality or state of being meek. </p>
       
== International Standard Bible Encyclopedia <ref name="term_6186" /> ==
<p> ''''' mēk´nes ''''' ( ענוה , <i> ''''' ‛ănāwāh ''''' </i> ; πραότης , <i> ''''' praótēs ''''' </i> , πραΰ́της , <i> ''''' praútēs ''''' </i> ): "Meekness" in the Old Testament ( <i> ''''' ‛ănāwāh ''''' </i> , <i> ''''' ‛anwāh ''''' </i> ) is from <i> ''''' ‛ānāw ''''' </i> , "suffering," "oppressed," "afflicted," denoting the spirit produced under such experiences. The word is sometimes translated "poor" (&nbsp; Job 24:4 , the Revised Version margin "meek"; &nbsp;Amos 8:4 ); "humble" (&nbsp;Psalm 9:12 , &nbsp;Psalm 9:18 , the Revised Version margin "meek"); "lowly" (&nbsp;Proverbs 3:34; &nbsp;Proverbs 16:19 , the Revised Version (British and American) "poor," margin "meek"). It is generally associated with some form of oppression. The "meek" were the special objects of the [[Divine]] regard, and to them special blessings are promised (&nbsp;Psalm 22:26 , "The meek shall eat and be satisfied"; &nbsp;Psalm 25:9 , "The meek will he guide in justice; and the meek will he teach his way"; &nbsp;Psalm 37:11 , "The meek shall inherit the land"; &nbsp;Psalm 147:6 , "Yahweh upholdeth the meek"; &nbsp;Psalm 149:4 , "He will beautify the meek with salvation," the Revised Version margin "victory"; compare &nbsp;Isaiah 11:4; &nbsp;Isaiah 29:19; &nbsp;Isaiah 61:1 , "Yahweh hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek," the Revised Version margin "poor"; &nbsp;Zephaniah 2:3; &nbsp;Psalm 45:4 , "because of (the Revised Version margin "in behalf of") truth and meekness and righteousness"). 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 (&nbsp;Numbers 12:3; compare &nbsp;2 Corinthians 12:1-6 ). Meekness is ascribed even to [[Yahweh]] Himself (&nbsp;2 Samuel 22:36 , "Thy gentleness ( <i> '''''‛ănāwāh''''' </i> ) hath made me great"; compare &nbsp;Psalm 18:36 ( <i> '''''‛ănwāh''''' </i> ), the Revised Version margin "condescension"); men are exhorted to seek it (&nbsp;Zephaniah 2:3 , "Seek righteousness, seek meekness"; compare &nbsp;Proverbs 15:1; &nbsp;Proverbs 16:14; &nbsp;Proverbs 25:15; &nbsp;Ecclesiastes 10:4 ). </p> <p> In the [[Apocrypha]] also "meekness" holds a high place (&nbsp;Sirach 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"; &nbsp;Sirach 3:19 , "Mysteries are revealed unto the meek" (the Revised Version (British and American) omits); compare 10:14). </p> <p> "Meekness" in the New Testament ( <i> ''''' praotēs ''''' </i> , <i> ''''' prautēs ''''' </i> ) is not merely a natural virtue, but a Christian "grace"; it is one of the "fruits of the Spirit" (&nbsp; Galatians 5:23 ). The conception of meekness, as it had been defined by Aristotle, was raised by Christianity to a much higher level, and associated with the commonly despised quality of humility (see under the word). It was the spirit of the [[Saviour]] Himself (&nbsp;Matthew 11:29 ): "I am meek ( <i> '''''práos''''' </i> ) and lowly in heart" (compare &nbsp;2 Corinthians 10:1 , "by the meekness and gentleness of Christ"); it presupposes humility, flows from it, and finds expression in moderation (see under the word). (See Trench, <i> Syn </i> . <i> of New Testament </i> , 145; Westcott and Hort, <i> The New Testament in Greek </i> , <i> New Testament Lexicon </i> , under the word) Christians are exhorted to cherish it and show it in their relations to one another (&nbsp;Ephesians 4:2; &nbsp;Colossians 3:12; &nbsp;1 Timothy 6:11; &nbsp;Titus 3:2 , "showing all meekness toward all men"); it ought to characterize Christian teachers or those in authority in "instructing (the Revised Version (British and American) "correcting," margin "instructing") them that oppose themselves" (&nbsp;2 Timothy 2:25 ); the saving, "implanted" (the Revised Version margin "inborn") word is to be received "with meekness" (&nbsp;James 1:21 ); a man is to "show by his good life his works in meekness of wisdom" (&nbsp;James 3:13 ), and to give a reason for the hope that is in him, "with meekness and fear" (&nbsp;1 Peter 3:15 ). </p> <p> The interchangeableness of "meek" with "poor," etc., in the Old Testament ought to be specially noted. our Lord's opening of His ministry at [[Nazareth]] (&nbsp;Luke 4:18 , "He anointed me to preach good tidings to the poor"), and His message to John (&nbsp;Matthew 11:5 , "The poor have good tidings preached to them") are in harmony therewith. </p>
       
== Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature <ref name="term_50365" /> ==
<p> (עִנְוָה, πραότης ), a calm, serene temper of mind, not easily ruffled or provoked to resentment (&nbsp;James 3:7-8). Where the great principles of Christianity have disciplined the soul, where the holy grace of meekness reigns, it subdues the impetuous disposition, and causes it, trusting in God, both to submit and to forgive. It teaches us to govern our own anger whenever we are at any time provoked, and patiently to bear' the anger of others, that it may not be a provocation to us. The former is its office, especially in superiors; the latter in inferiors, and both in equals (&nbsp;James 3:13). The excellency of such a spirit appears, if we consider that it enables us to gain a victory over corrupt nature (&nbsp;Proverbs 16:32); that it is a beauty and an ornament to human beings (&nbsp;1 Peter 3:4); that it is obedience to God's word, and conformity to the best patterns (&nbsp;Ephesians 5:12; &nbsp;Philippians 4:8). It is productive of the highest peace to the professor (&nbsp;Luke 21:19; &nbsp;Matthew 11:28-29). It fits us for any duty, instruction, relation, condition, or persecution (&nbsp;Philippians 4:11-12). To obtain this spirit, consider that it is a divine injunction (&nbsp;Zephaniah 2:3; &nbsp;Colossians 3:12; &nbsp;1 Timothy 6:11). Observe the many examples of it: Jesus Christ (&nbsp;Matthew 11:28), [[Abraham]] (Genesis 13; &nbsp;Genesis 16:5-6), Moses (&nbsp;Numbers 12:3), David (&nbsp;Zechariah 12:8; &nbsp;2 Samuel 16:10; &nbsp;2 Samuel 16:12; &nbsp;Psalms 131:2), Paul (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 9:19). Note how lovely a spirit it is in itself, and how it secures us from a variety of evils; that peculiar promises are made to such (&nbsp;Matthew 5:5; &nbsp;Isaiah 66:2); that such give evidence of their being under the influence of divine grace, and shall enjoy the divine blessing (&nbsp;Isaiah 57:15). See Henry, ''On. Meekness'' ; Dunlop, ''Sermons'' , 2:434; Evans, ''Sermons On The Christian Temper'' , ser. 29; Tillotson, ''Sermon On'' &nbsp;1 Peter 2:21, and [[On]] &nbsp;Matthew 5:44; Logan, ''Sermons'' , vol. i, ser. 10; Jortin, ''Sermons'' , vol. iii, ser. 11. </p>
       
==References ==
<references>


Meekness <ref name="term_56503" />
<ref name="term_56667"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/hastings-dictionary-of-the-new-testament/meekness Meekness from Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament]</ref>
<p> <b> [[Meekness]] </b> </p> <p> <b> 1. The quality defined. </b> —The [[Christian]] virtue of meekness has suffered the misfortune of being seriously misunderstood. In the popular mind it has been so conceived as to forfeit the right to be considered a virtue at all, being regarded as the equivalent of weak compliance—the temper of one devoid of manly vigour, who tamely allows himself to be slighted and injured without protest or resistance. That this conception is a caricature of meekness, is apparent in view of Christ’s [[Beatitude]] (&nbsp;Matthew 5:5); for not only is it incredible that our Lord should have pronounced a blessing on those of feeble character, but the nature of the promise attached to the Beatitude implies that in some sense meekness is a strong and victorious quality. Whatever it be, we must presume it to be a virtue replete with energy, robust and manly, the very opposite of everything that is weak. [[Otherwise]] Christ’s words are reduced to an absurdity. </p> <p> In the [[Nt]] use of the word, meekness (πραὐτης, πραότης) is commonly interpreted as meaning gentleness of disposition, peaceableness of temper in the face of provocation and wrong. It is the spirit of one who is not easily provoked, but keeps under control the natural instinct to assert oneself and to retaliate. It is the opposite of irascibility and the spirit of revenge. That is to say, it is conceived as a disposition restricted in its exercise to a man’s relation with his fellow-men. But in reality meekness has a deeper and wider significance. It is, to begin with, a disposition towards God, the humble submission to the [[Divine]] will, the quiet acceptance of the discipline of life as coming from One who in infinite wisdom and love directs the destinies of men. This is made clear by the Biblical history of πραΰς. In the [[Lxx]] Septuagint, πραΰς is most frequently employed as the translation of עָנָו—one who bows himself down in lowliness beneath the hand of God. The πραεῖς are the class of afflicted ones who accept their sorrows without murmuring, and yield themselves in trust and in hope to the will of God. When Jesus pronounced His blessing on ‘the meek,’ it was this class of humble, uncomplaining, God-fearing sufferers that He had in view. His appropriation of the words in &nbsp;Psalms 37:11 is conclusive proof of that. That ‘the meek’ of the Beatitude have so often been exclusively conceived as those who are peaceable and unvindictive in their dealings with their fellow-men, is due to the fact that the Greek conception of πραΰτης* [Note: See, for the Greek conception of πραΰτης, Aristotle, Nic Eth. iv. 7.] has governed the interpretation, instead of the conception represented by the underlying [[Hebrew]] word. At the same time, this common interpretation of πραΰτης is not to be rejected as alien to the [[Nt]] meaning. The attitude of humble submission to the will of God carries with it of necessity a disposition of gentleness and forbearance towards men who are harsh and provocative in their dealings, not only because they are to be regarded as the instruments of the Divine discipline, but because only through the loving restraint of angry and vindictive feelings can the gracious will of God be done in human relationships. The primary significance of meekness is the calm and trustful acceptance of God’s will, when it is adverse, as meaning our good; but this involves in regard to our fellow-men the quiet and patient endurance of scorn, annoyance, and opposition. </p> <p> <b> 2. Meekness in relation to God. </b> —Regarded as the submissive attitude of the soul towards God, meekness has its root in a humble, childlike faith. To use the words of [[Gregory]] of Nyssa, humility is ‘the mother of meekness.’ [[Humility]] and meekness are kindred virtues; hence they are often mentioned together (&nbsp;Ephesians 4:2, &nbsp;Colossians 3:12, cf. &nbsp;Matthew 11:29). Humility is the soul’s attitude induced by a proper sense of one’s creaturely weakness, ignorance, and unworthiness in presence of the Most High; meekness is the attendant disposition, born of humility, which constrains the soul to bow without complaining before the will of God in the hard and perplexing experiences of life. The soul that thus bows meekly beneath the Divine discipline is not open to the reproach of feebleness or insensibility; it is meek, not because it is too callous to feel the pain of sorrow and misfortune or too spiritless to protest against it, but because it bends in lowly and childlike trust before the unsearchable wisdom and love of God. Where there is faith in the universal operation of the all-wise love of God, meekness shows itself in the unmurmuring surrender to the Divine will and in the patient endurance of that will. And from this attitude towards God there flows the blessing of peace. Meekness is the channel by which the gracious love of God is communicated to the soul as waters of refreshment and rest. This is the truth taught under a different figure in &nbsp;Matthew 11:29. Meekness is the easy yoke of Jesus which enables the weary and heavy-laden to bear the discipline laid upon them without chafing and complaining. Amid outward conditions which are hard and oppressive, they who like Jesus are ‘meek and lowly of heart,’ who bow before God with a profound sense of His infinitely wise and perfect will, find ‘rest unto their souls’; they are freed from that inward restiveness and discontent which aggravate the outward burden and wear away the strength. Not only is meekness a strong and heroic quality which curbs the natural impulse to fume and rebel against God’s will, but it is the means whereby the soul is reinforced by a Divine power to endure life’s discipline with courage. </p> <p> Meekness before God is, then, the natural ethical outcome of humble faith in the Divine Father who in unerring wisdom and holy love orders the life of men. It is seen in its crowning manifestation in Jesus Christ (cf. &nbsp;2 Corinthians 10:1), for whom alike in the tasks which He undertook and in the sorrows which He bore the Father’s will was supreme. When faithfulness to His mission brought upon Him unmerited suffering, He endured it in meekness, assured that it was God’s holy will for Him. That His meekness was not merely a passive virtue, but one that was pervaded by a moral vigour and strength of purpose, is made clear by the conflict in Gethsemane. In the prayer of lowly submission, ‘Not my will but thine be done,’ we see the meekness of Jesus, in respect of God’s dealings with Him, in its Divinest light. The agony and the bloody sweat, the prayer, ‘If it be possible, let this cup pass away from me,’ not only set in vivid relief the moral grandeur of Christ’s willing acceptance of His Father’s will, but they show with convincing power that true meekness is not the easy outcome of insensibility or tameness of spirit, but the victory of a strong nature over personal desires which conflict with the will of God. </p> <p> <b> 3. Meekness in relation to men. </b> —When we think of meekness in regard to the wrongs and opposition of men, we find that it is characterized by the same heroic qualities and is attended by similar blessed results. It is a virile and noble thing. The outward garb of meekness may, indeed, be worn by men in whom there are none of the robust and gracious qualities which make true meekness so worthy of admiration and honour. There are those who, by natural disposition, are timid and compliant, who have not manliness enough to resent injustice, who do not retaliate when they are wronged simply because they dare not. Similarly, there are those who, when slighted, show no sign of resentment, because they are too dull to feel an affront, or because they are controlled by feelings of scorn or by considerations of self-interest and policy. Of none of these can it be said that he is meek, nor does his conduct deserve our admiration. True meekness, which is worthy of all honour, is seen only in those who, with an acute sense of wrong, control the natural impulse to show anger and to retaliate, not from fear, or pride, or policy, or scorn of others, but because in obedience to the will of God they accept the provocation or wrong as discipline, and as an opportunity for showing the Divine spirit of patience and love. The meek man is not quick-tempered or vindictive, because, swayed by feelings of benevolence and love, he remains master of himself. Where there is no love, there is no meekness. ‘Meekness is the power of <i> love </i> to quell the ebullition of anger, to restrain the violent and hasty temper’ (Martensen). The irritation may be keenly felt; the temptation to retaliate may be very strong; but love keeps the upper hand and imposes calmness and self-restraint. It follows from all this that true meekness is not open to the contemptuous charge, so often brought against it, of softness and mean-spiritedness. It is a strong quality, for it means victory over the hot desire to retaliate; it is a gracious quality, for it means love triumphing over the selfish and self-assertive impulses of one’s nature, in its anxiety to avoid the embittering of friendly relations and to subdue ill-feeling by gentleness and kindness. </p> <p> Meekness, then, is an expression of the love which ‘is not easily provoked’ (&nbsp;1 Corinthians 13:5). It is the self-restraint imposed by love when one is irritated or suffers a personal wrong. But this gentle and peaceable disposition is not inconsistent with a burning indignation at the injustice and evil conduct of men, when wider interests are concerned. The meek man is not bound over to keep the peace at any price. Meekness does not mean incapacity for indignation. When the interests of the Divine [[Kingdom]] are at stake, in the face of flagrant and defiant wrongdoing, the duty of the meek is not silence and self-repression, but indignant and active opposition to evil. [[Indignation]] has a vastly greater moral value and influence when it proceeds from one who in personal matters endures provocation with calmness and self-restraint. It is the meekness of Jesus that makes His anger so terrible. When He was subjected in His own person to insult or wrong, He bore it with patience and with compassion on those who wronged Him (&nbsp;1 Peter 2:23). When He was wounded to the heart by the treachery of Judas, and the betrayal was sealed by a hypocritical kiss, His answer to the traitor showed how superior He was to the natural resentment of men: ‘Comrade, is it for this that thou art come?’ (&nbsp;Matthew 26:50). When He hung upon the cross in agony, He was so far master of Himself and so deeply moved by compassion for His enemies, that He found some ground for extenuating their conduct and prayed for their forgiveness. But when the interests of the weak and helpless were involved (&nbsp;Matthew 18:6), when the sacred name of religion was profaned (&nbsp;Matthew 21:12), and the Kingdom of God was thwarted by those who were so blind as to imagine they were defending it (&nbsp;Matthew 23:13 ff.), ‘the wrath of the Lamb’ flamed on the heads of the wrong-doers. So far from anger being inconsistent with meekness, it is only when meekness is associated with it that anger has a pure moral worth. The wrath of an irascible and violent man is deservedly discounted; that of a meek man scorches where it falls. Even when it is most vehement, the indignation that is associated with meekness is kept within bounds. It is not allowed to degenerate into uncontrollable and self-willed passion. [[Behind]] its severity there is the moderating power of love, which even in the act of showing indignation regrets its necessity (cf. &nbsp;Mark 3:5). </p> <p> In the matter of personal wrongs, meekness is shown in the refusal to retaliate in the spirit of the aggressor. It will not requite evil with evil. Much rather will it endure the wrong and yield no room in the heart to the spirit of revenge. The motive for this meek endurance of wrong is love, which does not suffer us to forget that the wrong doer is a brother-man, whom we should strive to win to penitence and friendly relations by patience and forbearance (&nbsp;Galatians 6:1, &nbsp;2 Timothy 2:25, &nbsp;Titus 3:2). </p> <p> Whether there should be any bounds to this acceptance of personal wrong is a question which has been brought into great prominence in our day by the teaching of Tolstoi. According to the Russian moralist, who has preached with great power the Quaker doctrine of non-resistance to evil, the old right of requital was abolished by Christ; not only should there be no private retaliation against wrong, but there should be no recourse to any legal tribunal when one has suffered injury or injustice. The law of non-resistance in Tolstoi’s view is absolute; when we are wronged, we should suffer meekly in the hope that through our meekness evil will be overcome of good. Against this interpretation of the law of Christ in an absolute sense we have to set not only Christ’s own example, when in the sacred name of justice He challenged the man who smote Him at the bar of judgment (&nbsp;John 18:23), but also the whole tenor of the Christian law. When Jesus, in inculcating meekness and love to our enemies, said, ‘Resist not evil’ (&nbsp;Matthew 5:39), the context shows that He was not laying down a law which should be rigidly interpreted according to the letter, but that He was requiring a new spirit—the spirit of forbearance and love in dealing with those who wrong us. Christ’s aim in requiring meekness of His followers was a moral aim—the furtherance of the Divine Kingdom, the lessening of the amount of evil in the world—a result which the meek endurance of wrong often brings with it in the disarming of enmity and in the quenching of the fires of ill-will, whereas retaliation adds to the evil and inflames the bitterness that already exists; but when it has become clear that forbearance and patience with a wrong-doer only confirm him in his evil courses, Christian love not only does not forbid but actually requires, in the interest both of public righteousness and of the wrongdoer himself, recourse to a civil tribunal that requital may be given. So long as there is any reasonable hope that meek endurance of wrong will turn the wrongdoer to a better frame of mind, we should be willing to suffer injustice; but when that hope has proved itself vain, there is nothing inconsistent with the spirit of meekness and Christian love in securing that justice shall be done and evil defeated by the procedure of civil law. </p> <p> <b> 4. The dominion of meekness. </b> —Meekness, though feeble to all outward seeming, is ‘a world-conquering principle’ (Tholuck). ‘Blessed are the meek,’ Christ said, ‘for <i> they shall inherit the earth </i> .’ ‘To inherit the earth’ (or, rather, ‘the land’) was originally the formula for the [[Israelitish]] possession of the [[Promised]] Land (&nbsp;Genesis 15:7, &nbsp;Deuteronomy 4:38). In [[Ot]] times, however, it had already, as in &nbsp;Psalms 37:9; &nbsp;Psalms 37:11, become ‘a symbolic expression for the totality of Divine blessing and Messianic happiness’ (Holtzmann). On the lips of Jesus the phrase has a spiritual significance; it expresses the highest good along with the collateral idea of world-wide influence. The inheritance of the earth by the meek does not come through outward possession, but by spiritual sovereignty. The meek, in accepting God’s will in His disciplinary dealing with them, are not in bondage to earthly things, but are their true masters. They derive from life the highest good that it can bestow. They who rebel against the appointments of [[Providence]] miss the real gains of life. Only when the conditions of life are seen to be instinct with spiritual significance and intention as the expression of God’s will, do they yield up the purest blessings that are hidden in them, and become the means of inward enrichment (cf. &nbsp;1 Timothy 6:6). Further, they who are meek under provocation and wrong have a large spiritual dominion. They are the true rulers of men. Human hearts are won only by gentleness and love. God’s Kingdom on earth grows not by requiting evil with evil, but by overcoming evil with good. That is the sovereignty of the Cross. And the future is with the meek. They are destined to have a world-wide dominion. Because God reigns and they accept and do the will of God, they are on the winning side. Meekness will one day claim the whole earth for its own, when men, conquered by the meek endurance of the Cross, bow humbly before God and live together in peace and brotherhood. </p> <p> Literature.—Trench, <i> [[Nt]] Synonyms </i> , 142 ff.; Comm. on &nbsp;Matthew 5:5; works on the [[Sermon]] on the Mount (Tholuck, Dykes, Gore, Boyd-Carpenter, etc.); art. ‘Sermon on the Mount’ in Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible, Ext. Vol. 19 (Votaw); Sermons by MacLaren (‘The Beatitudes’), Leckie (‘Life and Religion’ [excellent]), Channing (‘Self-Denial’), etc.; Tholuck, <i> Hours of Christian [[Devotion]] </i> , 378 ff.; Martensen, <i> Christliche Ethik </i> , Spec. Th. i. 307 ff.; Moulton, <i> Expos. </i> Aug. 1906; Tolstoi, <i> My [[Religion]] </i> , and <i> The Kingdom of God is within you </i> . </p> <p> [[A.]] [[F.]] Findlay. </p>
       
 
<ref name="term_18054"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/baker-s-evangelical-dictionary-of-biblical-theology/meekness Meekness from Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology]</ref>
== References ==
       
<references>
<ref name="term_42404"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/holman-bible-dictionary/meekness Meekness from Holman Bible Dictionary]</ref>
<ref name="term_56503"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/hastings-dictionary-of-the-new-testament/meekness+(2) Meekness from Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament]</ref>
       
<ref name="term_18845"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/bridgeway-bible-dictionary/meekness Meekness from Bridgeway Bible Dictionary]</ref>
       
<ref name="term_20154"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/charles-buck-theological-dictionary/meekness Meekness from Charles Buck Theological Dictionary]</ref>
       
<ref name="term_52789"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/hastings-dictionary-of-the-bible/meekness Meekness from Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible]</ref>
       
<ref name="term_32666"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/easton-s-bible-dictionary/meekness Meekness from Easton's Bible Dictionary]</ref>
       
<ref name="term_61419"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/king-james-dictionary/meekness Meekness from King James Dictionary]</ref>
       
<ref name="term_142861"> [https://bibleportal.com/dictionary/webster-s-dictionary/meekness Meekness from Webster's Dictionary]</ref>
       
<ref name="term_6186"> [https://bibleportal.com/encyclopedia/international-standard-bible-encyclopedia/meekness Meekness from International Standard Bible Encyclopedia]</ref>
       
<ref name="term_50365"> [https://bibleportal.com/encyclopedia/cyclopedia-of-biblical-theological-and-ecclesiastical-literature/meekness Meekness from Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature]</ref>
       
</references>
</references>

Revision as of 10:05, 13 October 2021

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament [1]

Meekness was hallowed as a Christian virtue by the beatitude of  Matthew 5:5, though it is not improbable that our Lord’s use of the phrase ‘the meek’ implied the semi-technical connotation of the OT, where they are the godly remnant, often oppressed and nearly always obscure, in opposition to ‘the rich,’ the men of violence and pride, who dominated the society of Israel in the ages of warfare, defensive and offensive. Christ’s own character ( Matthew 11:29) was the immortal witness of His sympathy with the saint, who was downtrodden, misunderstood, and persecuted, and who endured contradiction with courage and patience. ‘Christ Himself is the Christian law,’ and His moral pre-eminence was the ground of His claim to human obedience; but in calling upon the race to take His yoke, He speaks as One ‘meek and lowly of heart,’ i.e. as One who had Himself mastered self-will, especially in the form of ‘the restless desire for distinction and eminence,’ and had subordinated His nature to the love which seeketh not its own, but the things of others (cf. J. R. Seeley, Ecce Homo 11, 1873, ch. xv.). Thus, the meekness which He blessed and taught by His own conduct was the self-conquest which rendered Him indifferent to the glamour of external conditions such as wealth, ease, fame, and sovereignty, by which even the greatest minds have been dazzled; and further, it was opposed to the spirit of resentment, hatred, and pride, which is often the product of contumely, pain, unjust suffering, and obscurity. For the application of this principle to slavery in the Christian economy of life, see articleSlave, Slavery.

In apostolic literature the word ‘meekness’ (πραΰτης, also found in the form πραότης or πρᾳότης, and πραϋπάθεια, only in  1 Timothy 6:11 and Ign. ad Trall. viii. 1) is of frequent occurrence. St. Paul uses it eight times and the Apostolic Fathers about a dozen. In  1 Corinthians 4:21 it is linked with ‘love,’ and indicates the forgiving spirit which has abandoned stern measures; in  2 Corinthians 10:1 with ἐπιείκεια, and is used of Christ in a memorable phrase; in  Galatians 5:23 it is one of the fruits of the Spirit and in  Galatians 6:1 is applied to the kindly treatment of an offender; in  Ephesians 4:2 the context suggests the gentleness of patience (cf.  Colossians 3:12,  2 Timothy 2:25, and  Titus 3:2). In  James 1:21 it refers to the attitude of humble receptivity, and in  James 3:13 is a quality of Christian ‘wisdom.’ In  1 Peter 3:15 it is united with φόβος as a safeguard against the calumny with which the opponents of Christianity pursued the believer.

In 1 Clem. xxi. 7 and xxx. 8 we find it allied with ἐπιείκεια (cf. Diog. vii. 4), and in lxi. 2 with εἰρήνη; in Ep. Barn. xx. 2 it stands side by side with ὑπομονή (cf. Did. v. 2). In Ign. ad Trall. iii. 2 it is described as ‘the power of the bishop,’ and later on, in iv. 2, as the weapon which is to destroy the ruler of this world (cf. ad Polyc. ii. 1 and vi. 2). Hermas ( Mand. v. ii. 6) links it with ἡσυχία (cf.  1 Peter 3:4;  1 Peter 3:1 Clem. xiii. 4, where the corresponding adjectives are used, the former being defined by Bengel as mansuetus , ‘one who does not cause disturbance,’ the latter as tranquillus , ‘one who bears calmly the disturbances of others’) and ( ib. XII. iii. 1) with πίστις.

Thus, it would appear that the ideas of patience under injury, the forgiving spirit, peaceableness of disposition and life, and gentleness toward the erring enter into the use of the word in apostolic and sub-apostolic literature.

R. Martin Pope.

Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology [2]

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. This dramatic shift in values is problematic for contemporary biblical translation. Most modern versions replace the noun "meekness" by "gentleness" or "humility, " largely as a result of the pejorative overtones of weakness and effeminacy now associated with meekness. These connotations were not always predominant in the word, for ancient Near Eastern kings were not reluctant to describe themselves as meek in the same context in which they described themselves as mighty kings (Babylonian asru and sanaqu  ; Aramaic nh ). What has prompted the discrepancy between the biblical and contemporary attitudes toward this virtue?

There are two essential components for this quality to come into play in the Bible: a conflict in which an individual is unable to control or influence circumstances. Typical human responses in such circumstances include frustration, bitterness, or anger, but the one who is guided by God's spirit accepts God's ability to direct events ( Galatians 5:23;  Ephesians 4:2;  Colossians 3:12;  1 Timothy 6:11;  Titus 3:2;  James 1:21;  3:13 ). Meekness is therefore an active and deliberate acceptance of undesirable circumstances that are wisely seen by the individual as only part of a larger picture. Meekness is not a resignation to fate, a passive and reluctant submission to events, for there is little virtue in such a response. Nevertheless, since the two responses—resignation and meeknessare externally often indistinguishable, it is easy to see how what was once perceived as a virtue has become a defect in contemporary society. The patient and hopeful endurance of undesirable circumstances identifies the person as externally vulnerable and weak but inwardly resilient and strong. Meekness does not identify the weak but more precisely the strong who have been placed in a position of weakness where they persevere without giving up. The use of the Greek word when applied to animals makes this clear, for it means "tame" when applied to wild animals. In other words, such animals have not lost their strength but have learned to control the destructive instincts that prevent them from living in harmony with others.

Therefore, it is quite appropriate for all people, from the poor to ancient Near Eastern kings, to describe their submission to God by the term "meek" (Moses in  Numbers 12:3 ). On the other hand, this quality by definition cannot be predicated of God, and therefore constitutes one of the attributes of creatures that they do not share with their Creator. Nevertheless, in the incarnation Jesus is freely described as meek, a concomitant of his submission to suffering and to the will of the Father ( Matthew 11:29;  21:5;  2 Corinthians 10:1 ). The single most frequently attested context in which the meek are mentioned in the Bible is one in which they are vindicated and rewarded for their patient endurance ( Psalm 22:26;  25:9;  37:11;  76:9;  147:6;  149:4;  Isaiah 11:4;  29:19;  61:1;  Zephaniah 2:3;  Matthew 5:5 ).

Samuel A. Meier

See also [[Gifts Of Holy Spirit]]

Holman Bible Dictionary [3]

Meekness or gentleness is exemplified by God ( 2 Samuel 22:36 ,  Psalm 18:35 ), Moses ( Numbers 12:1-13 ), and Jesus ( Zechariah 9:9 ,  Matthew 11:29 ,  Matthew 12:14-21;  Matthew 21:5 ). In the Old Testament the meek were often the poor and the oppressed ( Amos 2:7;  Amos 8:4;  Job 24:4;  Psalm 9:18;  Proverbs 3:34;  Proverbs 16:19 ). The Hebrew word translated meek ( anaw ) means, “wretched, impoverished, oppressed, in need, bowed over,” but came to mean, “humble, pious.”

The meek receive the special concern of God and are called blessed ( Psalm 37:11;  Matthew 5:5 ). God identifies with the poor and oppressed, hears their pleas, and helps them ( Psalm 10:17;  Psalm 22:26;  Psalm 25:9;  Psalm 147:6;  Psalm 149:4 ). The Messiah will also have a special ministry to the meek ( Isaiah 11:4;  Isaiah 61:1;  Luke 4:18 ).

Christians are encouraged to be meek ( Ephesians 4:1-2;  Colossians 3:12 ). Meekness is a fruit of the Spirit ( Galatians 5:23 ) and should mark the Christian's attitude toward sinners ( Galatians 6:1 ). Paul was meek with the Corinthians ( 1 Corinthians 4:21 ). Pastors should be meek and teach meekness ( 1 Timothy 6:11;  2 Timothy 2:25;  Titus 3:2 ). Christians should receive God's Word with meekness ( James 1:21 ). Wisdom is expressed with meekness ( James 3:13 ). Christian wives can witness to their unbelieving husbands with their meek spirit ( 1 Peter 3:1-4 ). All Christians should be prepared to give a defense of their faith in meekness ( 1 Peter 3:15 ). See Humility; Patience; Pride; Poor; Spiritual Gifts .

Warren McWilliams

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary [4]

In the Bible, meekness is so closely linked with humility, gentleness and kindness that the reader may have difficulty distinguishing between them. Together they represent a quality of human nature that was found perfectly in Jesus Christ ( 2 Corinthians 10:1), and that is desirable in all those who follow him ( Ephesians 4:1-2).

There is nothing weak or colourless about meekness. It is the very opposite of all that is self-centred, and therefore is a quality of strength. It enables people not merely to be patient when suffering unjust criticism or persecution, but to be positively forgiving ( Colossians 3:12-13;  Titus 3:2; see Patience ). The meek do not demand revenge, but leave the matter in God’s hands ( Numbers 12:1-3;  Numbers 16:4-5;  1 Peter 2:20-23). They do not insist upon their rights, but when circumstances arise where they are forced either to defend themselves or correct opponents, they do so with gentleness ( 2 Timothy 2:25;  1 Peter 3:15).

Jesus is the perfect example of meekness. He never made a show to attract praise for himself, and never damaged the faith of even the weakest believer ( Matthew 12:19-20;  Matthew 18:5-6;  Matthew 21:5). Yet he never hesitated to denounce cruelty, pride, injustice and hypocrisy, even when it made him unpopular ( Matthew 15:7-14;  Matthew 21:12-13;  Matthew 23:13;  Matthew 23:33). He submitted to his Father and willingly served the needy around him ( Matthew 20:28;  John 5:30), and he expected others to do likewise. As the meek and gentle one, he accepted the burden of sin on behalf of repentant sinners. At the same time he demanded that they accept his lordship in their daily lives ( Matthew 11:28-30; cf.  Psalms 25:8-10).

Meekness is a characteristic of life in Christ’s kingdom ( Matthew 5:5); therefore, those who enter that kingdom must exercise meekness ( Matthew 20:25-26). They will learn to do this as the indwelling Spirit of God changes them into the likeness of Christ and produces the quality of meekness in them ( Galatians 5:22-23;  Philippians 2:3-5). (See also Humility .)

Charles Buck Theological Dictionary [5]

A temper of mind not easily provoked to resentment. In the Greek language it is quasi, facilis, sasiness of spirit, and thus it may be justly called; for it accommodates the soul to every occurrence, and so makes a man easy to himself, and to all about him. The Latins call a meek man mansuetus, qu. manu assuetus, used to the hand; which alludes to the taming and reclaiming of creatures wild by nature, and bringing them to be tractable and familiar,  James 3:7-8 : so where the grace of meekness reigns, it subdues the impetuous disposition, and learns it submission and forgiveness. It teaches us to govern our own anger whenever we are at any time provoked, and patiently to bear the anger of others, that it may not be a provocation to us. The former is its office, especially in superiors; the latter in inferiors, and both in equals,   James 3:13 .

The excellency of such a spirit appears, if we consider that it enables us to gain a victory over corrupt nature,  Proverbs 16:32; that it is a beauty and an ornament to human beings,  1 Peter 3:4; that it is obedience to God's word, and conformity to the best patterns,  Ephesians 5:1-2 .  Philippians 4:8 . It is productive of the highest peace to the possessor,  Luke 21:19 .  Matthew 11:28-29 . It fits us for any duty, instruction, relation, condition, or persecution,  Philippians 4:11-12 . To obtain this spirit, consider that it is a divine injunction,  Zephaniah 2:3 .  Colossians 3:12 .  1 Timothy 6:11 . Observe the many examples of it; Jesus Christ,  Matthew 11:28; Abraham,  Genesis 13:1-18 :   Genesis 16:5-6; Moses, Numb. 12: 3; David, Zeck. xiil 8.  2 Samuel 16:10;  2 Samuel 16:12 .  Psalms 131:2; Paul,  1 Corinthians 9:19 . How lovely a spirit it is in itself, and how it secures us from a variety of evils. That peculiar promises are made to such,  Matthew 5:5 . Is. 66: 2. That such give evidence of their being under the influence of divine grace, and shall enjoy the divine blessing, Is. 57: 15.

See Henry on Meekness; Dunlop's Ser. vol. 2: p. 343; Evan's Ser. on the Christian Temper, ser. 29; Tillotson on  1 Peter 2:21; and on  Matthew 5:44; Logan's Sermons. vol. 1: ser. 10; and Jortin's Sermons, ser. 11, vol. 3:

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible [6]

MEEKNESS. In the earlier literature of revelation meekness is simply an excellent virtue. Moses is described as ‘very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth’ (  Numbers 12:3 ), and his character illustrates the Hebrew ideal of meekness in those days. There was no weakness or cowardice about him. He was ‘a still, strong man,’ patient and pitiful. Subsequently the word acquired a peculiar significance. In the days of Israel’s conflict the men of pride and violence came to the front, while the godly were thrust into the background, contemned and oppressed (cf.   Psalms 10:2;   Psalms 10:8-10 ). Thus ‘rich’ and ‘wicked’ came to be synonymous (  Isaiah 53:9 ); and corresponding to these there was a group of terms: ‘meek,’ ‘humble’ (or ‘lowly’), ‘poor,’ ‘needy.’ In our Lord’s time these terms denoted the godly remnant in Israel, those who, despised by the rulers, lived devout lives in obscure corners, nourishing their faith on the Scriptures, and ‘waiting for the consolation of Israel’ (  Luke 2:25;   Luke 2:38 ), the blessed Advent of the Messiah. And, just as the Psalmists and Prophets had sympathized with the Lord’s hidden ones and promised them deliverance (  Psalms 9:12;   Psalms 9:18;   Psalms 10:12-18;   Psalms 37:11 [cf.   Matthew 5:5 ]   Psalms 72:2;   Psalms 72:4 ,   Isaiah 11:4 ), so Jesus was their champion. He called them ‘blessed’ (  Matthew 5:3-12 ), and He took His place by their side, Himself ‘meek and lowly’ (  Matthew 11:29 ), the homeless Son of Man, despised and rejected of men. He shared their humility that they might share His glory.

David Smith.

Easton's Bible Dictionary [7]

 James 3:13 Matthew 5:5 Isaiah 66:2 Colossians 3:12 1 Timothy 6:11 Zephaniah 2:3 Matthew 11:29 Genesis 13 16:5,6 Numbers 12:3 Zechariah 12:8 2 Samuel 16:10,12 1 Corinthians 9:19

King James Dictionary [8]

MEE'KNESS, n. Softness of temper mildness gentleness forbearance under injuries and provocations.

1. In an evangelical sense, humility resignation submission to the divine will, without murmuring or peevishness opposed to pride, arrogance and refractoriness.  Galatians 5

I beseech you by the meekness of Christ.  1 Corinthians 10

Meekness is a grace which Jesus alone inculcated, and which no ancient philosopher seems to have understood or recommended.

Webster's Dictionary [9]

(n.) The quality or state of being meek.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [10]

mēk´nes ( ענוה , ‛ănāwāh  ; πραότης , praótēs , πραΰ́της , praútēs ): "Meekness" in the Old Testament ( ‛ănāwāh , ‛anwāh ) is from ‛ānāw , "suffering," "oppressed," "afflicted," denoting the spirit produced under such experiences. The word is sometimes translated "poor" (  Job 24:4 , the Revised Version margin "meek";  Amos 8:4 ); "humble" ( Psalm 9:12 ,  Psalm 9:18 , the Revised Version margin "meek"); "lowly" ( Proverbs 3:34;  Proverbs 16:19 , the Revised Version (British and American) "poor," margin "meek"). It is generally associated with some form of oppression. The "meek" were the special objects of the Divine regard, and to them special blessings are promised ( Psalm 22:26 , "The meek shall eat and be satisfied";  Psalm 25:9 , "The meek will he guide in justice; and the meek will he teach his way";  Psalm 37:11 , "The meek shall inherit the land";  Psalm 147:6 , "Yahweh upholdeth the meek";  Psalm 149:4 , "He will beautify the meek with salvation," the Revised Version margin "victory"; compare  Isaiah 11:4;  Isaiah 29:19;  Isaiah 61:1 , "Yahweh hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek," the Revised Version margin "poor";  Zephaniah 2:3;  Psalm 45:4 , "because of (the Revised Version margin "in behalf of") truth and meekness and righteousness"). 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 ). Meekness is ascribed even to Yahweh Himself ( 2 Samuel 22:36 , "Thy gentleness ( ‛ănāwāh ) hath made me great"; compare  Psalm 18:36 ( ‛ănwāh ), the Revised Version margin "condescension"); men are exhorted to seek it ( Zephaniah 2:3 , "Seek righteousness, seek meekness"; compare  Proverbs 15:1;  Proverbs 16:14;  Proverbs 25:15;  Ecclesiastes 10:4 ).

In the Apocrypha also "meekness" holds a high place ( Sirach 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";  Sirach 3:19 , "Mysteries are revealed unto the meek" (the Revised Version (British and American) omits); compare 10:14).

"Meekness" in the New Testament ( praotēs , prautēs ) is not merely a natural virtue, but a Christian "grace"; it is one of the "fruits of the Spirit" (  Galatians 5:23 ). The conception of meekness, as it had been defined by Aristotle, was raised by Christianity to a much higher level, and associated with the commonly despised quality of humility (see under the word). It was the spirit of the Saviour Himself ( Matthew 11:29 ): "I am meek ( práos ) and lowly in heart" (compare  2 Corinthians 10:1 , "by the meekness and gentleness of Christ"); it presupposes humility, flows from it, and finds expression in moderation (see under the word). (See Trench, Syn . of New Testament , 145; Westcott and Hort, The New Testament in Greek , New Testament Lexicon , under the word) Christians are exhorted to cherish it and show it in their relations to one another ( Ephesians 4:2;  Colossians 3:12;  1 Timothy 6:11;  Titus 3:2 , "showing all meekness toward all men"); it ought to characterize Christian teachers or those in authority in "instructing (the Revised Version (British and American) "correcting," margin "instructing") them that oppose themselves" ( 2 Timothy 2:25 ); the saving, "implanted" (the Revised Version margin "inborn") word is to be received "with meekness" ( James 1:21 ); a man is to "show by his good life his works in meekness of wisdom" ( James 3:13 ), and to give a reason for the hope that is in him, "with meekness and fear" ( 1 Peter 3:15 ).

The interchangeableness of "meek" with "poor," etc., in the Old Testament ought to be specially noted. 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.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [11]

(עִנְוָה, πραότης ), a calm, serene temper of mind, not easily ruffled or provoked to resentment ( James 3:7-8). Where the great principles of Christianity have disciplined the soul, where the holy grace of meekness reigns, it subdues the impetuous disposition, and causes it, trusting in God, both to submit and to forgive. It teaches us to govern our own anger whenever we are at any time provoked, and patiently to bear' the anger of others, that it may not be a provocation to us. The former is its office, especially in superiors; the latter in inferiors, and both in equals ( James 3:13). The excellency of such a spirit appears, if we consider that it enables us to gain a victory over corrupt nature ( Proverbs 16:32); that it is a beauty and an ornament to human beings ( 1 Peter 3:4); that it is obedience to God's word, and conformity to the best patterns ( Ephesians 5:12;  Philippians 4:8). It is productive of the highest peace to the professor ( Luke 21:19;  Matthew 11:28-29). It fits us for any duty, instruction, relation, condition, or persecution ( Philippians 4:11-12). To obtain this spirit, consider that it is a divine injunction ( Zephaniah 2:3;  Colossians 3:12;  1 Timothy 6:11). Observe the many examples of it: Jesus Christ ( Matthew 11:28), Abraham (Genesis 13;  Genesis 16:5-6), Moses ( Numbers 12:3), David ( Zechariah 12:8;  2 Samuel 16:10;  2 Samuel 16:12;  Psalms 131:2), Paul ( 1 Corinthians 9:19). Note how lovely a spirit it is in itself, and how it secures us from a variety of evils; that peculiar promises are made to such ( Matthew 5:5;  Isaiah 66:2); that such give evidence of their being under the influence of divine grace, and shall enjoy the divine blessing ( Isaiah 57:15). See Henry, On. Meekness ; Dunlop, Sermons , 2:434; Evans, Sermons On The Christian Temper , ser. 29; Tillotson, Sermon On  1 Peter 2:21, and On  Matthew 5:44; Logan, Sermons , vol. i, ser. 10; Jortin, Sermons , vol. iii, ser. 11.

References

  1. ↑ Meekness from Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament
  2. ↑ Meekness from Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology
  3. ↑ Meekness from Holman Bible Dictionary
  4. ↑ Meekness from Bridgeway Bible Dictionary
  5. ↑ Meekness from Charles Buck Theological Dictionary
  6. ↑ Meekness from Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
  7. ↑ Meekness from Easton's Bible Dictionary
  8. ↑ Meekness from King James Dictionary
  9. ↑ Meekness from Webster's Dictionary
  10. ↑ Meekness from International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
  11. ↑ Meekness from Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
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