The `Poor in Spirit' and Our Life in Christ: An Eastern Orthodox Perspective on Christian Discipleship

In his study on the Sermon on the Mount, Hans Dieter Betz remarks that the expression `the poor in spirit' (οί πτωχοί τω πνεύματι) (Mt. 5:3) is unique in the entire New Testament and does not appear at all in the early Christian literature or elsewhere in the Greek language. Considering the pro...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Barbu, Liviu (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Sage 2009
In: Studies in Christian ethics
Year: 2009, Volume: 22, Issue: 3, Pages: 261-274
Further subjects:B Obedience
B Spiritual Direction
B Humility
B Discipleship
B Spiritual Formation
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
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Summary:In his study on the Sermon on the Mount, Hans Dieter Betz remarks that the expression `the poor in spirit' (οί πτωχοί τω πνεύματι) (Mt. 5:3) is unique in the entire New Testament and does not appear at all in the early Christian literature or elsewhere in the Greek language. Considering the profound and veiled meaning of the first Matthean beatitude in the Sermon on the Mount, this article asks whether a patient analysis of the Christian virtue of humility may reveal a way of life worthy of the blessings enjoyed by the `poor in spirit' in the Kingdom of Heaven. As such, it is argued throughout that the virtue of humility is the foundation of Christian discipleship, adducing arguments from the patristic exegesis of the first beatitude, the humility of the incarnate Son, and the Eastern Orthodox practice of spiritual direction.
ISSN:0953-9468
Contains:Enthalten in: Studies in Christian ethics
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1177/0953946809106232