Blessed Are the War Horses: On Christian Meekness
“Blessed are the meek,” said our Lord in Matthew 5:5, “for they shall inherit the earth.”
Meekness.
To the contemporary hearer, the word denotes a sort of submissive passivity, a lack of backbone, a certain kind of doormat quality. To search Google for an apt definition returns synonyms like, “yielding,” “compliant,” “tame,” “timid,” and “unresisting.” Not exactly the qualities one might associate with strength or masculinity.
So the Christian man is faced with a conundrum: how does one balance this directive of Christ to be meek with others throughout the Bible exhorting us to be “of good courage” (Psalm 27:14) or “strong in the Lord and in His mighty power” (Ephesians 6:10)? What are we to make of the apostle’s command, “Be on the alert. Stand firm in the faith. Be men of courage. Be strong,” (I Corinthians 16:13)? It would seem that the ideal of meekness is diametrically opposed to these characteristics. Which one is it? Are we to lay down as passive recipients of whatever comes our way or are we to develop courage and strength according to the might and power of the Lord?
The key lies in the original Greek.
The word translated “meek” in Matthew 5:5 is πραεῖς, (transliterated as ‘praus’ and pronounced ‘prah-ooce'). It does indeed mean “meek” and “gentle,” but let us come to understand what those words mean biblically, as opposed to within a modern, Western, English-speaking context.
A word study of πραεῖς will guide you to its cognate, πρᾳότης (transliterated as ‘praotés’). Properly understood, according to HELPS word-studies, πρᾳότης means, “properly temperate, displaying the right blend of force and reserve (gentleness). Praótēs (strength in gentleness) avoids unnecessary harshness, yet without compromising or being too slow to use necessary force.” Circling back to the original word in question in Matthew 5:5, the HELPS analysis of πραεῖς tells us that, “Biblical meekness is not weakness but rather refers to exercising God's strength under His control – i.e. demonstrating power without undue harshness. The English term "meek" often lacks this blend – i.e. of gentleness (reserve) and strength.”
In short, the biblical notions of meekness and gentleness are incomplete without both strength and control. Biblical meekness is not passivity or weakness. Rather, it entails a measured, deliberate, and properly deployed power.
To paraphrase one popular citation, it is carrying a sword, but knowing when to unsheathe it.
I thought of this concept this morning as I watched my infant son inadvertently crash his skull into his mother’s jaw as she was holding him. The collision prompted a quick discussion of the necessity of beginning to tell him about being gentle with things, even at his young age. It occurred to me that you only need to tell a person who has the power and ability to inflict harm to be gentle. The weak need no directive toward gentleness because it is not an option for them to do anything else.
So, we are left with the truth that Christ is not commanding His people to be passive, non-confrontational, or feeble. Christians are not called to be doormats. But, instead, we are to develop our God-given strengths as a martial warrior develops his abilities: with the proper understanding of when and when not to use them.
But when to use them is not a matter left to our own individual discretion. After all, this biblical concept of meekness does still carry with it a notion of submission and obedience. The man of God does not develop or deploy strength for his own ends, but understands that his purpose is inextricably tied to the will of his master. We look to Christ to determine for us when, where, and how to step in, confront, defend, excoriate, reprove, or do battle. The meek Christian lives his life on a knee bent to the One who ransomed his soul. Independence, self-reliance and autonomy should never enter into the equation for the servant of Christ.
Consider, for example, that immediately after Paul issues his encouragement in I Corinthians 16:13 (cited above), in the very next verse he says, “Do everything in love.” Whenever the Christian spiritual warrior unsheathes the sword, he does so for the benefit and edification of others, in the name of Christ, to the glory of God. Self-aggrandizement, pride, and domination are all anathema to the virtue of Christian strength. (For more on this, consider Romans 14 and 15).
So meekness and gentleness, properly understood within their right biblical contexts, are calls to develop an intense and passionate devotion to the things of God, the teachings of Scripture, and the glory of Christ so as to develop a formidable strength within the arena of spiritual warfare. Christian men and women (πραέως is the word used in Peter’s exhortation to women in I Peter 3:4) are meant to live at the behest of their master, ready, willing, and, by the grace of God, able to do the work of ministry, whether that be meeting the needs of those who need help (Luke 10:25-37; Titus 3:14) or confronting the lies of the false (II John 10-11; Titus 1:10-16,3:9-11).
The ancient Greek army would wrangle wild horses and bring them in from the wild in order to train them for war. Not many possessed the strength or willingness to obey needed to be utilized by the Greek cavalry. Some were made into pack animals, some were simply discarded. But those that qualified after being broken were said to be ‘praus’ (πραΰς). They were no longer unruly or rebellious or out of control. The war horses – the ‘meek’ – would now charge into battle under control of their masters and maneuver according to his commands. A meek horse was one that had kept its strength but placed it under the authority of the one who had tamed it.
When Christ said, “Blessed are the meek,” He was using a military term.
Strength under control. Power under authority. Formidable determination in the face of the constant onslaughts of the enemy. The humble willingness to do what your Master commands you to do.
The exact opposite of feeble timidity.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”
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