Bible Topics: Meekness

Definition: Showing patience and humility; gentleness; submissiveness; strength and courage under control.

1. Meekness is one of the fruits of the Spirit which we should both pray for and cultivate in our personal lives.

* Zephaniah 2:3a Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought His judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness.

* Galatians 5:22,23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 meekness, temperance.

* 1 Timothy 6:11 But thou, O man of God … follow after righteousness, Godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

* 2 Peter 1:5-8 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience Godliness; 7 And to Godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2. Being meek means not being pushy or overbearing.

* 2 Corinthians 10:1 Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you. [See also 1 Corinthians 4:21.]

* Galatians 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

* Titus 3:2 To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.

* James 1:19,20 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

* James 3:17,18 But the wisdom that is from Above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated [willing to yield], full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

3. Meekness is often a manifestation of unselfish love, patience and tolerance.

* Matthew 5:38-42 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

* Romans 15:1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

* 1 Corinthians 13:4,5,7 Charity [love] suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil. 7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

* Galatians 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

* Ephesians 4:1,2 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, 2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing [being tolerant with] one another in love.

* Colossians 3:12,13 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

* 1 Peter 2:19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

4. Meekness is a sign of wisdom and spiritual maturity.

* Proverbs 14:29a He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding.

* James 1:21b Receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to save your souls.

* James 3:13 Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.

5. Humble meekness is better than proud might.

* Proverbs 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

* Ecclesiastes 7:8b The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

6. Jesus was repeatedly characterized as being meek; we are to follow His example.

* Isaiah 42:1-3 Behold My Servant, Whom I uphold; Mine Elect, in Whom My soul delighteth; I have put My Spirit upon Him: He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. 2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. 3 A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench: He shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

* Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.

* Matthew 11:29 Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

* Matthew 21:5 Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

* Matthew 27:13,14 Then said Pilate unto Him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against Thee? 14 And He answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.

* 2 Corinthians 10:1a Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.

* 1 Peter 2:21-23 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps: 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: 23 Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously.

7. Some other examples of meekness:

* Genesis 13:8,9 [When a division arose between the herdsmen of Lot and Abram, Abram offered the choicest land to be divided to him.] And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren. 9 Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me: if thou wilt take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to the left. [For the whole story see verses 1-12.]

* Genesis 26:20-22 [Isaac pacified strife with his neighbors by giving them wells which he had dug, until he won their favor.] And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac’s herdmen, saying, The water is ours: and he called the name of the well Esek; because they strove with him. 21 And they digged another well, and strove for that also: and he called the name of it Sitnah. 22 And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the Lord hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.

* Numbers 12:1-3 And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. 2 And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? Hath He not spoken also by us? And the Lord heard it. 3 (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.) [See the whole story in verses 1-15.]

* 1 Samuel 1:13-17 [Hannah answered meekly when Eli, the priest, wrongly accused her of being a drunk when he saw her sobbing and praying about her desire to have children.] Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken. 14 And Eli said unto her, How long wilt thou be drunken? Put away thy wine from thee. 15 And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the Lord. 16 Count not thine handmaid for a daughter of Belial: for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I spoken hitherto. 17 Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of Him. [See chapters 1 and 2:1-11 for the whole story.]

* 1 Samuel 17:28-32 [Young David meekly, but with conviction, responds to his brother’s cutting accusations against him, when he offered to fight against Goliath.] And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither? And with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou mightest see the battle. 29 And David said, What have I now done? Is there not a cause? 30 And he turned from him toward another, and spake after the same manner: and the people answered him again after the former manner. 31 And when the words were heard which David spake, they rehearsed them before Saul: and he sent for him. 32 And David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.

* Matthew 15:22-28 [The woman of Canaan meekly interacted with Jesus when He tested her faith by seemingly ignoring and even insulting her. Her meek faith was a witness against the house of Israel.] A woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto Him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, Thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 23 But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and besought Him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24 But He answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25 Then came she and worshipped Him, saying, Lord, help me. 26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. 27 And she said, truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. 28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

* 1 Thessalonians 2:7,8 [Paul meekly cared for his followers:] But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: 8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the Gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.

* 2 Timothy 4:16 [Even when his followers went against him, Paul showed meekness and longsuffering.] At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.

8. Meekness is an essential quality for God’s teachers, witnesses and leaders.

* Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

* 2 Timothy 2:24,25 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves [who are in opposition]; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.

* 1 Peter 3:8,9,15 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: 9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.

9. God is the saving strength of the meek.

* Psalm 76:8,9 Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from Heaven; the earth feared, and was still, 9 When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth.

* Psalm 147:6a The Lord lifteth up the meek.

* Isaiah 11:4a But with righteousness shall He judge the poor, and reprove with equity [justice] for the meek of the earth.

* Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me; because the Lord hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.

10. The meek have a special place in the Lord’s heart, and He makes special promises to them.

* Psalm 22:26a The meek shall eat and be satisfied.

* Psalm 25:9 The meek will He guide in judgment: and the meek will He teach His way.

* Psalm 37:11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

* Psalm 149:4 For the Lord taketh pleasure in His people: He will beautify the meek with salvation.

* Isaiah 29:19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

* Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

* 1 Peter 3:4 Let it [true beauty] be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

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