Why does Jesus say 'poor in spirit' rather than 'rich in spirit' will inherit heaven?
A viewer says it seems it would make more sense to call saintly people 'rich in spirit' rather than 'poor in spirit,' and asks about the phrase in the Beatitudes.
Answer
Rich and poor are two words that can have opposite meanings depending on the context, which is true in Greek and in English. Here, 'poor in spirit' in Matthew 5 is talking about people who are humble and meek, and those are the kind of people God is looking for, so the best title for them is poor in spirit, not rich in spirit. 'Rich in spirit' you would use for those who have some of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, who are speaking in tongues, performing miracles, or healing people, as was happening back in those times; you would say about them that they are rich in spirit because they have been richly blessed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and are using them. So that is something different from the 'poor in spirit' of the Beatitudes, which points to humility.