Matthew 5:3 THE FIRST BEATITUDE The first line of the Sermon on the Mount is found in Matthew 5:3. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." At first glance, this sounds like a paradox. How could poverty bring blessing? But Jesus was not only speaking about financial poverty. He was unveiling the first doorway into God's kingdom, humility in spirit. In Hebrew thought, the spirit, (ruach), represents the inner life, the breath of a person. To be po