the Fourth Week of Advent
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!
Bible Dictionaries
Poverty
Charles Buck Theological Dictionary
or Is that state or situation, opposed to riches, in which we are deprived of the conveniences of life. Indigence is a degree lower, where we want the necessaries, and is opposed to superfluity. Want seems rather to arise by accident, implies a scarcity of provision rather than a lack of money, and is opposed to abundance. Need and necessity relate less to the situation of life than the other three words, but more to the relief we expect, or the remedy we seek; with this difference between the two, that need seems less pressng than necessity.
2. Poverty of mind is a state of ignorance, or a mind void of religious principle, Revelation 3:17 .
3. Poverty of spirit, consists in an inward sense and feeling of our wants and defects; a conviction of our wretched and forlorn condition by nature; with a dependence on divine grace and mercy for pardon and acceptance, Matthew 5:3 . It must be distinguished from a poor spiritedness, a sneaking fearfulness, which bringeth a snare. It is the effect of the operation of the Divine Spirit on the heart, John 16:8 .; is attended with submission to the divine will; contentment in our situation; meekness and forbearance as to others, and genuine humility as to ourselves. It is a spirit approved of by God, Isaiah 66:2 . evidential of true religion, Luke 17:13 . and terminates in endless felicity, Matthew 5:3 . Isaiah 57:1-21 . Psalms 34:18 . Dunlop's Ser. lec. 1. vol. 2: Barclay's Dict.; South's Ser. vol. 10: ser. 1; No. 464, Spec. vol. 6:; Robert Harris's Sermons. ser. 3. part 3.
These files are public domain.
Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Buck, Charles. Entry for 'Poverty'. Charles Buck Theological Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/cbd/p/poverty.html. 1802.
