Meekness
“To be meek means to be gentle and kind, to be empty of all selfishness and earthly ambition. It means, in a word, never to return evil for evil, but always in everything to overcome evil by good (cf. Rom 12.14–21). Meekness means to distrust and reject every thought and action of external coercion and violence, which in any case can never produce fruitful, genuine and lasting results. Meekness is to have the firm and calm conviction that the good is more powerful than evil, and that the good ultimately is always victorious.” (Fr. Thomas Hopko)
“There are thousands of teachings that call for inner peace through the complete abandonment of everything – thousands – but this is not the teaching of Christ: He is always with people, always involved in their affairs, their cares and needs, their joy and grief, but at the same time He is always and everywhere the center of the world, and His very presence brings light. This is what meekness is, for the word meekness has no meaning outside of a living and concrete relationship with others. One cannot be meek in solitude, because meekness is a way and mode of reaction to the behavior of the other, and not some independent quality.” (Fr. Alexander Schmemann)
“A monk strives for himself only. Of course, he must pray for the whole world, but it is much easier for him. But a lay person can achieve a much higher level of spirituality in meekness and humility than one who has lived as a monk in celibacy all his life, yet has not striven to achieve perfection.” (Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica)
“Our Lord described Himself as meek (Matt. 11:29), yet He smashed up the markets outside the temple in Jerusalem (John 2:13–22); He denounced the Pharisees, scribes, and Sadducees as “hypocrites” and a “brood of vipers” and told them they were going to hell (Matt. 23:13–33). He frequently rebuked His apostles and admonished the Israelites for their faithlessness (Luke 9:41). He was no pushover, until He voluntarily gave Himself up to humiliation, violence, and death, even though as God He had the power— and, indeed, the right— to destroy His oppressors on the spot…The meek are God-controlled and have mastery over their passions, especially anger. Meekness is not passive weakness, but strength directed and under control.” (Archimandrite Vassilios Papavassiliou, Orthodox Study Bible, Matthew 5:5)
“Meek doesn’t mean weak. Gentle means being firm but compassionate, being in control while still being caring…Many people translate “meekness” as “weakness,” inferring that a meek person rolls over and gets walked on, or that a meek person doesn’t stand up for himself or herself. However, while we think of a meek person as being a “softie,” meekness or gentleness more accurately means “controlled strength.” I read an article recently by Rick Warren (Protestant preacher and writer) that discussed meekness. To explain the concept of meekness, he used the analogy of a wild stallion who has been trained. The horse had not been stripped of its power. Rather its power and strength is now controlled and ready to be used according to the intentions of its master. The gentle Christian is like the aforementioned stallion. He or she has strength of conviction and yet the strength is controlled. It is not used in a way that is destructive or narcissistic. When a quarterback puts a “gentle” touch on the ball, it is still delivered with accuracy and even authority, but it is a controlled touch that puts the ball exactly where his receiver is, at a speed at which the ball can be handled.” (Fr. Stavros N. Akrotirianakis)
“We tend to think of meekness as a personality trait. When we hear the word meek, we usually think of someone softly spoken, easily pushed around, someone who never raises his voice, maybe even someone who is weak. But meekness is not the same as weakness, nor is it a particular kind of personality; it is a virtue...” (Archimandrite Vassilios Papavassiliou)
“It [meekness] is an inner grace of the soul that accepts the will of God without complaint or resistance. Yet, those who are meek also bear the assaults of those who are against them. The popular idea of meekness assumes that it makes one weak and vulnerable. But this virtue demonstrates the power of composure and restraint. The meek are free to work selflessly for the healing of grievances and complaints within the Body of Christ.” (Fr. Basil)
“What does it mean to be meek? An alternate translation of the term is “gentle.” In some contexts, “gentle” is the best way to render the word, but, in this verse, I prefer “meek.” It reminds us of the meekness of the Mother of God in her humility and acceptance of the will of God. It takes on a more universal appeal in the Sermon on the Mount, where Christ tells us that the “meek shall inherit the earth.” Meekness is not a modern virtue. Our noisy world tends to notice the loudest and brashest voices, those whose demands are accompanied by whatever power can be leveraged. We value champions and winners, and, at best, offer pity to those who cannot overcome their meekness. I suspect that most people do not believe that God is meek. No doubt, some who are reading this are already preparing their challenges, citing the cleansing of the Temple or the plagues of Egypt. Such challenges are mere intellectual toys, not rooted in our actual experience of God.” (Father Stephen Freeman)
“In the Old Testament King David (the Psalmist), the Prophet Moses, who is called very meek (Num. 12:3), and also the righteous Job, who blessed the Name of God when subjected to severe trials, were all distinguished by their meekness. In the New Testament the Savior demonstrated the greatest meekness and called us to learn from Him first and foremost this virtue: Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matt. 11:29), for it is out of this virtue that all the other virtues grow, including love itself. Through meekness and humility man overcomes his natural self and pride, and spiritually develops towards self-denial in the Name of God and out of love of Him and one’s neighbor.” (St. Tikhon Monastery)
“In our modern age this sin and its corresponding virtue have become strangely inverted, for humility and meekness are despised while self-esteem and pride are exalted as salve for the psyche.” (Dynamis 5/19/2020)
“Our Lord described Himself as meek (Matt. 11:29), yet He smashed up the markets outside the temple in Jerusalem (John 2:13–22); He denounced the Pharisees, scribes, and Sadducees as “hypocrites” and a “brood of vipers” and told them they were going to hell (Matt. 23:13–33). He frequently rebuked His apostles and admonished the Israelites for their faithlessness (Luke 9:41). He was no pushover, until He voluntarily gave Himself up to humiliation, violence, and death, even though as God He had the power— and, indeed, the right— to destroy His oppressors on the spot.” (Archimandrite Vassilios Papavassiliou)
“…meekness often subdues even the most beastly enemies, softens them and pacifies them…Contrary to popular opinion, it takes strength to be gentle. (St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, Lloyd John Ogilvie)