The only autobiographical statement Jesus gave of himself was this one:

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.

Matthew 11:29 NASB

In that statement, one of adjectives that Jesus used of himself was “meek”.

Additionally, in the Beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declared:

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Matthew 5:5 ESV

Thus, it seems it is pretty important to understand what “meekness” is, so we can understand who Jesus is, and what He was saying in the Beatitudes, about who will inherit the Earth.

“Meek” in Greek – Language & History

The word “meek” is the English translation of the Greek word Praús.

The Greek military leader Xenophon used the word to describe war horses that were well-trained; strong and spirited, yet highly disciplined.

Socrates said that a meek person is one who can argue his case without losing his temper.

Plato used the word to describe a victorious general who was merciful to a conquered people.

Aristotle referred to a meek person as someone concerned about justice, but whose anger does not degrade into revenge or retaliation.

The common theme in all these uses of the word is: “Power under control” – which certainly describes Jesus. [1]

How was Jesus “Meek”?

The Bible tells us that Jesus, though He is the almighty creator of the universe, He humbled Himself by taking on the form of a servant and submitting Himself to the Father. Though He was all-powerful, He set “emptied” Himself, becoming like us in all ways, in order to redeem us through His sacrifice for us.

What Does it Mean for Us to be “Meek”

For us to be meek means for us to bring ourselves, our intellects, our strengths, our agency, into submission to God’s call and commands for our lives. It means for us to use our strengths to serve Him and His mission, rather than to merely fulfill our own desires.

For more on the Beatitudes, here’s a recent sermon I taught on them at White Fields Church:

[1] cited in N.R. Pearcy, The Toxic War on Masculinity: How Christianity Reconciles the Sexes, ch 8.