Where does the Kingdom of Heaven begin? Not where you think...

As Jesus begins to teach up on the mountain, he starts with the poor.  And, as it turns out, something else begins with them.  Here's Jesus' first 'beatitude."--

He opens his mouth
      and teaches them, saying,
"Blessed, even as they gasp, are the poor,
      because the realm of upward vision
            begins with them.

At the end of The Immanence Bible in Verse is a section titled Translation Notes.  These notes explain some of the more unusual or atypical translations of the Greek text.  In the section for Matthew 5, under the phrase "even as they gasp", there is this note:

The word PNEUMA is a good example of the anachronistic impulses of our common translations.  Yes, it can mean "spirit."  But, it may also literally refer to "wind" or "breath." 

Jesus is not teaching about a spiritual condition (poor in spirit), but about the poor themselves.  In this context, it is their gasping breath, rather than their spirit, that is in view.  The blessing of being in this condition is knowing that something powerful begins with you.  The notes for this verse continue:

In addition to understanding the word (PNEUMA) more literally, TIBIV also understands the prepositional phrase to apply to the way in which the poor are blessed, rather than to the way in which they are poor.  It is not the "poor in spirit" who are under consideration, but the poor....who are blessed even in their gasping need.

It is not that typical English translations are wrong in how they understand the Greek genitive, but it is that TIBIV presents an equally literal translation that appears to fit the context more closely.  The "realm of upward vision" (kingdom of heaven) is not their reward for being poor in spirit.  This new realm (kingdom) is something that begins with them in their poverty.

For those of us who are middle class, this is sobering reality.  This new realm or kingdom, begins, not with us, but with those in true need.  May we stand with them.