Commentaries:
Notice what meekness is contrasted to. Meekness is synonymous with kindness, to gentleness, and in this context, it is contrasted with competitiveness and being warlike. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh.
What do carnal people do? They compete with each other. They make war with one another. In contrast, Paul will make war, as it were, with meekness, kindness, and gentleness.
Meekness is contrasted with speaking evil of others and contentious brawling in Titus 3:1-2:
Remind them [those on Crete whom Titus pastored] to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.
Meekness is not being competitive. It is not going all out to win against others and going to war, as it were, to be vindicated and justified. It turns the other cheek. It submits with kindness.
Paul provides another part of the picture in Galatians 6:1:
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of gentleness [meekness], considering yourself lest you also be tempted.
What the meek do to keep the strife and competition, brawling and argumentativeness, from coming to the fore is they take a good hard look at themselves, and then they treat others with the same gentleness and kindness that they wish to be treated with.
If they are directly involved in a dispute, the meek have a strong tendency to follow what Paul writes in I Corinthians 6:7-8:
Now therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you go to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong [or, suffer loss]? Why do you not rather allow yourselves be cheated? No, yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren!
So, the meek have a ready willingness to suffer wrong against them because, after looking at themselves and comparing what God could have done to them and what they are in relation to Him, peace and unity are more important to them than appearing to win. While they are firm and uncompromising in preserving the truth, they are not constrained to overwhelm and defeat an adversary, make their point, and put others in their place. It is very likely that they will simply appeal to the one contending with them and exhort them to do the right thing.
People tend to love the meek and lowly in mind. They pull people toward them. Their attitude almost works "like magic." But there is no magic involved; it is simply godly character at work.
John W. Ritenbaugh
Unity (Part 7): Ephesians 4 (D)
Now I am going to appeal to you personally, by the gentleness and kindness of Christ Himself. Yes, I, Paul, the one who is "humble enough in our presence, but outspoken when away from us," am begging you to make it unnecessary for me to be outspoken and stern in your presence. For I am afraid otherwise that I shall have to do some plain speaking to those of you who will persist in reckoning that our activities are on the purely human level. (Phillips)
John W. Ritenbaugh
Endure as a Good Soldier
