Indeed.
It seems to me that a wise man would say, “doggone it, he’s right. I radically changed the meaning of the verse by leaving out the key phrase ‘in spirit.’ Maybe I don’t really understand the verse.” And then said wise man would get busy prayerfully studying the Scriptures to come to a biblical understanding of that verse and what it means to be “poor in spirit.” And if said wise man comes to recognize he has been misled by the spiritual authorities in his life he would get busy finding spiritual leaders faithful to God’s Word because he knows his eternal soul is at stake.
But most are not wise. They don’t really want the truth. They value their tradition, their way, over the Scriptures. Most lean on their own understanding, rationalize, and double down on error.
“Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
Jesus certainly had vast powers to help the poor and did so by feeding thousands who took time to listen, healing the sick to show he was indeed the Messiah, even raising the dead on a few occasions to show he had the power of the Father behind him even stating he could call upon legions of angels for aid should he wish to.
These few and limited instances showed what he could and would do when God’s will was done on earth as it was in heaven under his kingdom.
But an examination of Jesus’ words shows his chief purpose in coming to the earth was not soup kitchens and food packages however well motivated such things are, he said his purpose was to preach the good news of that heavenly kingdom and “bear witness to the truth”.
The poor in material things were shown mercy and kindness but those poor in spirit or “beggars after spirit” were the focus of Jesus’ efforts.