As we go about our lives, we see a lot of contrasts every day. Light, dark. Hot, cold. Sweet, bitter. We see it with people, too - tall, short. Fat, thin. Pleasant, unpleasant. In today’s Scripture from the Gospel of Luke, we read of contrasting values. Jesus presents us with some values of His kingdom, versus some values of the world. Which will we decide to follow?
As you read through our Scripture, you will probably notice a distinct similarity with another, probably more familiar passage in the Gospel of Matthew, where he presents the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12). Here in the second half of chapter 6, Luke gives us an abbreviated version of the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew’s telling of the Sermon on the Mount was much longer, covering three chapters of his Gospel. There is also the real possibility that Jesus told the same message on more than one occasion. Jesus traveled all throughout Galilee and Judea, speaking to different crowds. He may very well have given this message more than once, Matthew’s being one time, and Luke’s another.
As we look into Luke’s telling of the Beatitudes here, he gives us four “blesseds”, followed by four “woes”. We begin with blessed are you poor (vs. 20). This doesn’t only refer to financially poor, as there were a number of wealthy believers in the Bible. You are blessed when you are poor in spirit, when you realize that you have absolutely nothing that you can bring to God to deliver yourself from sin. All of our good works and deeds are worthless, and can do nothing to help us before God. When we know that, then we are in a position to accept God’s free gift of salvation, and can enter God’s kingdom.
Luke continues with the next “blessed”, which is for those who hunger (vs. 21). Again, this isn’t just being physically hungry. Jesus was referring to those who hunger after God, after His righteousness, after His Word. When we seek after God, He promises us that we will be rewarded (Jeremiah 29:13). The next “blessed” is for those who weep (vs. 21). This is referring to having sorrow for sin, both one’s own sins, and that of the world at large. When we acknowledge our sin, then we are able to confess, repent, and turn our life around.
The fourth “blessed” is for those who are hated and excluded because of their faith in the Lord Jesus (vs. 22-23). Rejection by the world and false or apostate religions is a sign that we are being true to the Lord. The Cross is the dividing line. To accept Jesus and His death on the Cross is to reject man’s ways, which is not going to please them. Those who have chosen to faithfully follow Jesus, and not the world or “popular religion” have frequently had a life of poverty, hunger, sadness, persecution, isolation, and false accusations because of Him and His message. For the Lord’s sake, these should be causes of rejoicing.
Luke follows with four “woes” (vs. 24-26). Woe means misery, distress, and sorrow. Luke could say “alas for you” in these verses. Such proclamations were also often given by many of the prophets, such as Isaiah , Amos, and Habakkuk. Jesus begins with calling woe to the rich (vs. 24), woe to those who are depending on their financial wealth for any spiritual advantage. Woe to those who are full, who are complacent, who think that, on their own, they have all that they need spiritually (vs. 25).
There is one confusing “woe” that Jesus calls out, and that is to those who laugh (vs. 25). I do not think that He was referring to anyone who laughs at a good, wholesome joke or comedy. I believe this could refer more to the type of laughter that some give derisively to others in their mishaps and misfortunes, rather than a happy, joyous laugh.
Our Scripture concludes with Jesus calling woe to those who are well-spoken of by everyone (vs. 26). When the world, when the unbelievers and the lost, have nothing but good to say of someone, they can’t truly be faithfully following the Lord. When someone tells the world, the unsaved, what they want to hear, rather than what God wants them to hear, they will get pats on the back and honors. Those who faithfully follow Jesus and His Word will get the hatred and ill treatment that He mentioned earlier.
As we look at our own life, which group are we more likely to fall into? Are we more in line with the “blessed” or more with the “woes”. Let’s be sure that the Lord Jesus can call us blessed, rather than call out woe upon us!
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