The Jesus Lifestyle

Hello everyone.

In my previous post, I mentioned that in Luke 6, Jesus comes to a level place and delivers a sermon.  The sermon has a striking resemblance to the Sermon on the Mount.  Is Luke simply giving a shortened version of the sermon matthew recorded, or is it a sermon delivered at a different time and place? To me, those details are not as important as the consistant message of Jesus.  In his message, Jesus offers up a new and radical way to live.  Today, let's take a look at verses 20-26.  

In these verses, we have here a comparison of blessedness and woes.  They line up very well.  Blessing to the poor and woe to the rich.  Blessing to the hungry, woe to the full.  Blessing to the crying, woe to the laughing.  Blessing to the hated, and woe to the liked. But, everything seems backwards here. Those who appear to have been blessed are the ones that Jesus issues woes to.  Those who appear to be cursed are the ones that Jesus blesses.

Honestly, what Jesus syas here sounds alot like what Mary said in her song back in Luke 1. Compare Jesus' Beatitudes in Luke 6 to what Mary said in chapter 1:

51 He has performed powerful acts with his arm;

         He has scattered those with arrogant thoughts in their hearts. 

52 He has removed powerful people from thrones,

       And he has lifted up the humble. 

53 Those who are hungry, he has filled with good things,

       While those who are wealthy, he has sent away with nothing.

In both, God will bless the poor, feed the hungry, while the wealthy are turned away with nothing. God is creating that seems very upside down to us. 

In his sermon, Jesus offers up beatitudes.  Each beatitude comes in the second person present, many end with a promise in the future tense. The situation is this way now, but in the future, it will be different. He uses the Greek word Μακάριοι (makarioi) - According to the Greek-English Lexicon of New Testament Words, this word means - "pertaining to being fortunate or happy because of circumstances, fortunate, happy, privileged or blessed. Also gives this definition - pertaining to being especially favored." So, this is what Jesus says of the poor, the hungry, those who are crying and those who are persecuted. They are blessed, or fortunate. 

On the flipside. Οὐαὶ (Ouai) According to aforementioned lexicon, this word means "interjection denoting pain or displeasure, woe." 

The thoughts Jesus expresses here are a blow to the prosperity gospel.  People often assume that they have wealth because they are blessed by God and in a right relationship with Him.  This is not necessarily the case.  Our reasoning would conclude that the rich are blessed and the poor are being punished for their sins.  Jesus says the opposite. 

The key to all of this is in verse 22.  The poor, hungry and weeping are all tied to this as well.  Jesus blesses those who are connected to Him.  But we have to understand that those who are connected to Jesus face hatred, insult and persecution. This verse helps us to understand that Jesus is not just talking about our socioeconomic status.  He is talking about how well connected we are to him. 

The comparison between the rich and poor is an interesting one.  The poor receive the kingdom of God.  The rich are receiving their comfort right now.  This implies that the comfort given to the poor comes later.  

Another interesting comparison is the 4th beatitude.  Being persecuted for the sake of Jesus is compared to having everyone say nice things about you.  The false prophets of old would say what people wanted to hear, and were therefore well-liked and popular.  The righteous prophets gave God’s message and were persecuted. 

Then in verse 23, Jesus calls us to rejoice in the face of persecution and difficulties. Why would we do that? Jesus tells us that when we are persecuted because of him, that “Great is your reward in heaven.” The reward of being connected to Jesus comes later.  In these verses and those that follow, Jesus presents a new way of living and thinking.  It is often counter-intuitive, but those who choose it end up blessed and those who reject it end up with woes.

Tom