Year 2, Week 31, Day 2 Bible Reading Observations

Year 2, Week 31, Day 2

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Luke 6.

Today’s reading parallels some of the same events as yesterday’s reading from Matthew 12 and Mark 3. However, there are some elements recorded in Luke 6 that are somewhat unique to Luke. Luke 6 starts out with two Sabbath incidents that we have read about from Matthew and Mark. The Pharisees accuse Jesus and His disciples of unlawful behavior on the Sabbath: “But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?” (Luke 6:2). Then Jesus puts forth a question to the Scribes and the Pharisees as He is about to perform a healing: “And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?” (Luke 6:9). Jesus is confronting the Jewish religious establishment with His authority: “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath” (Luke 6:5). Luke 6 also displays Jesus’ authority in at least two other ways. First, Jesus commissions His disciples: "In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles” (Luke 6:12-13). While the religious leaders are not recognizing Jesus’ authority, many do. Second, Jesus displays His authority through the instruction He gives to His disciples: “And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people…And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said…" (Luke 6:17a,20a). To recognize Jesus’ authority is to listen to and obey Him: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like” (Luke 6:46-47).

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading is the opening of Jesus’ instructions: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!” (Luke 6:20b-23). These words sound familiar to us for they share commonality with what Matthew documents. However, this sermon “on a level place” that Luke records, is not exactly the same message as the sermon on the mount that Matthew records. While there are many elements of the two messages that are similar, even identical, they are most likely messages given by Jesus in two different places. Same Jesus, same disciples, perhaps many of the same crowds, but it seems best to hold that they are two different sermons, which share common points.

Matthew records nine beatitudes from Jesus’ sermon on the mount, while Luke records four beatitudes. The four that Luke mentions are similar but not always identical to the way Matthew records the comparable ones. That is not suggesting that Luke and/or Matthew changed Jesus’ words by putting words in Jesus’ mouth. But it does support the notion that Luke and Matthew are reporting on different messages that, nevertheless, since they are spoken by the same person, have shared statements that are repeated either identically in some cases, or varied slightly in other cases. In addition to the four Beatitudes, Luke records four woes: “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. “Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets” (Luke 6:24-26). Woes are a common feature used by the Old Testament prophets: “Woe to them! For they have brought evil on themselves. Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him” (Isaiah 3:9b,11, see also Isaiah 5:8,11; Jeremiah 6:4,22:13,23:1; and Ezekiel 13:13,16:23). “Woe” is probably best conveyed today by saying “how terrible” for they are expressions of sadness over the consequences of current commitments more than they are threats. Woes are strong warnings of what would happen without returning to the Lord.

Matthew does not record any woes in recording Jesus’ sermon on the mount. Since Luke’s placement of the sermon “on a level place” is set in the context of fierce opposition to Jesus, the inclusion of the woes is timely. In the Beatitudes, Jesus gives reassurance of God’s favor to those who follow Him in the face of hatred and persecution. Correspondingly, Jesus reassures His followers that God will judge those who are satisfied only with this life lived no thought of the Lord. The combination of the four beatitudes followed by the four woes correspondingly contrast two approaches to life in terms of how life is lived in relationship to Christ. The “rich” are contrasted with the “poor,” the “full” are contrasted with the “hungry,” those who “weep” are contrasted with those who “laugh,” and having people who “speak well of you” is contrasted with having people who “hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man.” The Beatitudes and woes differentiate a life lived for now with a life lived in light of eternity. Ironically, a life characterized as rich, full, laughing, and spoken well of by others, can actually be a life that the Lord thinks is regrettable. On the other hand, a life characterized as poor, hungry, weeping, and ostracized by others, can genuinely be a life that the Lord pronounces as blessed. One life will fall, while the other will stand: “But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great” (Luke 6:49).

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe