Luk 6:22-23 | KingComments | STEP | These ‘Beatitudes’ are very similar to those of Matthew 5-7. Yet here it is probably another occasion and another crowd. The Lord will have said things of the same content on several occasions, but in words that are fitting for each of those occasions. All preachers who speak about the same subjects on different occasions, will do so in slightly different ways each time. In this speech, the Lord points out the character that His teaching will form in those who accept it. He speaks first of all to His disciples, while the crowds hear what He says ( ). He lifts up His eyes upon (Darby Translation) His disciples, that is to say, that He as a Master, takes a lower place. The teaching He gives is perfectly put into practice in and through Him. He does not hand over teaching material, but a lifestyle, a behavior in which becomes visible Who God is Who came to man in humiliation in Christ. The difference with the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel according to Matthew is evident from the form of address used by the Lord. Here He addresses Himself directly to His disciples. He speaks to them and says in view of the kingdom of God that it is “yours”. In Matthew he does not speak to any particular class, but about a particular class, and says that the kingdom of heaven is “theirs” ( ). In the Gospel according to Matthew He speaks of the characteristics of those who are subjects in the kingdom of heaven, a kingdom that has been delayed by the rejection of the King, but which will be established when He returns. Meanwhile, the kingdom has been established in a hidden form, as He makes clear in the parables in Matthew 13. In the Sermon on the Mount, He holds out to those who are in that kingdom, as it were, the constitution of that kingdom to which they must adhere. In the Gospel according to Luke, He points to a special characteristic of those who belong to Him, namely their relationship with Him. In the description He gives here of His disciples, He appears to presume His rejection as an accomplished fact. They share in His rejection. In the first ones He calls blessed, the difference to what is written in Matthew is clearly expressed. Luke mentions that the Lord addresses His disciples personally and directly: “Blessed [are] you [who are] poor.” Matthew does not do that. He writes from the Lord’s mouth: “Blessed are the poor in spirit” which is general and has to do with the mind. His followers are poor in all respects. They have neither great imagination nor great wealth. They resemble Him Who became poor for our sake ( ). They may be poor now, but soon they will have the whole kingdom of God as their true wealth. This prospect is the reason why the poor disciple may consider himself blessed. The true disciple is also hungry, but the Lord says about this that he is “blessed”. In Matthew He links hunger also to ‘thirst’ and ‘for righteousness’. In Luke it is general again. Disciples are hungry for all that is of God and what they do not see in the world surrounding them. The world is not hungry for God, but casts Him out. The world pursues its own interests at the expense of everything and everyone. God is not taken into account at all. The disciple is hungry for the time when God will reign through Christ on earth. Then he will be satisfied. All his desires for what is of God will be satisfied. The whole situation on earth cannot make the disciple happy. He suffers from it; it grieves him. However, this situation does not continue endlessly. When God reigns on earth through Christ, the disciple will laugh. Because God does not yet rule in Christ on earth, but has been rejected, this will also be part of the disciples of Christ. The people will hate them, and will ostracize and insult them. Their name will be mentioned with contempt. And all this because they belong to the rejected Son of Man. The Lord calls them blessed. It is a blessed fate to share in the reproach that is His part. They need not grieve about what people will do to them for His sake. On the contrary, they should rejoice about that. They did so ( ) and many after them. What people do to them for His sake makes them glad on earth, while the thought of reward in heaven may make them extra glad. In the suffering inflicted upon them, they become partakers of the prophets who suffered from the fathers of these persecutors. People who persecute do what their ancestors have already done.

‏ Luke 6:22-23

‘Blessed’

These ‘Beatitudes’ are very similar to those of Matthew 5-7. Yet here it is probably another occasion and another crowd. The Lord will have said things of the same content on several occasions, but in words that are fitting for each of those occasions. All preachers who speak about the same subjects on different occasions, will do so in slightly different ways each time.

In this speech, the Lord points out the character that His teaching will form in those who accept it. He speaks first of all to His disciples, while the crowds hear what He says (Lk 7:1). He lifts up His eyes upon (Darby Translation) His disciples, that is to say, that He as a Master, takes a lower place. The teaching He gives is perfectly put into practice in and through Him. He does not hand over teaching material, but a lifestyle, a behavior in which becomes visible Who God is Who came to man in humiliation in Christ.

The difference with the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel according to Matthew is evident from the form of address used by the Lord. Here He addresses Himself directly to His disciples. He speaks to them and says in view of the kingdom of God that it is “yours”. In Matthew he does not speak to any particular class, but about a particular class, and says that the kingdom of heaven is “theirs” (Mt 5:3).

In the Gospel according to Matthew He speaks of the characteristics of those who are subjects in the kingdom of heaven, a kingdom that has been delayed by the rejection of the King, but which will be established when He returns. Meanwhile, the kingdom has been established in a hidden form, as He makes clear in the parables in Matthew 13. In the Sermon on the Mount, He holds out to those who are in that kingdom, as it were, the constitution of that kingdom to which they must adhere. In the Gospel according to Luke, He points to a special characteristic of those who belong to Him, namely their relationship with Him. In the description He gives here of His disciples, He appears to presume His rejection as an accomplished fact. They share in His rejection.

In the first ones He calls blessed, the difference to what is written in Matthew is clearly expressed. Luke mentions that the Lord addresses His disciples personally and directly: “Blessed [are] you [who are] poor.” Matthew does not do that. He writes from the Lord’s mouth: “Blessed are the poor in spirit” which is general and has to do with the mind.

His followers are poor in all respects. They have neither great imagination nor great wealth. They resemble Him Who became poor for our sake (2Cor 8:9). They may be poor now, but soon they will have the whole kingdom of God as their true wealth. This prospect is the reason why the poor disciple may consider himself blessed.

The true disciple is also hungry, but the Lord says about this that he is “blessed”. In Matthew He links hunger also to ‘thirst’ and ‘for righteousness’. In Luke it is general again. Disciples are hungry for all that is of God and what they do not see in the world surrounding them. The world is not hungry for God, but casts Him out. The world pursues its own interests at the expense of everything and everyone. God is not taken into account at all.

The disciple is hungry for the time when God will reign through Christ on earth. Then he will be satisfied. All his desires for what is of God will be satisfied. The whole situation on earth cannot make the disciple happy. He suffers from it; it grieves him. However, this situation does not continue endlessly. When God reigns on earth through Christ, the disciple will laugh.

Because God does not yet rule in Christ on earth, but has been rejected, this will also be part of the disciples of Christ. The people will hate them, and will ostracize and insult them. Their name will be mentioned with contempt. And all this because they belong to the rejected Son of Man. The Lord calls them blessed. It is a blessed fate to share in the reproach that is His part.

They need not grieve about what people will do to them for His sake. On the contrary, they should rejoice about that. They did so (Acts 5:41) and many after them. What people do to them for His sake makes them glad on earth, while the thought of reward in heaven may make them extra glad. In the suffering inflicted upon them, they become partakers of the prophets who suffered from the fathers of these persecutors. People who persecute do what their ancestors have already done.