Laughter of the lost will not last

LAUGHTER OF THE LOST WILL NOT LAST
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Luke 6:25 25Woeto you who are well fed now, for you
will go hungry. Woeto you who laugh now, for you
will mourn and weep.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Biblical Illustrator
But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have receivedyour consolation.
Luke 6:24
The dangerof riches
J. H. Newman, D. D.
Unless we were accustomedto read the New Testamentfrom our childhood, I
think we should be very much struck with the warnings it contains, not only
againstthe love of riches, but the very possessionofthem. That our Lord
meant to speak ofriches as being in some sense a calamity to the Christian is
plain from His praises and recommendations of poverty.
1. The most obvious danger which worldly possessions presentto our spiritual
welfare is that they become practicallya substitute in our hearts for that one
objectto which our supreme devotion is due. They are present; God is unseen.
They are means at hand of effecting what we want; whether God will hear our

petitions for these wants is uncertain. Thus they minister to the corrupt
inclinations of our nature.
2. This, then, was some part of our Saviour's meaning, when He connects
togetherthe having with the trusting in riches.
3. The danger of possessing riches is the carnal security to which they lead;
that of desiring or pursuing them is that an object of this world is thus set
before us as the end and aim of life. It is a part of Christian caution to see to it
that our engagements do not become pursuits. Engagements are oarportion,
but pursuits are for the most part of our own choosing.
4. Moneyis a sort of creation, and gives the acquirer, even more than the
possessor, animagination of his own power; and tends to make him idolize
self. And if such be the result of gain on an individual, doubtless it will be the
same on a nation; and if the peril be so greatin the one case, whyshould it be
less in the other?
(J. H. Newman, D. D.)
The perils of rich men
R. IV. Dale, LL. D.
1. One of the principal perils of rich men arises from their very exemption
from many temptations to gross sin. Hence they are apt to think too wellof
themselves.
2. The rich man finds it very easyto do many kindly acts. It is very natural,
therefore, that he should regardhis own characterand life complacently, and
that he should think severelyof the selfishness ofthese less fortunate than
himself.
3. The rich man's Bible, with its morocco binding and gilt edges, has very
much less in it than the poor man's Bible, bound in sheep. Pages whichare
read and re-read, which are marked, and scored, and thumbed in the one, are
virtually mere blank paper in the other.

4. As the rich man loses many of the revelations of God's sympathy,
compassion, andcare, which inspire the poor with intense and passionate
gratitude, so he loses some ofthe most urgent motives to communion with
God, which often make the poor man devout.
(R. IV. Dale, LL. D.)
Dangerof rich men
C. H. Spurgeon.
— A holy woman was wont to say of the rich: " They are hemmed round with
no common misery; they go down to hell without thinking of it, because their
staircasethither is of gold and porphyry."
( C. H. Spurgeon.)
Riches;or, a knife for the canker
T. Guthrie, D. D.
To the love of money we trace the melancholy apostasyofDemas, the awful
perfidity of Judas, the fatal lie of Ananias and Sapphira — all, and some of
them distinguished, professors ofreligion. Be on your guard. Watchand pray.
Their history is written for our instruction. Norneed any of His people who
allow the love of money to entwine itself around their hearts, expectthat in
saving them God will do otherwise than the woodman, who, seeking to save a
tree, applies his knife to the cankerthai eats into its heart, or the ivy that has
climbed its trunk and is choking it in its close embraces.
(T. Guthrie, D. D.)
Smothered by wealth
H. W. Beecher.

Many of you are in imminent peril God is multiplying the sources ofyour
power. Your resources are becoming numerous as the sands of the sea. I am
not sorry, I am glad; but I am anxious that you should rise up in the midst of
these things, and show yourselves greaterthan prosperity, and strongerand
better on accountof it. I dread to see a man smotheredunder his wealth.
When a man, driving from the meadow, sits and sings cheerily upon his vast
load of fragrant hay, how every one, looking upon him, thinks of his happiness
and content l But by and by, at an unlucky jog, down goes the wheeland over
goes the load, and the man is at the bottom, with all the hay upon him. Just in
that way rich men are in danger of being smothered. The whole wain of your
prosperity may capsize, and the superincumbent mass may hide from you the
air and the sun of a true life.
(H. W. Beecher.)
Ye have receivedyour consolation
J. H. Newman, D. D.
Let the full force of the word " consolation" be observed. It is used by way of
contrastto the comfort which is promised to the Christian in the Beatitudes.
Comfort, in the fulness of that word, as including help, guidance,
encouragement, and support, is the peculiar promise of the gospel. There is
then something very fearful in the intimation of the text, that those who have
riches thereby receive their portion, such as it is, in full, instead of the
heavenly gift of the gospel. The same doctrine is implied in our Lord's words
in the parable of Dives and Lazarus: "Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime
receivedstthy goodthings, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is
comforted, and thou art tormented."
(J. H. Newman, D. D.)
Conjunction and separationof woe and riches
A. Farindon, D. D.

We will therefore show —
I. In what conjunction these two, woe and riches, do stand.
II. How they may be sundered: find out why riches are so dangerous to
receive, and how we may receive them without any danger. And with these we
shall exercise your devotion at this time. "Woe to rich men"; which cannot be
literally and generallytrue: for all rich men are not accursed. Butit is the
safestwayto remove men as far from danger as may be. It is safestfor some
men to conceive feasting unlawful, that they may avoid gluttony; or sports
unlawful, that they may not be wantons;to be afraid of an oath, that they may
not be perjured; not to flatter themselves too much in the lawfulness of war,
that they delight not in blood, but rather remember the lessonofMoses, or
indeed of God: "When thou goestoutwith the host againstthine enemies,
then keepthee from all wickedness"(Deuteronomy23:9).
1. But so far is the world from having that opinion of riches, that they have
goodly and glorious titles bestowedupon them. They commend themselves
unto us under the honest names of "thrift," and "frugality," and "wisdom."
What poor glass is a diamond, to him that is familiar with virtue! What trash
is riches, to him who is filled with grace!What nicknames are the empty titles
of secularhonours, to him that knoweththe glory of a saint l What a nothing
is the world, to him that hath studied heaven!
2. Further yet: Riches are accountedas necessaries,and as ornaments of
virtue; and under that name we receive and entertain them.
3. Again: Riches are not only not necessaryto religion and virtue, but rather a
"hindrance." They take us down from our third heaven, and take us off from
"the contemplation" of future happiness, and bind our thoughts to the
vanities of the earth, which so press them down and wearythem that they
cannot aspire. They are retinacula spei, "fetters of our hope." For "now
where is our hope?" (Job 17:15.)Even in the bowels of the earth. They are
degraders of our faith. For whilst we walk in this vain shadow, how many
degrees doth our faith fall back!The more we "trust in uncertain riches" the
less we trust in God (1 Timothy 6:17). They are coolers and abaters of our

charity: for, they make us ungrateful to God, severe to ourselves, and cruel to
our brethren.
4. Further yet: As riches are a hindrance and obstacle to good, so are they
instrumental to evil. They facilitate and help it forward, and are as the
midwife to bring it to its birth, which otherwise peradventure had died in the
womb, in the thought, and never seenthe sun. If sin make "our members the
weapons ofunrighteousness," riches are the handle without which they cannot
well be managed. Every man cannot grind the face of the poor, every man
cannot take his brother by the throat, every man cannot go into the foolish
woman's house, every man cannot bribe a judge, every man cannot be as
wickedas he would. And it may seemto be a part of God's restraining grace,
to take riches from some men, as he took off the wheels of Pharaoh's chariots,
that they may not pursue their brethren. But when the purse is full, the heart
will more easilyvent all the poison it hath, in a reproach, in contempt, in a
blow, in an injury, in oppression.
II. You have seenthe rich and woe in a sad conjunction, a most malignant one
as any astrologyhath discovered. I am unwilling to leave them so; and
therefore, in the lastplace, I must find out some means to put them asunder,
that we may receive riches without danger; which is indeed "to lead the camel
through the needle's eye."
1. We must bring riches into a subordination, nay, into a subjection, to
Christianity. We may be rich, if we canbe poor.
2. That the mind may be rightly affected, we must root out of it all love of
riches. For if we set our hearts upon them, the love of them will estrange us
from Christ, and make us idolaters.
3. I must bring you yet further, from not loving, not desiring riches, to
contemning of them. For though I have emptied my store, and castit before
the wind, yet till I have made riches the object of my fear, till I cansay within
myself, "This lordship may undo me," "These riches may beggarme," "This
money may destroy me" — till in this respectI make it the object of my
contempt, and look upon it as a bait of Satan, I am not so far removed but
that still the woe hangeth over me. For as, when a man taketha wedge of lead

upon his shoulders, it pressethand boweth his body to the earth; but if he put
it under his feet, it will lift and keephim from the ground: so, when we place
riches above us, and look upon them as upon our heaven; when we prefer
them before salvation, and make gainour godliness;it must needs be that they
will press us down to hell: but if we keepthem below as slaves, andtread them
under our feet, and contemn them as dung in comparisonof Christ, they will
then lift us up as high as heaven.
4. Therefore, in the lastplace, let me commend unto you a godly jealousyof
yourselves. Suspicionin such a case as this is very useful.
5. I am unwilling to leave the rich and the woe so near together, but would set
them at that distance that they may never meet. To conclude then: Let us not
be too familiar with riches, lest whilst we embrace them we take the plague,
and the woe enter into our very bowels. The love of the world is a catching
disease, andit is drawn on with dallying, with a very look. We do not traffic
for goldwhere there are no mines: nor can we find God in the world. He that
maketh Him his purchase, will find business enough to take up his thoughts,
and little time left for conference andcommerce in the world, scarceany time
to look upon it, but by the by and in the passage, as we use to look upon a
stranger. A look is dangerous;a look of liking is too much: but a look Of love
will bury us in the world, where we are sown in power, but are raised in
weakness;sownin glory, but are raisedin dishonour. We restand sleepin this
dust; and when we awake, the woe which hung over our heads falleth upon us.
(A. Farindon, D. D.)
STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
Woe unto you that are full,.... Not so much with the plenty and affluence of the
things of this life, as of themselves, and their own righteousness, andso with

conceit, vanity, and pride, and have no appetite for spiritual things, nor do
they hunger and thirst after Christ, and the grace that is in him:
for ye shall hunger; not that they shall truly and spiritually desire an interest
in Christ, and his righteousness,orheaven and eternallife hereafter;but they
shall be in starving and famishing circumstances;and whilst the saints are
feeding upon the joys and glories of the other world, comparedto a banquet,
they shall be without, and have no share in these things; Isaiah 65:13.
Woe unto you that laugh now; at sin, rejoice in iniquity, make a mock at it,
instead of mourning for it; or that glory in themselves, and in their
righteousness, andrejoice in their boastings:
for ye shall mourn and weep; shall be castinto outer darkness, where are
weeping, waiting, and gnashing of teeth; and for all the fire they have kindled,
and sparks they have encompassedthemselves with, and danced in and about,
this they shall have at the hand of God, they shall lie down in sorrow, and ever
continue in it.
Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament
Now (νυν — nun). Here twice as in Luke 6:21 in contrastwith future
punishment. The joys and sorrows in these two verses are turned round,
measure for measure reversed. The Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)
illustrate these contrasts in the present and the future.
Wesley, John. "Commentary on Luke 6:25". "JohnWesley's Explanatory
Notes on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wen/luke-6.html. 1765.
return to 'Jump List'
The Fourfold Gospel
Woe unto you, ye that are full now! for ye shall hunger. Woe [unto you], ye
that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

Woe to you that are full! for ye shall hunger. The secondwoe is kindred to the
first. Righteousness is the soul's true food. Those who feastupon it shall be
satisfied, but those who satiate themselves with this world shall wakensome
day to a sense ofemptiness, since they have filled themselves with vanity.
(Ecclesiastes 2:1-11;James 5:1-6).
Woe to you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. The third woe is not
pronounced upon those who make merriment an occasionalrelief;(Proverbs
17:22;Proverbs 15:13,15). but upon those who, through lack of earnestness,
make it a constantaim. Half the world has no higher object in life than to be
amused. (Proverbs 13:14; Ecclesiastes7:6). Those who sow folly shall reap a
harvest of tears. The truth of this saying was abundantly fulfilled in the
Jewishwars, which culminated in the destruction of Jerusalemabout forty
years later.
Calvin's Commentary on the Bible
25.Woe to you who are filled. Woe to you who laugh now In the same sense, he
pronounces a curse on those who are satiatedand full: because they are lifted
up by confidence in the blessings of the present life, and rejectthose blessings
which are of a heavenly nature. A similar view must be takenof what he says
about laughter: for by those who laugh he means those who have given
themselves up to Epicurean mirth, who are plunged in carnal pleasures, and
spurn every kind of trouble which would be found necessaryfor maintaining
the glory of God.
John Trapp Complete Commentary

25 Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh
now! for ye shall mourn and weep.
Ver. 25. Woe unto you that laugh now] Worldlings’ jollity is but as a book
fairly bound, which, when it is opened, is full of nothing but tragedies.
Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible
Luke 6:25. Woe unto you that laugh now!— Our Lord's malediction is not
inconsistentwith the apostle's precepts whichcommand Christians always to
rejoice;neither is the mirth, againstwhich the woe is here denounced, to be
understood of that constantcheerfulness of temper, which arises to the true
Christian from the comfortable and cheerful experience of the power and
truth of those doctrines with which he is enlightened by the Gospel,—the
assurance he has of reconciliationwith God, the hope that he has of
everlasting life, and the pleasure he enjoys in walking with God, in the
practice of piety, and the other duties of religion: but it is to be understood of
that turbulent carnal mirth, that levity and vanity of spirit, which arises not
from any solid foundation, butfrom sensualpleasure, or those vain
amusements of life, by which the giddy and the gaycontrive to spend their
time;—that sort of mirth which dissipates thought, leaves no time for
consideration, and gives them an utter aversionto all serious reflection.
Persons who continue to indulge themselves in this sort of mirth, shall weep
and mourn eternally, when they are excluded from the joys of heaven, and
banished for ever from the presence of God.
Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament
Luke 6:25. οἱ ἑμπεπλησμένοι, who are full) Their fulness does not deserve the
name of “full satisfaction.” Comp. [ χορτασθήσεσθε, ye shall be filled to
satisfaction, ye shall be fully satisfied] Luke 6:21.
Matthew Poole's EnglishAnnotations on the Holy Bible

Our Saviour must be understood, either of those who are sinfully full, or at
leastsuch as are spiritually empty; those that are full are opposedto those
that hunger. If we take hunger for a hungering and thirsting after
righteousness, as Matthew speaks,those that are full are such as are filled
with wind, a high opinion of their own righteousness.If we take hunger for a
want of the necessariesofthis life, then fullness signifieth either a sinfulness
with drink, or meat, or ill gotten goods, orat leastfor such as are spiritually
empty of the knowledge orgrace of God; there will come a time when they
shall want, as rich Dives wanted a little waterto coolhis tongue. So by those
that laugh must be understood, either those that are sinfully merry, or at least
those that have no true cause of spiritual joy. By mourning and weeping,
threatened to such, is either meant the vengeance ofGod upon them in this
life, or in the world to come, where there shall be weeping, and wailing, and
gnashing of teeth.
Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament
You that are full; are satisfiedwith earthly enjoyments, and desire nothing
better.
Laugh; live in thoughtlessnessand sinful mirth.
Expository Notes ofDr. Thomas Constable
Similarly eating well and laughing are not wrong in themselves. Howeverif a
person decides not to follow Jesus becausehe prefers a fuller stomachand
greaterhappiness than he believes he would have if he followedJesus, he
makes a bad choice. He is a fool for giving up what he cannotlose to get what
he cannot keep(cf. Isaiah 65:13-14;James 4:9).
The Expositor's Greek Testament
Luke 6:25. ἐμπεπλησμένοι, the sated, a class as distinct in characteras the
δεδιωγμένοι ofMatthew 5:10, on whom vide remarks there. Readers can
picture the satedclass for themselves.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary
before he promised blessings to those that hunger, that weep, that are outcasts
for Christ's sake;so here, and in the next verse, he denounces curses to such
as are filled, that laugh, and are praised; i.e. to such, as so far seek their
beatitude in presentenjoyment, as to become indifferent with regardto the
goodthings of the next world. (Haydock)
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged
Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now!
for ye shall mourn and weep.
Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger - your inward craving strong
as ever, but the materials of satisfactionforevergone.
Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep - who have all
your goodthings and joyous feelings here and now, in perishable objects. See
the notes at Luke 16:25.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(25) Woe unto you that are full!—The fulness is, as the context shows, that of
the satietyof over-indulgence. The word is closelyconnectedwith that fulness
(rather than “satisfying”)ofthe flesh of which St. Paul speaks in Colossians
2:23.
Woe unto you that laugh now!—We note here, as so often elsewhere,anecho
of our Lord’s teaching, in that of James the brother of the Lord. He, too,
presents the same contrast, “Letyour laughter be turned to mourning”
(James 4:9).
END STUDYLIGHT RESOURCES

Biblical Commentary
(Bible study)
Luke 6:17-26
EXEGESIS:
LUKE 6:17-49. THE SERMON ON THE PLAIN
Much of this material is also found in the Sermonon the Mount in Matthew 5-
7. Luke’s less familiar version is known as the Sermon on the Plain, because
Jesus “came downwith them, and stood on a level place” (6:17).
Luke’s version(3 introductory verses + 30 teaching verses)is much shorter
than the Matthew’s (4 introductory/concluding verses + 107 teaching verses),
but includes some distinctive material, such as the Woes (6:24-26).
There are parallels in Luke to most of Matthew 5 and 7 but none to Matthew
6. It is unlikely that either sermon was delivered in the exactform that we
have in Luke or Matthew. Both are surely collections ofJesus’teachings from
a variety of settings.
In Matthew, the Sermon on the Mount (5:1 – 7:29) follows almostimmediately
after Jesus’baptism and temptation, precededonly by his call of the disciples
(5:18-22)and a series of miracles that Matthew describes briefly (5:23-25).
Luke places the Sermon on the Plain (6:17-49)later in Jesus’ministry. The
sermon is precededby his rejectionin his hometown synagogue (4:16-30),
other miracles and teaching (4:31-44), the callof the disciples (5:1-11), the
cleansing of a leper (5:12-16), the forgiveness and healing of a paralytic (5:17-
26), the callof Levi, the tax collector(5:27-32), a question about fasting (5:33-
39), a question about the sabbath (6:1-5), the healing of the man with the
withered hand (6:6-11), and the selectionof the twelve apostles (6:12-16).

Luke places this sermon later in his Gospelbecause his concernis emphasis
rather than exact chronology. Mostof the above stories, beginning with Jesus’
visit to his hometownsynagogue, are conflictstories—storieswhere Jesus
offends religious authorities by favorable mention of Gentiles (4:20-30),
touching a leper (5:13), forgiving a man’s sins (5:20-26), calling a tax collector
and mixing with tax collectors (5:27-32), failing to require his disciples to fast
(5:33-39), allowing his disciples to pluck grain on the sabbath (6:1-5), and
healing on the sabbath (6:6-11).
In Luke’s version, these conflictstories provide the background for Jesus’
Sermon on the Plain. In these stories, scribes and Pharisees takeoffense at
Jesus for violating religious taboos. Theytry to defend a traditional
understanding of God’s people (Godly Jews vs. ungodly Gentiles)and
traditional morality (sabbath observance, etc.). Jesuscounters, in each
instance, by showing them a new way—but they refuse to see.
Jesus then gives his Sermon on the Plain (vv. 20-49), in which he further turns
their legalistic world on its head. In this sermon, Jesus gives them a glimpse
into the kingdom of God—anupside-down world by their standards.
Luke casts the scribes and Pharisees in a bad light in these stories, so we must
ask whether we can realisticallyexpectthem to understand the upside-down
kingdom that Jesus portrays. Aren’t they following Torahlaw as faithfully as
they can? Isn’t it too much to expect that they should understand Jesus?
Shouldn’t Luke portray them more sympathetically?
The scribes and Pharisees are trying to be faithful to the law, and for that we
should admire them. However, they ignore the prophets, whom their
forefathers killed (v. 23). In his Nazarethsynagogue sermon, Jesus quotedthe
prophet Isaiah(Isaiah 61:1-2), who expressedGod’s concernfor the
oppressed, the brokenhearted, captives, and prisoners (4:18-19)—versesthat
setthe tone for this Gospeland the book of Acts (also written by Luke).
Concernfor the weak and widowedabounds in the psalms and the prophets
(Psalms 10:17-18;68:5-6; 76:9; 132:15;146:7-10;Isaiah 35:5-6;49:13; 42:7;
Ezekiel34:15-16, 28;Micah 4:6-7).

Even in the Torah, God provided for the poor to eatgrapes and grain from a
neighbor’s field (Deuteronomy 23:24-25)—requiredfarmers to leave food for
gleaners (Deuteronomy24:19)—forbade charging interest(Exodus 22:25)—
required slave-owners to setslaves free in the Sabbath Year (Leviticus 25:1-7;
Deuteronomy 15:12-18)—andrequired land-owners to return ancestrallands
to their original owners in the Year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25:8-17). God
reminded Israel that they were slaves in Egypt, so they should treat slaves
with compassion(Leviticus 25:39-55).
The prophets tried to move Israel from law (Level One) to compassion(Level
Two). If Israelhad done a better job of incorporating the prophets into its
religious fabric, it would be better prepared for Jesus, who tries to move them
to Level Three. However, the concernof the scribes and Pharisees forthe
status quo leaves them mired in legalism.
LUKE 6:12-16. JESUS CHOOSESTHE TWELVE APOSTLES
While verses 12-16 are not included in today’s Gospellesson, they are
important as background. Jesus spentthe night on a mountain in prayer and
chose the twelve apostles from a larger group of disciples that was present
with him (v. 13).
The mountain is more significanttheologicallythan geographically.
Mountains were places to pray and to encounterGod. A mountain is the
perfect place for the call of those who will constitute the core leadershipof the
church.
The number twelve, of course, corresponds to the twelve tribes of Israel. Like
Israel, the church (the New Israel)is also organizedaround that number.
LUKE 6:17-19. HE CAME DOWN WITH A CROWD OF DISCIPLES
17He came down with them, and stoodon a level place, with a crowd of his
disciples, and a greatnumber of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and
the sea coastofTyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healedof
their diseases;18as wellas those who were troubled by unclean spirits, and
they were being healed. 19All the multitude soughtto touch him, for power
came out from him and healed them all.

Jesus “came downwith them, and stood on a level place” to deliver his sermon
(v. 17a). The words, “with them,” refer back to 6:12-16, where Jesus chose
twelve apostles. While they aren’t specificallymentioned in verses 17-26,the
apostles come downfrom the mountain with Jesus and are present with him
on the level place.
As noted above, the “level place” contrasts withthe Gospelof Matthew, where
Jesus delivers his sermonfrom the mountain (Matthew 5:1). Luke is sensitive
to the lowly and poor. Perhaps having Jesus come down to the level place is
his wayof emphasizing Jesus’ministry to ordinary people in ordinary places.
A clue to the locationof this sermonis Luke’s comment, “After he had
finished speaking in the hearing of the people, he entered into Capernaum”
(7:1).
“with a crowd of his disciples, and a greatnumber of people from all Judea,
Jerusalem, and the sea coastof Tyre and Sidon” (v. 17b.)
Three groups of people are present:
• The apostles (see comments on v. 17a).
• A great crowdof disciples
• A great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coastofTyre
and Sidon
Luke usually portrays disciples in small groups. Only here and in 19:37 does
he show us a large crowdof disciples.
The places mentioned in verse 17 are an interesting mix:
• Judea is the southern province. Jerusalem, locatedin Judea, is the home of
the temple and the most orthodox Jewishleaders. It represents the religious
status quo—Jesus’opposition.
• Tyre and Sidon are Gentile cities on the coastjust north of Capernaum.
Their mention suggests the presence ofGentiles among the crowdat the
Sermon on the Plain.

Together, these four places emphasize the breadth of Jesus’ministry—from
far north to far south—from orthodox Jews to Gentiles.
“who came to hear him and to be healedof their diseases;as well as those who
were troubled by unclean spirits, and they were being healed” (v. 17b-18).
They came to Jesus becausethey had heard that he could help them—and
help them he did! To Jesus “people were notmerely ‘cases'”(Hendrickson,
335). He responded to eachperson’s need individually.
“All the multitude sought to touch (Jesus), for powercame out from him and
healed them all” (v. 19). It would seemthat the crowdexpects too much of
Jesus, becausehe has come to teachbut they have come to be healed. But then
Jesus heals all of them (v. 19)—andteaches them as well.
There is a lessonhere for the church. Our primary mission, as outlined in the
GreatCommission, is to go, to make disciples, to baptize, and to teach
(Matthew 28:19-20). However, if we are to be faithful to the Lord’s example,
we must also address mundane needs as well—food, clothing, shelter, health,
safety, disasterrelief, and education. The needs, which the church has met
over the centuries and is meeting today, are nearly endless.
LUKE 6:20-26. BLESSINGS AND WOES
20He lifted up his eyes to his disciples, and said,
“Blessed(Greek:makarioi) are you who are poor,
for yours is the Kingdom of God.
21Blessedare you who hunger now,
for you will be filled.
Blessedare you who weepnow,
for you will laugh.
22Blessedare you when men shall hate you,
and when they shall exclude and mock you,

and throw out your name as evil,
for the Son of Man’s sake.
23Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy,
for behold, your reward is greatin heaven,
for their fathers did the same thing to the prophets.
24Butwoe to you who are rich!
For you have receivedyour consolation.
25Woe to you, you who are full now,
for you will be hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will mourn and weep.
26Woe, whenmen speak well of you,
for their fathers did the same thing to the false prophets.”
Luke’s versionof the beatitudes differs from Matthew 5:1-12:
• Matthew has nine beatitudes and no woes, while Luke has four beatitudes
and four matching woes.
• Matthew speaks in the third person (“they shall be filled”), whereas Luke
speaks in the secondperson (“you will be filled”).
• Matthew spiritualizes the beatitudes by saying, “Blessedare the poor in
spirit” (Matthew 5:3). Luke says simply, “Blessedare you who are poor” (v.
20). Matthew says, “Blessedare those who hunger and thirst after
righteousness”(Matthew 5:6). Luke says, “Blessedare you who hunger now”
(v. 21).
Some modern translations use the word “happy” instead of “blessed” to
translate makarioi. That is an “unhappy” choice, giventhe connotations

associatedwith the word happy in our culture. The blessing here is the
security of knowing that one is right with God.
Both the beatitudes and woes are descriptive rather than prescriptive. They
describe already establishedreality instead of calling us to new behavior
calculatedto garnerblessings and to avoid woes.
• Jesus does not tell us that we should sellall that we have and give it to the
poor so that we might attain the kingdom of God—although he will, in fact,
require that of a wealthy man interestedin gaining eternal life (18:22).
However, in these beatitudes, he tells the poor that theirs is (present tense)the
kingdom of God (v. 20). In the woes, he tells the rich that they have already
receivedtheir consolation(v. 24).
• Nor does he tell us to meter our intake of food to prevent hunger. Instead, he
promises that those who are hungry now will be filled and those who are full
now will be hungry.
There is no mention of reward and punishment here. Instead, Jesus describes
a reversalthat is simply a factof life. What you see is not what you get! He
describes a mirror-image world where everything is backwards—wherethe
rules are the opposite of what we expect. The kingdom of this world and the
kingdom of God are very different—diametrically opposed. We know how
things work in the kingdom of this world. Now Jesus tells us how they work in
the kingdom of God.
Imagine visiting a foreign country with customs and traditions very different
from yours. Imagine that your visit has an important purpose—a business
deal or treaty negotiation. You want to prepare yourself to make the best
impression possible—learning a bit of the language and localcustoms. You
want to avoid giving offense by violating cultural norms. To prepare, you
would read a travel guide or take a class in the customs and traditions of that
country. Jesus came to prepare us for life in the kingdom of God. He is telling
us what to expect. Listen carefully!
“Blessedare you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of heaven” (v. 20).
This corresponds to “Blessedare the poor in spirit” in Matthew 5:3.

Who are the poor? They would include those whose worldly circumstances
are constrained—butwho look to God for blessings. While they include the
financially impoverished, Jesus likelyintends them also to include other
disadvantagedpeople—powerlesspeople—marginalizedpeople.
Stein notes that David, in Psalms 40:17; 86:1; and 106:22, claimedto be “poor
and needy”—but he was rich and famous. We must conclude that his poverty
was spiritual rather than financial (Stein, 200).
Why would Godbless the poor? Isn’t wealth a mark of God’s approval?
Doesn’tGod reward faithful people with material prosperity as well as
spiritual blessings (Deut. 28:1-14)? Sometimes!However, our spiritual
sensitivity tends to be inversely proportional to our financial prosperity. Our
awarenessofour need for God tends to rise in lean years and fall in fat years.
Our compassionforthe needy tends to wax when we ourselves are needy and
wane when we are not.
Luke presents a strong emphasis throughout this Gospelon the great reversal
that the kingdom of God brings, beginning with Mary’s song (1:50-54)and
Zechariah’s song (1:74-77), and extending to the parable of the rich fool
(12:13-21)the parable of the dishonestmanager(16:1-13), the parable of the
rich man and Lazarus (16:19-31), the parable of the widow and the unjust
judge (18:1-8), the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector(18:9-14), the
blessing of little children (18:15-17), Jesus’encounterwith a rich young ruler
(18:18-30), the parable of the talents (19:11-27), and the widow’s offering
(21:1-4).
Zacchaeus presents a happy counterpoint—an exceptionto prove the rule—a
rich tax collectorwho sees the light, renounces ill-gotten wealth, and wins
salvation(19:1-10).
This emphasis on reversal encouragesdisciples, who might be suffering but
who know that they belong, not to the kingdom of this world, but to the
kingdom of God.
However, Luke does not idealize poverty, but insteadtells of disciples who
pool their resources—owning everything in common—selling possessions and

distributing the proceeds to take care of everyone’s needs (Acts 2:44-45;4:34-
35). The emphasis is on generosityrather than poverty—on not being
possessedby possessions.
We wonderwhy Jesus should bless the poor and pronounce woes on the rich.
We canoffer only tentative answers. Perhaps the rich are tempted to trust in
their wealth, while the poor are more likely to trust in God. Perhaps the rich
used improper methods to attain their wealth. Perhaps they are inclined to
take advantage of more vulnerable people. However, we know well-to-do
people who lead lives of faith and less-well-to-do people who do not. We know
well-to-do people who are generous and less-well-to-do people who are not.
There is an enigmatic quality to Luke’s Beatitudes, which may explain
Matthew’s spiritualizing them. It is much easierto accept“Blessedare the
poor in spirit” (Matt 5:3) than“Blessedare you who are poor” (Luke 6:20).
However, Luke’s versionpoints out the specialplace that Godhas in his heart
for the poor and vulnerable. There is no reasonwhy “Blessedare the poor in
spirit” and “Blessedare you who are poor” cannotboth be true.
Jesus blessing ofthe poor is goodnews for the first disciples, who had “left
everything and followedhim” (5:11).
“Blessedare you who are hungry now, for you will be filled” (v. 21a). This
corresponds to “Blessedare those who hunger and thirst after righteousness”
in Matthew 5:6.
Luke on severaloccasions uses the metaphor of a messianic banquet to
portray the blessings that awaitthe faithful. “Theywill come from the east,
west, north, and south, and will sit down in the Kingdom of God” (13:29; see
also 12:37;14:14-24)—a metaphordrawn from the Old Testament(Isaiah
25:6-8; 49:10-13;65:13;see also Psalm107:9). While the blessing of the poor
(v. 20)is present, the blessing of the hungry and those who weep(v. 21) is
future.
“Blessedare you who weepnow, for you will laugh” (v. 21b). This
corresponds to“Blessedare those who mourn” in Matthew 5:4.

“Weeping and mourning are stock responsesto rejection, ridicule, and loss”
(Green, 268), so the promise of joyful laughter suggests thatthese people will
enjoy acceptance, affirmation, and the restorationof that which was lost—
plus much more!
The lastbeatitude, “Blessedare you when men shall hate you, and when they
shall exclude and mock you, and throw out your name as evil, for the Son of
Man’s sake”(v. 22)corresponds to Matthew 5:10-11, “Blessedare those who
have been persecutedfor righteousness’sake.”.
This beatitude is different in that it promises a reward to those who endure
rejectionor persecutionbecause of their faithfulness to Christ. The
corresponding woe, “Woe, whenmen speak well of you” (v. 26), promises
punishment to those who are like the false prophets of old.
As noted above, Jesus has alreadyexperienced a series ofconflicts with
religious authorities (Luke 4-6)—just as Old Testamentprophets experienced
opposition and persecution. People are willing to receive gladly anyone who
tells them what they want to hear, but Godsent prophets with a messagethat
the people did not want to hear—a callto repent—to change direction—to
quit sinning. The person who faithfully delivers that kind of messagecan
expectopposition. Jesus reassures the disciples that, if they experience
opposition because oftheir faithfulness, they can expect greatrewards in
heaven (v. 23).
Luke’s church, in the midst of persecution, needs to hear this promise. We
need to hear it too. There are unsung heroes among us who have suffered
because the world did not appreciate their Christian values and principles.
Jesus says, “Rejoicein that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your rewardis
greatin heaven, for their fathers did the same thing to the prophets” (v. 23).
“But woe to you who are rich, for you have receivedyour consolation” (v. 24).
Jesus has pronounced four blessings (poor, hungry, weep, hated). Now he
pronounces four corresponding woes (rich, full, laughing, well-spoken). This
woe corresponds to the beatitude, “Blessedare you who are poor” (v. 20).

The rich include those who are financially prosperous, but that term also
“connotes belonging and power(and)…a sense ofarrogance thatdoes not
require the visitation of God (see 1:53; 12:16, 21;14:12; 16:1, 19, 21-22;18:23,
25; 19:2; 21:1)” (Johnson, 108).
“Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry” (v. 25a). This woe
corresponds to the beatitude, “Blessedare you who hunger now” (v. 21a). It
emphasizes the passing nature of privileged living. Those who have become
accustomedto having plenty of food find it especiallydifficult to tolerate half
rations.
“Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep” (v. 25b).
This woe corresponds to the beatitude, “Blessedare you who weepnow” (v.
21b).
“Woe, whenmen speak wellof you, for their fathers did the same thing to the
false prophets” (v. 26). This woe corresponds to the beatitude, “Blessedare
you when men shall hate you” (v. 22). Humans are prone to speak wellof
those who agree with them or those who might give favors in return for
flattery. God, however, judges by a different standard. He will reward those
who speak the truth rather than the false prophets who speak what people
want to hear.
SCRIPTURE QUOTATIONSare from the World English Bible (WEB), a
public domain (no copyright) modern Englishtranslation of the Holy Bible.
The World English Bible is basedon the American Standard Version (ASV)
of the Bible, the Biblia Hebraica Stutgartensa Old Testament, and the Greek
Majority Text New Testament. The ASV, which is also in the public domain
due to expired copyrights, was a very goodtranslation, but included many
archaic words (hast, shineth, etc.), which the WEB has updated.
https://www.sermonwriter.com/biblical-commentary/luke-617-26/
Contextual Overview

20Jesuslookedat his disciples and said: God will bless you people who are
poor. His kingdom belongs to you! 21Godwill bless you hungry people. You
will have plenty to eat! God will bless you people who are crying. You will
laugh! 22Godwill bless you when others hate you and won't have anything to
do with you. God will bless you when people insult you and saycruel things
about you, all because you are a followerof the Son of Man. 23Long ago your
own people did these same things to the prophets. So when this happens to
you, be happy and jump for joy! You will have a greatreward in heaven.
24Butyou rich people are in for trouble. You have already had an easylife!
25You well-fedpeople are in for trouble. You will go hungry! You people who
are laughing now are in for trouble. You are going to cry and weep!26You
are in for trouble when everyone says goodthings about you. That is what
your own people said about those prophets who told lies.
https://www.studylight.org/bible/cev/luke/6-25.html
Blessingsand Woes (Luke 6:20-26)
by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson
Other online lessons from Luke | Lessons in book format
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Text
Luke 6:20-26
[20] Looking at his disciples, he said:
"Blessedare you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
[21] Blessedare you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.
Blessedare you who weepnow, for you will laugh.
[22] Blessedare you when men hate you,
when they exclude you and insult you
and rejectyour name as evil, because ofthe Sonof Man.
[23] "Rejoicein that day and leapfor joy,
because greatis your reward in heaven.
For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.
[24] "But woe to you who are rich, for you have already receivedyour
comfort.
[25] Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.
[26] Woe to you when all men speak wellof you,
for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.
Exposition

Have you ever had a time when your mentor gathered you and severalothers
around, lookedyou in the eyes, and said, "There's something you need to
understand...."? This is one of those times for Jesus'disciples.
A large crowd is crammed togetherto listen to an increasinglyfamous teacher
-- people all the wayfrom Judea and Jerusalemin the south, as well as
hearers from the Gentile lands along the coasts ofTyre and Sidon to the
north, present-day Lebanon. Jesus is healing the sick with great power, and
many, many are being healed.
But at this moment he is speaking to his disciples. The word "disciples" in vs.
20 is broader than just the Twelve. These disciples are Jesus'followers, his
adherents, but they are distinguished from the multitudes who are present on
this occasion. Still, there is a "large crowd" (6:17) of disciples. Jesus is
speaking to followers.
"Blessedare you poor," he begins, "for yours is the kingdom of God."
He addresses them as "the poor," and begins to explain how the kingdom of
God turns the values of the world upside down.
Sermon on the Mount vs. Sermon on the Plain
But before we examine minutely what he is saying, we need to step back to the
largercontext. If you have read other parts of the New Testament, this looks a
lot like the Beatitudes at the beginning of the Sermonon the Mount (Matthew
5:3-12; see http://joyfulheart.com/manifesto/lesson1-e.htm). The difference is
that in Matthew you don't have the "blessings"contrastedwith the "woes"
that Luke records. Why is that?
Perhaps to give Bible scholars a field day. I. Howard Marshall, whose
opinions I usually respecthighly, notes in his Commentary on Luke, "It is
generallyacceptedthat one basic piece of tradition underlies the two Sermons
and that both Evangelists (and possibly their predecessorsin the transmission
of the material) have expanded it and modeled it in accordwith their own
purposes. A greaterdegree of freedom has been shown by Matthew."[1]

All this shows me is that Bible scholars like Marshallprobably aren't really
preachers. :-) You'd be amazed and amused at all the energy that has been
spent trying to trace how Matthew took it one way, and Luke spun it another.
This is meat for doctoralcandidates because itsupplies endless topics for
doctoraldissertations. :-)
The truth is that Jesus was anitinerant preacher. He often spoke for several
hours per day, severaldays a week, to crowds in one village and then on to the
next, all over Galilee and the Jordan, as wellas Judea. He was teaching his
hearers the basic truths of the goodnews of the Kingdom. Do you think he
ever once repeatedhimself? Do you think he gotup early eachmorning to
write a brand new sermon for the day's teaching? Ofcourse not! He spoke
without notes, repeating the same truths over and over again. Certainly, with
different parables and illustrations, and endless variations of them. But the
same basic teaching.
If you've ever been on a speaking circuit you probably have prepared several
basic speeches.You getso you don't need your notes after a while. Every
speechcomes out pretty much as the one before it. But they vary according to
events in the news, the mindset of the particular audience, or an event that
occurs in the middle of the speechthat you respond to and use to illustrate a
point. Sermons are much the same, and often different. Over three years, the
disciples had heard the same sermons, with variations, many, many times.
So the differences we see betweenaccounts in the four Gospels shouldn't
surprise us. There was variation in the form of the basic teaching. We should
expectthat. So we shouldn't be all workedup that in Luke we find both
"blessings"and "woes," but in Matthew only "blessings."Insteadof
concentrating on the differences betweenthe two, we do better studying Jesus'
particular points recordedaccuratelyin Luke's Gospeland learn from their
particular flavor on this occasion. I, for one, see no reasonthat we have to
conflate the Sermonon the Mount with the Sermonon the Plain. Let them be
separate!Jesus could easilyhave uttered them both.
Hebrew Parallelism

Instead of studying eachof the blessings first and then eachof the woes, we'll
be looking first at a blessing and then its corresponding woe. They come in
pairs.
The Hebrews often expressedthemselves by parallelism. For example, we see:
"Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me.
Bless his holy name." (Psalm103:1)
Lines 1 and 2 are parallel. In the first line he uses the word "soul" (Hebrew
nephesh), in the seconda word meaning "midst, inner, internal" (Hebrew
qereb).[2] Is the psalmist trying to distinguish betweenthe words? No, he is
saying the same thing another way. We find this often in the New Testament,
too, even though these Hebraisms have been translatedinto Greek. For
example:
"Every kingdom divided againstitself will be ruined,
and every city or household divided againstitself will not stand." (Matthew
12:25)
This is Hebrew parallelism, and you see it thousands of times in the Old
Testamentprophets, Psalms, and Proverbs especially. To rightly interpret the
Scriptures we need to recognize it as a common form of expression.
Another variety of Hebrew parallelism is called"antithetic parallelism," that
is, a positive paired with a negative. This is frequent in Proverbs:
"Listen to your father, who gave you life,
and do not despise your mother when she is old." (Proverbs 23:22)
Then you find examples of antithetic parallelism in whole passages,the first
positive and the secondnegative. The best-knownexample is Psalm1:
"Blessedis the man
who does not walk in the counselof the wicked

or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seatof mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leafdoes not wither.
Whateverhe does prospers.
"Notso the wicked!
They are like chaff
that the wind blows away.
Therefore the wickedwill not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
"Forthe Lord watches overthe way of the righteous,
but the way of the wickedwill perish."
The "BlessingsandWoes" passagewe are studying in Luke 6:20-26 follows
this sort of antithetical parallelism. First the positive, and then -- even more
symmetrically than Psalm1 -- a negative for eachpositive.
The kind of structure we see in the "Blessingsand the Woes" are a clue that
this is a Hebrew poetic style. You canoften see a similar kind of clear
structure in many Old Testamentpassages.SeveralPsalms are formed as an
acrostic:the first letter of eachsectionstarting with the next letter in order of
the Hebrew alphabet. The creationpassagein Genesis 1-2, also, is in a very
structured format. It, too, is poetry, not prose, and is meant to speak to the
heart as well as the mind.

Blessings andWoes
The word "blessed" is Greek makarios.In Greek usage it expressedthe
happy, untroubled state of the gods, and then more generally the happiness of
the rich who are free from care. In the Greek Septuaginttranslation of the
Old Testamentit is used for Hebrew 'asere, and is found in the form of "O the
happiness of..." The reference is to the religious joy of the personwho has a
share in salvation: "Fortunate is X because ..."[3]
The word translated "woe"is Greek ouai, "an interjection denoting pain or
displeasure, 'woe, alas!'"[4]. It is an expressionof pity for those who stand
under divine judgment.[5]
Biblical and extra-biblical Jewishwriting has many examples of a
combination of woes with blessings (suchas Isaiah 3:10-11;Ecclesiastes10:16-
17; Tobias 12:12, 14;1 Enoch5:7; 99; 2 Enoch52; Ber61b; Yoma 87a;Sukka
56b). What really sets Jesus'blessings andwoes apart is that they are 180
degrees contraryto reason. You'd expectsomeone to say, "The rich are
fortunate ... but alas for the poor." Instead, Jesus says just the opposite. He
must have made a lot of ears prick up and people reevaluate their ownvalue
system.
Poorvs. Rich (6:20, 24)
"Blessedare you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God." (6:20)
"But woe to you who are rich, for you have already receivedyour comfort."
(6:24)
The first shockeris Jesus'wordof the blessednessofthe poor, and a hopeless
future for the rich. I'm not sure the poor would agree, and the rich would
probably laugh.
But Jesus is talking about a different kind of wealththan monetary wealth.
Jesus told a parable about the farmer who was so wealthy that he planned to
tear down all his barns and build new ones so he had enough room to store all
his grain. He measuredhis wealthin possessions, but Jesus'commentary on
his life was that he was "not rich towardGod" (Luke 12:16-21). We in

America are part of a culture that tends to worship money, and we Christians,
too, can value life in monetary terms. If we make a low wage we feelbad
about ourselves;if we make a lot of money we are proud. But money is a very
poor indicator of spiritual riches.
What would we do in this life if we REALLY believed that money had no
lasting value and that serving God with all our heart accrues spiritual riches?
So often we value money higher than Jesus!In these Blessings andWoes,
Jesus is challenging our money-basedvalue systemand calling it worthless.
True riches are spiritual.
Why does Jesus bless the poor? Aren't there any rich believers? Of course,
but Jesus is using a sharp contrastto make a vital point to his disciples. Those
who are wealthy feel insulated by their wealth. Their needs don't seemto be as
acute as those of the poor, and they are less often desperate enoughto change.
The rich tend to be self-satisfied. The poor, on the other hand, are forced to
trust in God, since they have no wealth to trust in to tide them over. It really is
a case that you can't have two masters -- God AND Money (Matthew 6:24).
Eachmaster has a diametrically opposedvalue system.
Jesus'commissionwas "to preachgood news to the poor" (4:18), and the poor
heard Jesus'words gladly. It was the rich religious establishmentthat felt
threatened and resistedhis teachings.
Why are the poor so blessed? Becausethrough their faith and trust in God
they are the heirs of God's kingdom. They are fabulously wealthy "King's
kids." The true wealthis theirs.
Why are the rich to be pitied? Because theyhave nothing to look forward to.
They have already receivedtheir comfort. The Greek word translated
"comfort" (NIV) or "consolation"(KJV) is Greek paraklesis,
"encouragement... comfort, consolation,"[6]from parakaleo, "to callto one's
side ... summon to one's aid, call upon for help."[7]The rich have already
receivedwhatevercomfort they can expect. Their comfort comes from their
wealth. When they die there will be no comfort. When they face eternity there
will be no comfort. When they face everlasting punishment there will be no

comfort. God will not welcome them into his home. Their future is bleak at
best. Alas for them.
But what a blessing the poor have, for the whole Kingdom of which Godis
Masteropens up to them. They are God beneficiaries!
Hungry vs. Well-Fed(6:21a, 25a)
"Blessedare you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied." (6:21a)
"Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry." (6:25a)
The secondshockeris much less abstractthan wealth. It refers to being
hungry. Have you ever had to go without food? Have you ever had to cut
down on what you bought at the grocerystore because you just couldn't
afford more? Have you ever had a crop that failed because ofdrought or
blight, and you and your family had to eatthe bare minimum to survive to
make it through to the next harvest? That's what Jesus is talking about --
hunger.
He contrasts it with being well-fed. Cultures that are prosperous have many
overweightpeople. But in a culture where poverty is rampant, only the rich
are plump. It's easyto tell who is well-fed.
Jesus is appealing to the gut instinct to survive, the hunger for food that his
listeners can easilyidentify with. As an agrarian society, allof them had faced
very lean years where there wasn'tenough food to go around. They knew
what hunger is. And they have all felt envy for those who eat wellduring
famine and drought. What Jesus is saying? He is saying that the tables will
turn. There is a food that is even more important than bread. It is a spiritual
food that satisfies the soul. In John's Gospel, Jesus says, "he who feeds on this
bread will live forever" (John 6:58b).
There IS something even more valuable than physical food. "Know that.
Believe that, O poor of the world," Jesus says. It promises to leave you
"satisfied" (NIV). The Greek wordis chortazo, "passive 'eatone's fill, be
satisfied.'"[8] Hungry now? Perhaps. But in the future, you'll be satisfied.
Weeping vs. Laughing (6:21b, 25b)

The third blessing/woe pairis weeping and laughing.
"Blessedare you who weep now, for you will laugh." (6:21b)
"Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep." (6:25b)
Who has not wept? Who has not felt the pain of disappointment and loss, of
rejection, of struggle? We all have. But the caricature of the well-to-do is of
those who are always partying and enjoying themselves. They are not weighed
down by the struggle to survive. They laugh and joke while tragedy takes
place all around them. They are carefree, happy-to-lucky. They laugh now.
Jesus contrasts these carefreepeople with those who weepnow.
But I think Jesus is talking about a different kind of weeping than just from
pain and struggle. We see a theme in the Old Testamentand New of those
righteous people who grieve for the unrighteousness they see allaround them.
God directs the Prophet Ezekiel:"Go throughout the city of Jerusalemand
put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the
detestable things that are done in it." (Ezekiel9:4; also 2 Peter 2:8; Psalm
119:36). Those who share God's broken heart for his world now will in the
future laugh and rejoice atthe greatMarriage Supper of the Lamb
(Revelation19:6-9) when we sit down at the table with Abraham and Isaac
and Jacob-- and Jesus -- in the Kingdom of God and enjoy their fellowship
and feastheartily -- forever (Matthew 8:11).
Pie in the Sky When You Die By and By
Christians are often accusedof being otherworldly. Detractors saythat they
endure pain now only by pinning their hopes on "pie in the sky when you die
by and by." I think this caricature has merit. That may be a crude way of
saying it, but that phrase accuratelydescribes our hope.
The world's generalview is, "I want it now." In America we live in an instant
culture, a credit culture that mails out millions of unsolicited credit cards with
the message, "Buynow, pay later." Americans have amassedhuge credit card
debt. In the midst of a booming economyand record employment, the number
of bankruptcy filings in the US increased43% from 1993 to 1997, witha 1999
rate of 13.9 per 1000 households.[9]

The Christian faith teaches a worldview opposite to "more now." It is not
materialistic but spiritual in its focus:
"Forour light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternalglory
that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on
what is unseen. Forwhat is seenis temporary, but what is unseenis eternal."
(2 Cor. 4:17-18)
"We live by faith, not by sight." (2 Corinthians 5:7).
"If the dead are not raised, 'Let us eatand drink, for tomorrow we die.' " (1
Corinthians 15:32)
"Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in
their shame. Their mind is on earthly things." (Philippians 3:19)
"... to teachyou that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that
comes from the mouth of the Lord." (Deuteronomy8:3)
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,and all these things will be
given to you as well." (Matthew 6:33)
We are well past the ascendancyof Marxism, but Marx's insistence on
atheistic materialism and religion as the opiate of the masses wouldbe
endorsedby many capitalists, and seems firmly entrenched in the hearts of
many -- rich, middle class, AND poor. What Jesus is teaching in the Blessings
and Woes is a radical corrective to materialism as a lifestyle and a worldview.
Hated vs. Praised(6:22-23, 26)
The fourth Blessing and Woe couplet in the Sermon on the Plain differs from
the first three. The first three contrastpresent struggle with future reward.
The fourth pair is not a now/latercontrast, but a hate/love contrast. Moneyis
deeply entrenchedin the average non-Christian's motivational system;so is
popularity.
"Blessedare you when men hate you,
when they exclude you and insult you

and rejectyour name as evil, because ofthe Sonof Man.
'Rejoice in that day and leapfor joy,
because greatis your reward in heaven.
For that is how their fathers treated the prophets." (6:22-23)
"Woe to you when all men speak wellof you,
for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets." (6:26)
The desire to be liked is so strong. Our children long to be liked, our teenagers
ache to be loved, and we adults still struggle with rejection. Jesus makes it
extremely clear in this passage thatif we are seeking popularity and
acceptancethen we may be severelydeceived.
Jesus goesback to the prophets in Israel's national life. Their lives were
mountain peaks in the history of the nation, but their tasks were thankless.
They were faithful to the Lord, and often suffered persecutionand death.
Elijah's zeal for the Lord won a huge victory overBaalworship on Mount
Carmel, but Elijah became a hunted man who had to flee Israelto survive,
and was later accusedof being the "troubler of Israel."
Isaiahwas called to calljudgment down upon his own nation
Jeremiah's burden was to tell his people to surrender to the Babylonians --
and was branded a traitor.
Ezekielspoke fearsome judgment upon his own beloved land and was accused
of being a false prophet.
Daniel was thrown in a lion's den.
John the Baptistwas beheaded.
Jesus was crucified.
Many prophets were killed when they faithfully did and said what God told
them to. Being a prophet was never easy, but Godhonored those who spoke
his words at greatpersonalrisk. There is a prophet's reward. "Anyone who

receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward"
(Matthew 10:41). Prophets have a place of high honor in the Kingdom of God.
Jesus warns his enemies, "There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth,
when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacoband all the prophets in the kingdom
of God, but you yourselves thrown out" (Luke 13:28).
The Trap of Popularity
Jesus is speaking very seriouslyto his band of disciples, the Twelve and the
others who follow him. "Men and women," he is saying, "don't seek
popularity and acceptance.Those are false paths. Historically, false prophets
were widely acceptedand praisedwhen Israelwas at its most decadent. Just
because people praise you doesn'tmean anything so far as the Kingdom of
God is concerned. In fact, when they insult and despise you because youfollow
me, count it as a greatvictory, because you are now in the same league as the
holy prophets of old."
I know some Christians who are flat out unlikable people -- and so do you. It's
not because theyare especiallyspiritual. It's because they are grumpy, full of
themselves, inconsiderate, andself-absorbed. Some Christians see the factthat
they are unpopular as a vindication of their "I'm-right-and-the-world-can-go-
to-hell" attitude. That's not what Jesus is saying.
Nor is Jesus saying his followers will never be popular. For much of his
ministry Jesus was immensely popular with the common people.
What he is saying is that popularity is a dangerous value system on which to
judge ourselves or others. People are notoriously fickle. What may be in favor
one day can be consideredpoor taste just a few years later. We see massive
shifts in public opinion even in shorter time frames. Just because in a
democracy"majority rules" does not mean that "majority is right."
Jesus is saying not to seek popularity, but to seek faithfulness. We are not to
seek persecution. Butif persecutioncomes "becauseofthe Son of Man," then
that should be counted a badge of honor rather than something we abhor and
shrink from. Our value system is basedon love for and faithfulness to God,
not the opinions of the community, either goodor bad.

PersonalApplication
As I write these words I am facedwith various decisions that are directly
related to money and popularity. I would guess that if you aren't facedwith
decisions that have to do with money and popularity today, you will be in the
next few months or have just had such a struggle.
The multitudes thronged around Jesus onthe Plain that day, but his words
are directed to his real followers. Jesus is talking about what motivates and
tempts you, and what motivates and tempts me. Blessings willabound if we
steercarefully around the temptations and stay on the path of following Jesus
faithfully. But woes and regrets are what we'll receive if we take the shortcuts
that the devil points out for us along the way.
Alas, Babylon!
I remember the 1960s whennucleardestruction was a very real fear in this
country. I reada book as a teenagerentitled "Alas, Babylon" by PatFrank. It
was about the horror of nuclear holocaustconsuming a city that was seen
from afar only as a growing mushroom cloud. It was a chilling image. It still
is. The novel's title comes from the Book ofRevelation, where Babylon is the
personificationof the world system that has prostituted itself to the devil's
allurements of riches and acclaim. Babylon is called the greatwhore.
"And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived
deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see
the smoke ofher burning, Standing afar off for the fear of her torment,
saying, Alas, alas, that greatcity Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is
thy judgment come. And the merchants of the earth shall weepand mourn
over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more....
"And they castdust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying,
Alas, alas, that greatcity, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea
by reasonof her costliness!for in one hour is she made desolate. Rejoice over
her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles andprophets; for God hath avenged
you on her." (Revelation18:9-11, 19-20,KJV)

Jesus calls his disciples to adopt now, by faith, a value system far different
from this world's. But he promises that one day this world's system will be
destroyedalong with all who have pinned their hopes on its values. Then only
God's eternal values will remain along with those who trust in them. Jesus
says, "Blessedare you ..." and "Woe to you...." There will be a final epitaph
upon the false world system. And it will be:
Alas, Babylon.
Prayer
Father, render my heart pure for you. Try me. Refine me. Remove from me
the dross of lessermetals and impurity of motive, and make me like goldto
shine for your glory. In Jesus'name, I pray. Amen.
Luke 6:25 - Amplified Bible
Woe to (alas for) you who are full now (completely filled, luxuriously gorged
and satiated), for you shall hunger {and} suffer want! Woe to (alas for) you
who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep {and} wail!
[Jesus said,]"What sorrow awaits you who are fat and prosperous now, for a
time of awful hunger awaits you. What sorrow awaits you who laugh now, for
your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow."
— Luke 6:25 NLT
Key Thought
Jesus enjoyedfellowship with sinners. He enteredinto a relationship with
them to love, redeem, and then welcome them into God's family. Jesus knew

how to enjoy a party! Remember the banquet that Matthew threw to
introduce his sinful friends to Jesus (Matthew 9:9-13)? Jesus talkedabout
God's joyous party for returning sinners (as in the parables in Luke 15).
However, Jesus would have no part in carelessjoy. Careless joyis that self-
satisfied, look-what-I've-done, arrogantjoy that could care less if anyone else
is unhappy or mistreated. This shallow joy cannot survive the hardships of life
and the permanence of death. It is a vain attempt to escape from the
hollowness oflife without the Savior. Sorrow, awful hunger, and mourning
awaitthose who live such a life.
Today's Prayer
God of mercy and justice, I am concernedabout the many people who fill
their days with carelessjoytrying to drive out the emptiness in their hearts.
Use me to help them find the wellspring of eternaljoy supplied by your grace
and the presence of your Holy Spirit. In Jesus'name, I pray. Amen.
Concernfor the Wealthy (Luke 6:25; 12:13-21;18:18-30)
Bible Commentary / Producedby TOW Project
Jesus’first problem with wealth is that it tends to displace God in the lives of
wealthy people. “Forwhere your treasure is, there your heart will be also”
(Luke 12:34). Jesus wants people to recognize that their lives are defined not
by what they have, but by God’s love for them and his call upon their lives.
Luke expects us — and the work we do — to be fundamentally transformed
by our encounters with Jesus.
Put Family Ahead of Business (Click to Watch)
PeterSchneck solda thriving ad agencywhenhe realized it was keeping him
from being in a close relationshipwith his son.

But having wealth seems to make us stubbornly resistantto any
transformation of life. It affords us the means to maintain the status quo, to
become independent, to do things our ownway. True, or eternal, life is a life
of relationship with God (and other people), and wealththat displaces God
leads ultimately to eternal death. As Jesus said, “Whatdoes it profit them if
they gain the whole world, but lose or forfeit themselves?” (Luke 9:25). The
wealthy may be lured away from life with God by their own wealth, a fate that
the poor escape. “Blessedare you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of
God,” says Jesus (Luke 6:20). This is not a promise of future reward, but a
statementof presentreality. The poor have no wealthto stand in the way of
loving God. But “woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry” (Luke
6:25). “Be hungry” seems a bit of an understatement for “miss eternal life by
putting God outside your orbit of interest,” but that is clearly the implication.
Yet perhaps there is hope even for the wretchedly rich.
The Parable of the Rich Fool(Luke 12:13-21)
The parable of the rich fool (Luke 12:13-21)takes up this theme dramatically.
“The land of a rich man produced abundantly,” too much to fit in the man’s
barns. “What shall I do?” he worries, and he decides to teardown his barns
and build biggerones. He is among those who believe that more wealth will
lead to less worry about money. But before he discovers how empty his
worrisome wealthis, he meets an even starkerfate: death. As he prepares to
die, God’s mocking question is a double-edged sword, “The things you have
prepared, whose will they be?” (Luke 12:20). One edge is the answer, “not
yours,” for the wealth he counted upon to satisfyhim for many years will pass
instantly to someone else. The other edge cuts even deeper, and it is the
answer, “yours.” You—the rich fool—will indeed get what you have prepared
for yourself, a life after death without God, true death indeed. His wealthhas
prevented him from the need to develop a relationship with God, exhibited by
his failure to even think of using his bumper crop to provide for those in need.
“So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich
toward God” (Luke 12:21).

Friendship with God is seenhere in economic terms. God’s friends who are
rich provide for God’s friends who are poor. The rich fool’s problem is that
he hoards things for himself, not producing jobs or prosperity for others. This
means both that he loves wealthinstead of God, and that he is not generous
toward the poor. We canimagine a rich person who truly loves God and holds
wealth lightly, one who gives liberally to the needy, or better yet, invests
money in producing genuine goods and services,employs a growing
workforce, andtreats people with justice and fairness in their work. In fact,
we can find many such people in the Bible (for example, Josephof Arimathea,
Luke 23:50) and in the world around us. Such people are blessedboth in life
and afterwards. Yet we do not want to remove the sting of the parable: if it is
possible to grow (economicallyand otherwise)with grace, it is also possible to
grow only with greed;the final accounting is with God.
The Rich Ruler (Luke 18:18-30)
Jesus’encounterwith the rich ruler (Luke 18:18-30)points to the possibility
of redemption from the grip of wealth. This man has not let his riches entirely
displace his desire for God. He begins by asking Jesus, “Goodteacher, what
must I do to inherit eternal life?” In answer, Jesus summarizes the Ten
Commandments. “I have kept all these since my youth,” replies the ruler
(Luke 18:21), and Jesus accepts him at his word. Yet even so, Jesus sees the
corrupting influence that wealthis working on the man. So he offers him a
way to end wealth’s pernicious influence. “Sell all that you ownand distribute
the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come,
follow me” (Luke 18:22). Anyone whose deepestdesire is for God surely
would leap at the invitation to daily, personalintimacy with God’s Son. But it
is too late for the rich ruler — his love of wealth already exceeds his love for
God. “He became sad, for he was very rich” (Luke 18:23). Jesus recognizes
the symptoms and says, “How hard it is for those who have wealthto enter the
kingdom of God! Indeed it is easierfor a camel to go through the eye of a
needle than for someone who is a rich man to enter the kingdom of God”
(Luke 18:24-25).
By contrast, the poor often show amazing generosity. The poor widow is able
to give awayeverything she has for the love of God (Luke 21:1-4). This is no

summary judgment by God againstwealthy people, but an observationof the
heavy grip of wealth’s seductive power. The people standing nearJesus and
the ruler also recognize the problem and despair over whether anyone can
resistthe lure of wealth, though they themselves have given awayeverything
to follow Jesus (Luke 18:28). Jesus, however, does not despair, for “whatis
impossible for mortals is possible for God” (Luke 18:27). Godhimself is the
source of strength for the desire to love God more than wealth.
Perhaps wealth’s most insidious effect is that it canprevent us from desiring a
better future. If you are wealthy, things are goodas they are now. Change
becomes a threat rather than an opportunity. In the case ofthe rich ruler, this
blinds him to the possibility that life with Jesus could be incomparably
wonderful. Jesus offers the rich ruler a new sense of identity and security. If
he could only imagine how that would more than make up for the loss of his
wealth, perhaps he could have acceptedJesus’invitation. The punch line
comes when the disciples speak of all they’ve given up and Jesus promises
them the overflowing riches of belonging to the kingdom of God. Even in this
age, Jesus says,they will receive “very much more” in both resourcesand
relationships, and in the coming age, eternallife (Luke 18:29-30). This is what
the rich ruler is tragicallymissing out on. He can see only what he will lose,
not what he will gain.
The story of the rich ruler is further discussedunder "Mark 10:17-31" in
Mark and Work at www.theologyofwork.org.
“A Worry-free Tomorrow” Matthew 6:25-34
February 11, 2019
Lilly

Peace
(1-seaside)This photo was takenfrom the top of a hillside overlooking the Sea
of Galilee;the site is believed to have been the locationwhere Jesus offeredhis
famous Sermon on the Mount, from which today’s New TestamentLessonis
taken. With a church and monastery nearby, these grounds regularly receive
attention; in places they were even manicured. Jesus had called Simon Peter,
Andrew, James, and John as his disciples; Jesus was healing people from all
over the region of varied diseasesandailments. Jesus’fame had spread
throughout Syria, which isn’t far from this area. BetweenSyria and the Sea
of Galilee is the GolanHeights, an extremely fertile area;all the photos of
flowers shownlater today are in fields found in the GolanHeights with Syria
in the background.
(2-seaside2) As the crowds from Syria, the Gentile area of the Decapolis, and
as far south as Judea came crowding in on Jesus, he scaledthe hillside and
beganto teach. Chapters five, six, and sevenof Matthew’s Gospelcontainthe
Sermon on the Mount; people were astounded at Jesus’insight, at his wisdom,
for he taught with such authority. He beganwith the Beatitudes;he
continued to expound on people’s popular interpretations of the Law and
offered understandings about motivations which they had not considered.
Jesus taught them the Model Prayer and methods on how to live a more
fulfilling life in following God. And then he spoke ofa worry-free tomorrow.
(3-fertile field) A worry-free tomorrow. Nice thought, huh? Of all the living
things that God created, we human beings are the only ones that worry. And
we worry about everything – politics, the stock market, taxes, jobs, marriages.
Parents worry about children; children worry about parents. You name it,
somebody is worrying about it, and if there is a concernabout which
somebody is not worried, then someone finds that to be a reasonfor worry.
For some, Facebookhas become a socialmedia portal to share their worries,
and then others attach themselves to this worry mass. The best-selling non-
fiction books usually revealthe subjects we worry about – health, change,
relationships, and money.

Jesus saidwe ought not to worry. As usual, what he said makes sense. We do
worry too much, especiallythose of us in this affluent societywho should have
less to worry about than so many others in the world. In Haiti, I have not
witnessedthis prevalence of worry, and Haitians have very little when it
comes to material possessions.
(4-lavender1) The British-born movie actorDavid Niven was a worrier and a
habitual nail-biter. Once he receiveda postcard written by his friend, Noel
Coward, who was traveling in Italy. The card showeda picture of the Venus
de Milo and said, “You see whatwill happen if you keepon biting your
nails?”
Worry causeshearttrouble, high blood pressure, some forms of asthma,
rheumatism, ulcers, cold, thyroid malfunction, arthritis, migraine headaches,
blindness, and a host of stomachdisorders. A significant number of people
become hospitalized because of the physical problems that getcompounded
due to worry and anxiety. Worry is a huge problem.
(5-lavender2) Obviously, it is a problem that is not unique to us in 21st
Century America. The crowd that listenedto Jesus onthat hillside could
identify with it. Otherwise, he never would have brought it up. But, as was
typical of his teaching, Jesus put the problem into perspective by pointing out
some things that all could understand. He pointed towardthe sky and said,
“Look at the birds of the air (those little insignificant sparrows);they neither
sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
Are you not of more value than they? Look at the flowers of the field, for they
neither toil nor spin, yet not even King Solomonin all his glory was dressed
like one of these.”
That made sense. The point, of course, is not that the birds and wildflowers
are takencare of without work;the messageis that the birds and wildflowers
do not worry about their existence. And if birds and wildflowers, who are so
much lower than we in God’s scheme of creation, and they do not have to
worry, thenwhy should we? Don’t we believe that Godvalues humans more
than birds and flowers?

(6-lavender-Jen) Considerthis conversation. One personsays “Forthe past
eight months I’ve been suffering from insomnia. Do you think my problem is
serious?”
The respondersaid, “Well, I wouldn’t lose any sleepover it!” While even I
find that exchange a bit corny, it canbe applied in other areas oflife. When
worried about our health, we would not want to lose health over it. When
worried about our family we wouldn’t want to lose our family over it. When
worried about our spiritual condition, we wouldn’t want to lose our
relationship to Jesus over it.
(7-lavender closeup) There is a point in life when worrying about our
problem makes it worse. Practicalactionmust begin. We quit worrying
about our health and begin to do what we already know about maintaining
goodhealth. We quit worrying about the state of our family and begin to
enrich and enjoy the one we have. We quit worrying about our spiritual
condition and do the things that sustain our relationship with Jesus.
Yet while these facts are cognitivelyrecognizable, while we know in our heads
these statements to be true, practicing them is always a different story. Jesus
askedhow many people could add one hour to their life by worrying. We
know the opposite to be true, that worrying actually can shorten our lives. If
we know that worrying is not goodfor our health, if we acknowledgethat
worrying can shorten our life, if we actually take in Jesus’words “do not
worry,” then what makes us still worry?
(8-lavender3) Our New TestamentLessonhas instructed us not to worry
about tomorrow. Does thatmean that it is ok to worry about yesterday?
Worry is a futuristic past-time. We don’t worry about yesterday; we worry
about tomorrow. Whatbrings us concernis not the pastbut what is yet to
come. Perhaps the unknown provokes the greatestworries ofthem all. The
questions that begin with “What if” occupy our thoughts to the point that
some people become debilitated, even paralyzed with fear.
(9) What if the tests come back with bad news? Whatif our children make a
wrong decision? Whatwill happen in the next election? Whatif another
driver is not watching where he is going? What if we don’t have enoughsaved

for retirement? Whatif there is not an increase in our church’s offerings in
2019? These are allfuture-oriented concerns.
We don’t worry about the past, because it has already happened. We may
worry about the consequencesofsomething that has already happened, but
that worry still focuses onthe future.
(10) Jesus told those who listened and people like us who for centuries have
read the Sermonon the Mount that faith and worry cannot coexist. And that
is the heart of the problem, isn’t it, our lack of faith? Maybe we really don’t
believe how much God loves us. When preschoolers have their physical needs
met by their parents, they don’t worry. They know because oftheir parents’
provision that they needn’t worry about food or clothing, just like we don’t
worry about having oxygen to breathe. We don’t have to work to create
oxygen; most of us never even considerthe option unless we have breathing
issues. There’s alwaysenough oxygen for us to breathe, and our God is
always going to love us enough to take care of us.
(11) “But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, andall
these things will be given to you as well.” Righteousness is a key word in this
formula for defeating worry. Choosing righteousness, selecting trustinstead
of worry, is the key.
I have been told that a dense fog that covers a seven-city-block area one
hundred feet deep is composedof less than one glass ofwater divided into
sixty billion drops. Notmuch is there, but it can cripple an entire city. Worry
and anxiety are like that. Just a glass full cancripple a life, if that person
allows it. But we don’t have to let worry win.
(13-yellow)Some of you know the name Tug McGraw. While some know
more his country starson Tim McGraw, others remember when Tug
McGraw was a relief pitcher for the New York Mets. Tug is remembered for
coining the motto, “Ya Gotta Believe,” during the Mets’ run for the 1973
World Series. He is also renownedas the star reliever who pitched the final
strike for the 1980 Philadelphia Phillies, when they won their first World
Series.

(14-white) One reasonTug McGraw was successfulwas his “frozensnowball”
theory of pitching. Tug explained it like this, “If I come in to pitch with the
bases loaded, and heavy hitter Willie Stargell(Hall of Famerwho played for
the Pittsburgh Pirates)is at bat, there’s no reasonI want to throw the ball.
But eventually, I have to pitch. So I remind myself that in a few billion years
the earth will become a frozen snowballhurtling through space, and nobody’s
going to care what Willie Stargelldid with the bases loaded!”
(15-bush1) Do you hear what he’s saying? Some people in the same situation
would freeze up. They would put pressure on themselves. They would add
the burden of worry to the task at hand–pitching to an all-star hitter. The
outward circumstance is the same, but inwardly there is a very real difference
in how some people face their situation.
Worry is not based so much on an outer circumstance as much as on an inner
condition. We may not be able to solve the outward circumstance, but we can
address the way we respond to it.
And the response to worry that Jesus gave was, “Seekye first the Kingdom of
God and live today, because today’s trouble is enough for today.”
(16-bush2) That last verse sounds somewhatnegative. “Eachday has enough
trouble of its own.” But it is sound advice. You and I aren’t God. We don’t
know the future. We may be worrying about something that will never
happen. We may be worrying about something that will resolve itself. We
need to focus on today.
Maybe life’s not quite that simple. Still, one of the secrets ofa fulfilled life is
to focus on today. Are you and I healthy this moment? Do you and I have
enough to live on this moment? Are our children well this moment? Then
let’s give God thanks for this moment, and let’s try not to anticipate what may
never occur. Live, says Jesus, in the present.
The biggeststeptoward a worry-free tomorrow is to seek God’s Kingdom
today and to live today, to remember how important today is. “Todayhas
enough trouble,” Jesus said, “to take care of itself.”

(17-bush3) The philosopher/poet/country music artist Kenny Chesney
recordeda song about ten years ago which speaks to valuing the present, and
the importance of living today. The lyrics are “I turned on the evening news,
saw an old man being interviewed, turning a hundred and two today. Asked
him what’s the secretto life; he lookedup from his old pipe, laughed and said
“All I cansay is, don’t blink.”
“I was glued to my tv when it lookedlike he lookedat me and said “Beststart
putting first things first.” Cause whenyour hourglass runs out of sand, you
can’t flip it over and start again. Take everybreath God gives you for what
it’s worth.”
“Don’t blink. Justlike that you’re six years old and you take a nap and you
wake up and you’re twenty-five and your high schoolsweetheartbecomes
your wife. Don’t blink. You just might miss your babies growing like mine
did, turning into moms and dads next thing you know your “better half” of
fifty years is there in bed and you’re praying Godtakes you instead. Trust me
friend a hundred years goes fasterthan you think. So don’t blink.”
(18-bush4) God loves us more than sparrows;God loves us more than wild
flowers. Goddoesn’t want us to be boggeddown with anxiety that stops us in
our tracks and prevents us from being the beings we were createdto be.
Want a worry-free tomorrow? Recognize todaythat worry canharm us.
Realize today that worry and faith cannot coexist. And finally remember to
live today, because life goes fasterthan you think. Don’t blink . . . and don’t
worry. https://madisonbc.org/a-worry-free-tomorrow-matthew-625-34/
“But woe to you who are filled now,
for you will be hungry.”
Ive heard health sources sayyou should eat till you are no longerhungry, not
until youre full and stuffed. Shamefully this is kind of new to me as I always

felt I neededto eat till I felt full. I mean if Jesus saidthis why would he not
mean it literally?
I heard the following line could mean not just laughing, but when you laugh
other people. Sounds valid I suppose. But how canthis verse mean anything
but literal? Im not trying to be crazy here, Im genuinely concerned…
2 Replies
howirenic
Aug '14
" Does this mean if we eattill we are stuffed at dinner with our family we are
going to hell (because that extra money spent on foodcan go to a dying poor
person somewhere else?)"
I don’t believe that is the right way to think about it.
It is goodto eatless, especiallyduring fasting seasons, andgive the extra
money that you would have spent on food to charity. But to condemn yourself
to hell because you could be eating less is ridiculous.
Thank God for the the food you have and enjoy it with your family.

Dtmccameron
Aug '14
newcatholicwife:
Ive heard health sources sayyou should eat till you are no longerhungry, not
until youre full and stuffed.
That is indeed not the easiestthing to getthe hang of. But even if you’re
“stuffed” well…it’s not quite gluttony yet.
I mean if Jesus saidthis why would he not mean it literally?
You, um…you do know that not everything He said was literal? That He
made greatuse of hyperbole and Parables?
But how canthis verse mean anything but literal? Im not trying to be crazy
here, Im genuinely concerned…
The greatercontextis that it stands as a counter to the Beatitudes listed in
verses 20-22.
Essentially, those who have not and rely on the Spirit will have their
consolation;they don’t wait on the things of this world but insteadon
treasures storedup in Heaven. The Worldly, however, delight in and hoard

their riches, and vainly strive after material things. If they’re living for this
life, they aren’t living for the next.
It does not mean that because youeat well and are not suffering from hunger
or malnutrition that you’ll go hungry (I mean, besides howevermuch that you
will naturally. That’s life.) by way of karmic balance. What it really means is,
“Everyone who drinks this waterwill be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the
waterI give them will never thirst." John 4:13-14.
So it’s the Breadof Life that the worldly are not eating. And that’s while
they’ll go hungry again, even if they store up all the bread in the world.
At least, that’s my :twocents:
Jesus expects us to reachout to the needy with food, clothing, housing or
whateverthey need. Having said that, how exactly does skipping dessert
achieve this–not that we probably all–especiallyme–wouldn’t do well to skip a
dessert. This made me smile though, as it was the mentality of most parents
back in the 50’s and 60’s when I was a kid! I never did figure out exactly how
my shoving another mouthful of food into my over full stomachhelped anyone
in Africa—but it did buy my sister an eating disorder! : “Cleanyour plate–
think of the poor starving children in Africa.” was every parent’s battlecry
back then though! LOL!
I guess Im thinking the money that we spend on dessertor anything we dont
actually need, could be used to help the poor. But this strong feeling worries
me, as Im newly married and will start our ownfamily someday. Maybe this
is scrupoloscity? I always feelguilty spending money and time on things I dont
actually need. I feellike its sin to not always be helping others as long as my
basic physical needs are met. Maybe if I was a nun itd be ok but Im not and
trying to understand.
3 Replies

Petaro
Aug '14
I have enough problem with sin ,to make my diet an occasionofsin!!! Eating a
reasonable mealis healthy. A bit of a celebrationfor Birthdays and Christmas
is quite appropriate. I find serving sizes in America very large, howeverthis is
a cultural thing, not a sin.
Simca
Aug '14
I never thought this verse had anything to do with eating. :hmmm:
I guess I always thought it had to do with feeling spiritually full, when in fact
you are quite empty. In other words, not wanting God in your life because you

feel you don’t need him, because you have enough already. And when and if
you finally realize it’s not about materialism, then you will be hungry for
spiritual things.
newcatholicwife:
I guess Im thinking the money that we spend on dessertor anything we dont
actually need, could be used to help the poor. But this strong feeling worries
me, as Im newly married and will start our ownfamily someday.** Maybe
this is scrupoloscity?** Ialways feel guilty spending money and time on things
I dont actually need. I feellike its sin to not always be helping others as long
as my basic physical needs are met. Maybe if I was a nun itd be ok but Im not
and trying to understand.
Yes that is being scrupulous.
How to Live Happily Ever After (Luke 6:20-26)
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“And they all lived happily ever after.” We all like stories with a happy
ending. We read them to our children and grandchildren. But, as grown-ups,
we know that such stories are not true. Living happily ever after only happens
in the realm of make believe.

Or, does it? In what is perhaps His most well knownteaching, “The
Beatitudes,” Jesuspresents the qualities that make for a happy or blessedlife.
As Luke reports the teaching, four times Jesus pronounces blessings onpeople
with these four qualities and four times He pronounces woes on people with
the opposite qualities. To be blessedis to have inner joy and happiness
because God’s favor is upon you. To have woe is to have sorrow and pain
because Godis againstyou. Thus Jesus is showing us how to be supremely
happy or supremely miserable.
Stated that way, you may wonder why anyone would choose to be supremely
miserable, especiallywhen the offer of supreme happiness is set before him or
her. But things aren’t quite that simple, because the happiness Jesus offers
often entails short term trials and pain, but eventual and eternal joy, whereas
the world offers short term gratification, but fails to take into accountthe
eternal perspective. As Leon Morris observes, “JesuspromisedHis followers
that they would be absurdly happy; but also that they would never be out of
trouble” (Luke [IVP/Eerdmans, p. 127). Due to the blindness of sinful human
hearts and the deceptionof sin, many in the world pursue happiness in ways
that seeminglywill succeed. ButJesus boldly asserts thatthose who follow the
world’s ways will come up empty. He draws a distinct line and challenges us
to come over to His side. As William Barclaystates, “The challenge ofthe
beatitudes is, ‘Will you be happy in the world’s way, or in Christ’s way?”
(The Daily Study Bible, Luke [Westminster], p. 77).
Before we examine this first sectionof Jesus’teaching, we needto touch on
severalmatters. The most obvious question is whether or not this sermon in
Luke 6 is the same as the Sermon on the Mount recorded in Matthew 5-7. The
bottom line is, we can’t know for certain. There are solid commentators on
both sides of the issue. Luke’s version is much shorter than Matthew’s (30
verses comparedto 107), and there are some differences in the parts that
overlap. Both versions are obviously summaries of longermessagesthatJesus
delivered. Both begin with a set of beatitudes and end with the parable of
building the two houses, although there are differences in many of the details.
The most obvious difference is that Matthew 5:1 reports that Jesus wentup on
a mountain to deliver this sermon, whereas Luke 6:17 states that He

descendedto a level place. Those who like to look for contradictions in the
Bible are quick to pounce on this as an example. But even if the two accounts
are the same sermon on the same occasion, it need not be contradictory. Jesus
had gone up on the mountain alone to pray. He descendedto meet with His
disciples and with the multitude. There easilycould have been a plateauon
the mountain that was large enough for the multitude to gather on. From
Luke’s perspective, Jesus descendedto this level place. From Matthew’s
angle, Jesus wentup on the mountain to teach. It just depends on how you
look at the event.
So the sermon could be the same sermon at the same locale, but with
variations in how it was reported. Or, it could be that Jesus taught the same
material with slight variations on more than one occasion, as almostevery
preacherhas done. We can’t know for sure, but neither view involves us in
contradictions. I’m inclined to the view that both sermons are the same,
although reported from different slants.
The sermon in Luke falls into three sections:in 6:20-26, Jesus draws a distinct
line betweenHis followers and others and pronounces blessings onthe former
and woes onthe latter; in 6:27-38, Jesus spells out the primary ethic of His
kingdom, the practice of love; and, in 6:39-49, He emphasizes the importance
of obedience to His teaching. He addresses the sermon primarily to His
disciples (6:20), but obviously there are appeals to outsiders as well. The
blessings are aimed at encouraging and strengthening Jesus’followers in the
face of mounting and inevitable oppositionand persecution, but they also
serve to draw in outsiders with the intriguing promise of future reversal. The
woes warnbelievers of dangers to avoid, but they also confront unbelievers
with the future consequencesoftheir current behavior. The entire sermon
shows Jesus’disciples (i.e., all Christians) how we should live. But it also
shows unbelievers and hypocrites their need for repentance because ofthe
huge gap betweentheir behavior and Jesus’teaching.
With that as a brief overview, let’s focus on 6:20-26, where Jesus sets forth the
contrasts of blessings and woes onfour groups of people. Since He specifically
is addressing His disciples, we should see the primary intent as giving
encouragementand instruction to believers. God will bless them though the

world may hate them. But they must be on guard againstthe world and its
mixed up values. But there is also a secondaryapplicationfor those caught up
with the world. Jesus is warning them of a coming reversalwhen they will be
left empty if they do not repent. Jesus is teaching:
To live happily ever after, live decisively for God’s kingdom and rejectthe
world’s values.
The theme of happiness is stressedin the series ofblessings and woes. The idea
of living decisivelycomes through in the clearline Jesus draws betweenthe
two ways of God’s kingdom versus the world’s values. The aspectofliving
happily ever after is underscoredin the future focus of the blessings and woes.
1. To live happily ever after, you must see that there are two (and only two)
ways to live and you must commit yourself to live under Christ’s lordship.
Jesus draws a clear line betweentwo groups of people, so that you must
identify yourself with one group or the other. You can’t straddle the line. On
the one hand are those who are poor, who hunger now, who weepnow, and
who are despised by men because oftheir identification with Jesus. These
folks are blessedbecause ofboth present, but mainly future, rewards. On the
other hand are those who are rich, who are well-fednow, who laugh now, and
who are acclaimedby men. These are under woe because ofwhat awaits them.
Immediately we are faced with some interpretive problems. Is Jesus extolling
poverty in a material sense or should we take it spiritually, in line with
Matthew’s “poorin spirit”? Is Jesus commending hunger above a healthy
diet? Is He promoting weeping and sadness above laughter and joy? Is there
some virtue in having people hate you? How should we understand Jesus’
words?
In the first place, we would be wrong to interpret these words to refer in
blanket fashion to the financially poor, the physically hungry, the emotionally
grieving, and those hated by their fellow men. The Old Testamenturges
compassiontowardthe deserving poor, but it also heaps ridicule on those who
are poor because theyare lazy or foolish. Augustine pointed out how the poor
Lazarus laid his head on the rich Abraham’s bosom. Later in Luke, some

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