The Beatitudes appear in two gospels, Matthew and Luke. Most people know the Matthew version better and prefer it because there are none of these horrible “woes” in the Matthew version. But why are there these differences in the two versions? Why, for example, does Luke place his Beatitude Sermon on the Plain rather than on the Mount, like Matthew? And what are his slightly different blessings – and the rather scary “woes” about? Is Jesus really coming down on people who are rich, well fed and happy?
It helps to put Luke’s sermon into context.
Jesus doesn’t do much preaching at the beginning of Luke’s gospel. In fact, this is only the second time we hear him speaking. Jesus’ first sermon was preached in his home town of Nazareth,
18 ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’
That sermon and the Sermon on the Plain form brackets around the opening scenes of Jesus’ ministry, scenes that feature wondrous healing, intense conflict, and the gathering around Jesus of both a chosen few disciples and crowds.
Luke places his Beatitude Sermon on a Plain or rather, on level ground. This makes quite a statement. Here, Jesus is available to the crowds, literally on their level, the Son of Man, one of them, and many of them who have come for healing are cured. The itinerant preacher embodies the power of healing and shares it freely.
His actions express the heart of his ministry proclaimed in his sermon at the Nazareth synagogue. He is among the poor, the blind, the oppressed, bringing good news and hope to them. And Luke wants us to note how great and how expansive is the crowd who have come to Jesus.
a great multitude of people from all Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases, and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured.
It is within this crowd of needy people that Jesus speaks blessing and hope. Roman rule was not just or a blessing to those who were already poor. It was a grim hand to mouth existence which often ended with a family having to sell itself into slavery in order to survive. But Jesus reminds the crowds that this is not how God looks at them. Their lives are not irrelevant or valueless to the Creator, to the one who rescued them from slavery under the Egyptians and guided them towards the Promised Land.
“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God."
It is to the poor that God’s own realm belongs.
“Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled."
The hungry will not be hungry for long
“Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.”
Weeping and mourning may be their experience tonight but joy comes in the morning.
And what of those who are excluded, reviled, or defamed by virtue of their connection to Jesus? Jesus’ answer is that these have a belonging that is deeper than anything that other people have. Rooted in God, they are in the company of the prophets who, throughout Israel’s history, have spoken for God.
Jesus is saying that not only are the weak, poor and vulnerable in God’s special care because they have nowhere else to turn, but those who make God their foundation stone are stronger than anyone else, even when their reputations are being destroyed and they are being persecuted.
Right from the beginning of his ministry, Jesus taught that life consists in the provision of God, a provision now made evident in Jesus’ presence, healing, and teaching among the people. With the beatitudes, Jesus announces that the provision of God is trustworthy even when the world is offering poverty, hunger, grief, and rejection.
These are messages for real life, our life. These are messages for people who have to go to foodbanks, or have to choose between eating or keeping warm. These are messages for those who mourn. These are messages that echo the prophecy of Isaiah, which Jesus preached on in his first sermon in Nazareth. God cares about, values those who are poor, who grieve, who are unjustly treated and they will be vindicated.
But do we believe this?
I am reminded of a true story often used in Stewardship campaigns. A woman was on social security. Each week, when she cashed her social security money, the first thing she would do would be to put ten percent of it in an envelope. Half the money went to her church. The other half to another charity. She was poor but she faithfully gave this ten percent of her income away, and she found she always had enough money for her needs during the rest of the week. She trusted God to provide.
Which brings us very nicely to the woes because Luke’s Sermon on the Plain is in the end about trust. We tend to read the word “woe” in Luke’s Beatitudes as God’s judgement on us for having money, for being full, for being happy even. This is not at all what the woes mean. I am afraid they are much more challenging! They ask, who or what do we really trust?
This is very difficult for many of us to hear and respond to in our affluent western culture. Most of us, who call ourselves Christian, and who hear Jesus’ invitation to trust God to look after us are not inclined to believe it. When are the poor and hungry anything but a cause for sadness. And who can endure character assassination, even for the sake of our faith? We are fully invested in the avoidance of fear and the desire to be rich, full, laughing, and respected. Hearing Luke’s beatitudes don’t sound like blessings at all, except to those who are down on their luck – and we don’t count ourselves as being in that group. So, we may be tempted to think, “I’ll take my chances with the status quo.” I’ll
live the way other people live and value what “decent” ordinary people value – success and a good reputation.
These woes are not God cursing such an attitude. Rather, they are warnings. It is as if Jesus said, “Certain things are worthy of your trust, and other things are sure to betray it.” When those objects of misplaced loyalty do betray your trust—Lord, have mercy.
Now, I am just going to come off my script for a moment because I was given something this morning in the words of our Archbishop Emeritus, Rowan Williams. He said God wants to give us so much. He wants to pour his life and love into us, but because we are so small, we cannot take much in. Because God is infinite and we are finite, we can only receive a little. It is as if we are an acorn cup sitting under Niagara Falls! But the offer is there. All this provision of life that God longs to pour out on us - but most of the time we don’t even receive an acorn’s cup full.
Let us look at the word “woe”. In English “woe” is a heavy, serious word. In Greek it is more of a sound, like a deep sigh. It is more like “Yikes”. It is as though Jesus is, “Yikes, your vision is so small. If only you knew what you were missing. You’ve been sold a lie. You’ve been told this is the way to be happy - to be full, to be rich, to have a good reputation.”
The word “woe” in Hebrew is just as interesting. It can mean two things. It can mean “Hey” as in “Just listen to this!” Or, like the Greek, it can be more of a sound, like “Uh-ho, meaning “Oh dear.”
The Sermon on the Plain is about what gives us life and who we can actually depend on. Jesus is saying, “You are so missing out.” It is God’s love and provision that bring life and fulfilment and this provision is evident in Jesus’ presence, healing, and teaching among the people. With the beatitudes, Jesus announces that the provision of God is trustworthy when the world is offering poverty, hunger, grief, and rejection. With the woes, Jesus announces that the provision of God is even more trustworthy than acting in what we imagine is self-interest. To be on the Way with Jesus is to know the character and extent of God’s realm, God’s mercy and God’s wonderful love.