Luke 6:20 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

NIV: Looking at his disciples, he said: 'Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

NASB: And He raised His eyes toward His disciples and began saying, 'Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

CSB: Then looking up at his disciples, he said: Blessed are you who are poor, because the kingdom of God is yours.

NLT: Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said, 'God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours.

KJV: And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

NKJV: Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: “Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God.

Jesus is on a "level place" teaching a large crowd (Luke 6:17). It might be the same event as the Sermon on the Mount recorded in Matthew 5—7 as "level place" can mean a high plateau. Like the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus begins with blessings.

"Lifted up his eyes" has the same effect as "opened his mouth" (Matthew 5:2). It provides a "beat:" a moment which allows a reader to settle, before delving into Jesus' important message.

Where Matthew records Jesus blessing the "poor in spirit," Luke just mentions "poor." Literally, the term refers to those who do not have enough physical resources. The practical interpretation is supported by the next verse's blessing of the "hungry," as opposed to Matthew's spiritualized "those who hunger and thirst for righteousness" (Matthew 5:6) and the corresponding woe to the rich who have more than an average amount of worldly resources (Luke 6:24). Luke's account suggests that the poverty and hunger are caused by the persecution suffered by those who follow Jesus (Luke 6:22).

The blessing for the poor is the only one given in the present tense. The kingdom of God is twofold: now and not yet. Ultimately, it is eternity in paradise in the presence of God the Trinity. Right now, it is the manifest expression of God's power, might, and sovereignty on the earth, including peace in the face of hardship.

Because the poor can experience the kingdom of God, they are empowered to follow Jesus' commands to give away things that seem necessary, knowing that God will provide (Luke 6:29–30). This is evident in charitable giving; studies frequently show those who earn slightly less income than the cultural average give a greater percentage of it to charity than any other bracket, except for those who are ultra-rich.

This promise is true, but it is a generalization. When Luke speaks of the poor, it's almost always related to those who rely on God for their needs. Obviously, not all financially poor people will inherit God's kingdom. Not all rich people are left out of heaven (Luke 19:1–10). Luke 6:20–23 is best taken as a whole: those who are persecuted because they follow Jesus may weep and suffer hunger and poverty, but they will receive direct recompense because they follow Jesus, not because they suffer.

Luke 6:20–26 begins Jesus' ''Sermon on the Level Place'' or ''Sermon on the Plain.'' Luke segues from the practical distinction between Jesus' followers and detractors. He moves along to prophetic promises to each group, with four blessings and four woes. The descriptors poor versus rich, hungry versus full, and mournful versus happy might seem purely circumstantial. However, they represent the consequences of identifying with Jesus and thus facing persecution, versus identifying with the world and thus enjoying worldly privilege. Jesus uses the blessings promised to His persecuted followers to inspire them to love their enemies just as their Father does (Luke 6:27–42).

Luke 6 contains two main sections of teaching and calls to discipleship. Luke 6:1–16 continues the pattern of Luke 5. The two ways in which Jesus sets aside tradition—this time by taking authority over the Sabbath—are paired with His call for the Twelve disciples. Luke 6:17–49 records Jesus' teaching on the ''level place,'' or His ''Sermon on the Plain,'' and a call to a crowd for general discipleship. Much of this material has parallels in Matthew 5 through 7, but it's not clear if the two accounts are of the same event. As a travelling teacher, Christ likely gave the same general message multiple times.

Luke 6 completes Jesus' call for disciples and followers that started in Luke 5. Luke 5:1—6:16 consists of three calls for disciples, each paired with two revolutionary teachings about Jesus' authority that increasingly infuriate the religious leaders. Luke 6:17–49 continues the theme with a general call for followers and a description of their responsibilities. In Luke 7:1—8:3, Jesus interacts with the other: Gentiles, women, and even the dead. This is followed by another general call (Luke 8:4–21), a series of miracles (Luke 8:22—9:17), and a final call for the Twelve to follow Him even more deeply (Luke 9:18–50).

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.