Luke 6:20-49

The Sermon on the Level Place. This is much briefer than Matthew 5-7. The sections in Mt. that illustrate the fulfilment of the Law are omitted; more stress is laid on love and mercy. Other parallels with Mt.'s Sermon are found elsewhere in Lk.; very little of Lk.'s Sermon (Luke 6:24; Luke 6:34 f. only) is not found in Mt. There are also differences of arrangement.

Luke 6:20. Beatitudes and Woes (Matthew 5:1 *). In place of eight blessings we have in Lk. four (shorter) blessings and four contrasted woes; in Lk. Jesus does not qualify the poor (or the hungry); they are, as with the Psalmist, the righteous, and will have their innings in the next life, where the rich (the wicked) will suffer. Cƒ. Dives and Lazarus, Luke 16:19.

Luke 6:22 f. suggests Jewish persecution of the early Church. cast out your name as evil: a reference to calumny directed against those of the Christian way.

Luke 6:24. The woes are peculiar to Lk., and are less genuine than the blessings. Cf. James 5:1. Perhaps they are not launched at persecutors of the Church (e.g. rich Pharisees) so much as at worldly-minded folk in general.

Luke 6:26. General popularity too often implies that its recipient panders to prejudice and smothers his conscience.