Luke's Beatitudes Series

…all the crowd were trying to touch him, for power

came out from him and healed all of them.

Then he looked up at his disciples…

I am afraid that today’s sermon is one of those more academic messages. The Gospels According to Mark, Matthew, and Luke all contain “Beatitudes.” Those first two bear significant differences than what we read today, in Luke. It is not only in the words spoken by Jesus, but the location in which those words are spoken. It is not unreasonable to ask, “Does that really matter?” Well, yes, I believe it does; if merely metaphorically, but I think it is more than that. In Mark and Matthew, the Beatitudes are exactly the same and are delivered from the mountaintop. In Luke, the focus of the Beatitudes is not only very different, but so is the place where the teaching is delivered: on the plain, also referred to as the level place, hence the Sermon on the Plain. There would appear, at least to me, that teaching from a high place – that is, from atop a mountain – presents a much different picture than teaching from a place of level ground; a place where Jesus is on the same even, flat, level ground as his listeners.

Now the focus of the messages between Mark, Matthew and Luke significantly differ from one another. For example, Mark and Matthew’s interest in their Sermon on the Mount are personal traits, with the blessings being for the meek, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers. These are not attributes found in Luke.

However, in Luke’s Sermon on the Plain Jesus’ concern is for those who are poor, hungry, and who mourn; and that the economic focus is likely closer to his intent here. This resonates with me as Luke has physically placed Jesus on level ground, with those like himself who are poor, economically. It is consistent with his ongoing message to his disciples that those who are poor, homeless, and in need, are of special concern for Jesus. They are the oppressed and those lacking in social justice, but are – in these Beatitudes found in Luke – being blessed by God. Jewish tradition regards those who are poor and hungry as not being cursed or impure, but deserving recipients of divine and earthly care. It would also appear that Jesus sees, at least some of his disciples, as being among those who were poor, hungry, mourning, and reviled. It must be remembered, however, that most people of that time were “poor” in the sense of not being sure if there would be enough food to last the year. It is also extremely important for us to remember that most of our world – on an ongoing basis - continues to live in poverty, hungry, and experiencing homeless. The woes in Luke’s Sermon make it abundantly clear that individuals and nations that are rich, full now, laughing now, and spoken well-of, will reap what they sew; when those, upon whom they fail to provide needed assistance, turn their backs and deny such help. Even the reading from Jeremiah echoes these themes. This speaks loudly from all of time, but is especially pertinent to our world today, and the misuse of power.

Humanity has been given stewardship over our earth, this island home of ours; that includes not only nature, but each other. In these Beatitudes, we are hearing the God of Isaiah whose prophecy Jesus read aloud in the Nazareth synagogue when he announced that he had been sent by God to bring good news to those who are poor, release to the captives, sight to the blind. Now in this Sermon on the Plain, Jesus lays out what the fulfillment of that text means in terms and tones that are direct and terse; pointed and searing. Luke’s Jesus does not domesticate the Beatitudes, as does Mark and Matthew, so that it comfortably fits “us.”

There is one thing Luke tells us which suddenly spoke to me in a way I had never previously noticed. It is in verse 20 which says, “Then he looked up at his disciples and said…” He looked up at his disciples. Jesus was looking directly at them to make certain they would have no doubt as to what he was saying – in the Beatitudes - in all it searing directness. That phrase actually caused to me gasp and wonder, “How would I feel if Jesus were to turn and look directly in my eyes?” I read those words as they were found in eleven different Bibles. One said Jesus was “looking at his disciples,” another that he was “looking toward His disciples,” another that he “turned toward his disciples,” and yet another that “He looked across the faces of his disciples,” and so on. All, essentially, have the same meaning. In Mark, Jesus was only said to have opened his mouth to teach them and, in Matthew, that he taught them. Neither says Jesus looked up at his disciples. I cannot get away from the difference between teaching and being looked at, as this takes me from Jesus Christ looking directly at me, in this time, and delivering that message; just as it was directed at his twelve disciples that day. It has become personal.