Faithful on Fridays Blog

Scene Four

Here’s Luke, a Gentile believer in a Jewish Messiah, who knows nothing about the teachings of the Bible, nothing about Jewish culture and traditions, and yet he intently listened to the teaching of Jesus entitled the Beatitudes (6:20-26). Did he understand them? Did they make sense? You may remember this famous declaration from Matthew’s perspective (very Jewish) where he listed nine ‘blessings’ for those whose character is humble and God-fearing; you’ll walk in the benefits of God. However, in Luke’s unique perspective, as he listened to the eyewitnesses, he only included four blessings and also included Jesus’ four woes. Why? 

I can only speculate, I’m doing that a lot, that Luke was thinking of his Gentile friends who’re in the same boat; they don’t know how to live according to the Bible because no one ever taught them what pleases God, only what pleases self. Maybe Luke wanted to give them a strong dose of both sides of God’s truth; there are benefits, but there’s also sadness. Gentiles were born and raised in Roman, pagan, worldly culture where anything goes, conversely, Jesus taught that when we walk in humility our rewards are often other-worldly, sometimes only enjoyed in heaven and sometimes now. What a contrast!

 Luke’s version of the Beatitudes:

Blessed are the poor (in spirit), they’re walking in the Kingdom for God now and for eternity, contrasted with the woe or sorrow for the rich; what they have now is their only comfort, despite the fact that eternity is forever.  

Blessed are the hungry now for God will satisfy every desire throughout eternity, on the other hand, woe to those who are full now, they may be satisfied, but it’s temporary, eternity will look different for them.

Blessed are those who weep now, it’s also temporary, laughter and eternal joy is coming, compared to the ‘woe’ for those who laugh now with joy or mockery; their time is coming.

And finally, blessed are those who suffer now for the gospel, they can jump for joy and expect a great reward in heaven. Compared to unbelievers experiencing admiration now that fills them with pride at their temporary accomplishments. It’ll be different in eternity.

Luke heard even more contradictions as people reported Jesus teaching us to love our enemies, forgive them, and do good to them, even pray for them. What? Impossible! That doesn’t make sense! You’re right … to a Gentile, but to a Christian it makes perfect sense.  

We arrive at 6:38, unique to Luke; if you want to re-present the Savior to the world, then your mercy and generosity will be like a healthy dose of medicine, measured, shaken, and pressed together like filling a medicine bottle. Finally, this doctor recorded his first parable (vs. 39-42) focused on leadership. He was ‘fully trained’ by many fine leaders in medical school, the lower story, however, Jesus taught the upper story: follow His example of caring about others and not just yourself. That’s a unique perspective, right?