“Blessed are you...”

Read Luke 6:20-23

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In the Kingdom of God, the values of this world are turned on their head as ‘The Beatitudes’ (“Blessed are...”) show. The Sermon on the Mount begins by listing eight of them (Mt.5:3-12), though there are only four in Luke. They are qualities of behaviour which should characterise disciples of Jesus.

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Luke says that “the poor” and “the hungry” are blessed (20-21a) whereas in Matthew it is those who are “poor in spirit” and “hungry for righteousness” (5:3,6). Jesus came to bring “good news to the poor” (Lk.4:18). It’s not that poverty or hunger are themselves a blessing but that poor people are more likely to rely on God for his help (Ps.40:17). Likewise weeping over the griefs of this world will in the end bring joy and blessing (21b; Mt.5:4; Ps.126:5-6).

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In particular, in both Gospels, the list ends with the promise that the griefs that come from being hated and rejected because of Jesus are in fact a reason for rejoicing (22-23; Mt.5:10-12; Acts 5:41). Followers of Jesus can expect persecution to occur (Jn.15:18-21). But “blessed are you” when it does, “because great is your reward in heaven” (Mt.6:1,4,6). And even now there is peace in the trouble (23; Jn.16:33).