This is easily missed since the nominative plural and vocative plural masculine suffixes in the second declension are identical. Jesus even goes further and says woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort in verse 24. Blessed are the poor luke the most familiar reading of the beatitudes is from the gospel of matthew, but this homily called blessed are the poor is from the gospel of luke. Aug 01, 2010 bruce mcdowell and his wife anne are outreach partners serving international students and refugees with pef bruce formerly served as tenths minister of global outreach.
Blessed are you who are rich, you dont have to live in the slums. While matthews account says blessed are the poor in spirit. The church has always found awkward lukes declaration that the poor are blessed, escaping with sometimes illdisguised relief to matthews version, blessed are the poor in spirit matt. Oct 30, 2007 blessed are you who are rich you can buy a new plasma tvyou can build mcmansions for yourselves blessed are you who are rich, you can go on lavish vacations and waste tons of dough on things you dont need. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The following is an excerpt from the macarthur new testament commentary on matthew 5. Jul 12, 2016 in that passage, jesus says, blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of god luke 6.
One who is ptochos poor, however, is completely dependent on others for sustenance. Blessed are the poor in spirit its not an accident that the first of the beatitudes is about being poor in spirit. Bruce mcdowell and his wife anne are outreach partners serving international students and refugees with pef bruce formerly served as tenths minister of global outreach. May 18, 2018 however, if you compare lukes version in luke 6. What exactly does it mean to be poor in spirit, and why does being poor in spirit result in the kingdom of heaven.
The greek word which is translated as blessed is markarios. In luke s gospel, it just says, blessed are the poor, and sometimes people think, well, matthew modified that. Luke s beatitudes are much simpler and much more pointed. Matthew says, blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness matthew 5. In this scripture, jesus is challenging the opinion that most had in regard to the poor. The fundamental posture of this beatitude is found in the tax collector in luke 18. Aug 05, 2019 to me, they are surely the poor who are blessed luke 6. Its not an accident that the first of the beatitudes is about being poor in spirit. Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of god. And at his gate was laid a poor man named lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich mans table.
To understand why in the world he would say that, we need to take a. Classical greek used the word to refer to a person reduced to total destitution, who crouched in a corner begging. Here is a sketch of the narrative sequence of all three synoptics. Two reasons why the poor are blessed and why this blog is named as such. Blessed are the poor sermon by kenneth sauer, luke 6. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven matthew 5. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. When we saw how large it was, i said to karen in characteristic. Luke offers a shorter version, with jesus saying more simply.
Blessed are you who arespeermicidal corn now hungry, for you will be satisfied. May 30, 2011 sermon preached at daejeon onnuri may 29, 2011. The parable concerning the older son begins in luke 15. He tells them they are poor and, therefore, they should buy from him gold refined by fire so that they might be rich, that is, rich in him. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom. It was transcribed from the third tape in his beatitudes series, titled blessed are the poor in spirit transcribed by preach the word. Ken sauer, pastor of east ridge united methodist church, chattanooga, tn. Nov 04, 2014 the poor in lukes straightforward sense is what the poor in spirit are to experience, that is the good news of the gospel there is a treasure in heaven. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. Luke appears to be speaking about poverty in a financial sense and matthew about poverty in a spiritual sense. This seems to be more hardhitting and direct, and less metaphorical. It may belong to the child, or to the selfish votary. To be sure there are spiritual aspects to these verses. One of the disciples was levi, also known as matthew.
Although, i should perhaps add that i do think blessed are the poor is a wrong translation of luke 6. Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the son of man. Many interpreters, particularly those of us who arent actually poor, like to. Do you think jesus is saying the same thing or something different in matthews versus lukes versions. The phrase does not appear in the old testament, but psalm 34. Feb 06, 2014 in luke s gospel, it just says, blessed are the poor, and sometimes people think, well, matthew modified that. However, not all of the disciples were materially poor as such. Jan 11, 2016 although, i should perhaps add that i do think blessed are the poor is a wrong translation of luke 6.
Sep 16, 2019 luke offers a shorter version, with jesus saying more simply. Blessedness, rather than happiness, the want of man. The poor in spirit are those who are humble and depend and trust in the lord. Blessed are you who hunger, for you will be filled. He was a tax collector and wouldve been considered well off.
The first key word is blessed and the second one is poor. So far, respondents have split about 5050 on this opening question. Luke s version of the first beatitude states blessed are you poor. Lecture examines origin of blessed are the poor the observer. When john the baptist questions whether jesus is the messiah, jesus replies, the good news is preached to the poor matthew 11. It is a vast and marvelous place with so much to see. Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of god is yours. Mar 23, 2019 he explained that the following teaching luke 6. This is a necessary trait for a christianan essential requirement in order to follow gods way of life. The parable of lost things in luke 15 shows this contrast of what it looks like to be poor in spirit and what it looks like to not be poor in spirit.
We tend to read luke through the lens of matthew as if being poor in spirit is a good thing. Right before our gospel lesson for this morning we are told, beginning in verse 17 that, jesus wentand stood on a level place. The real meaning of jesus teachings in luke the translation and meaning of jesus teachings from the book of luke are discussed, exposing centuries of mistranslation and misinterpretation. He says the poor are blessed, while he says woe to the rich. What does jesus mean by blessed are the poor in spirit. Happiness implies merely the undisturbed enjoyment of the man. In luke 6, jesus says, blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of god. It is unfortunate that many christians read luke s, blessed are you who are poor in light of matthews version, which reads, blessed are the poor in spirit. So, did jesus say, blessed are the poor or poor in spirit. When jesus says, blessed are the poor, who are the poor. For the proud trust in themselves and the wisdom of men, because of that can not have the kingdom of god within nor are able to enter in.
It is not merely happiness, whatever our shallow moralists may say, that is the aim and end of our being. But if we come to the lord full, or rich, he will not be able to give us anything. Poor in spirit that takes a little bit of the edge off of it. When jesus says blessed are the poor, he is summarising over 200 references in the old testament where the poor are mentioned. Sep 06, 2016 it is unfortunate that many christians read lukes, blessed are you who are poor in light of matthews version, which reads, blessed are the poor in spirit. In that passage, jesus says, blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of god luke 6. She was poor with meager resources, but she had something. Blessed are you who are rich, you can pay for your own health. In the beatitudes of the sermon on the mount, jesus declares, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven matthew 5. Ruth and i am amazed at how quickly we can do a small job by our standards. The sermon on the mount recorded in the book of matthew is probably the most famous sermon of all time.
Mar 06, 2016 the parable of lost things in luke 15 shows this contrast of what it looks like to be poor in spirit and what it looks like to not be poor in spirit. Matthew spiritualizes the beatitudes by saying, blessed are the poor in spirit matthew 5. We are to be humble in spirit and hunger for god spiritually, but we dare not rob marys praise of its full intent. So why dont we cringe when we hear this term, spoken by jesus in luke 6. Do you think jesus is saying the same thing or something different in matthews versus luke s versions. Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of god. After all, we can feel that we are poor in spirit, even if we are a bit affluent.
Luke archives blessed are the poorblessed are the poor. The church has always found awkward luke s declaration that the poor are blessed, escaping with sometimes illdisguised relief to matthews version, blessed are the poor in spirit matt. If we want the good things, then we need to be hungry. Some have seen them as the economically impoverished.
Blessed are the poor devotional reflections from the bible. The beatitudes are eight blessings recounted by jesus in the sermon on the mount in the gospel of matthew. January 2001 this sermon was delivered at the iron hall assembly in belfast, northern ireland, by pastor david legge. Scholars have debated which of the two accounts is primary. Blessed are the poor in spirit unlocking the bible. Each is a proverblike proclamation, without narrative.
However, it must be noted that jesus was specifically addressing his disciples when he uttered the beatitude of the poor. Four of the blessings also appear in the sermon on the plain in the gospel of luke, followed by four woes which mirror the blessings. Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil. The middle and wealthy classes are characterized by means and opportunity.
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