20 And he, having lifted up his eyes to his disciples, said: `Happy the poor -- because yours is the reign of God.
Hearken, my brethren beloved, did not God choose the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the reign that He promised to those loving Him?
I have known thy works, and tribulation, and poverty -- yet thou art rich -- and the evil-speaking of those saying themselves to be Jews, and are not, but `are' a synagogue of the Adversary.
for ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that because of you he became poor -- being rich, that ye by that poverty may become rich.
as sorrowful, and always rejoicing; as poor, and making many rich; as having nothing, and possessing all things.
And he, having lifted up his eyes to his disciples, said: `Happy the poor -- because yours is the reign of God. `Happy those hungering now -- because ye shall be filled. `Happy those weeping now -- because ye shall laugh. `Happy are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you, and shall reproach, and shall cast forth your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake -- rejoice in that day, and leap, for lo, your reward `is' great in the heaven, for according to these things were their fathers doing to the prophets. `But wo to you -- the rich, because ye have got your comfort.
`And Abraham said, Child, remember that thou did receive -- thou -- thy good things in thy life, and Lazarus in like manner the evil things, and now he is comforted, and thou art distressed;
did any one out of the rulers believe in him? or out of the Pharisees? but this multitude, that is not knowing the law, is accursed.'
confirming the souls of the disciples, exhorting to remain in the faith, and that through many tribulations it behoveth us to enter into the reign of God,
for see your calling, brethren, that not many `are' wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but the foolish things of the world did God choose, that the wise He may put to shame; and the weak things of the world did God choose that He may put to shame the strong; and the base things of the world, and the things despised did God choose, and the things that are not, that the things that are He may make useless -- that no flesh may glory before Him;
So then, let no one glory in men, for all things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things about to be -- all are yours, and ye `are' Christ's, and Christ `is' God's.
because in much trial of tribulation the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty, did abound to the riches of their liberality;
a token of the righteous judgment of God, for your being counted worthy of the reign of God, for which also ye suffer,
Happy the man who doth endure temptation, because, becoming approved, he shall receive the crown of the life, which the Lord did promise to those loving Him.
Better `is' the little of the righteous, Than the store of many wicked.
He is raising up from the dust the poor, From a dunghill He exalteth the needy. To cause to sit with princes, With the princes of His people.
Better `is' the poor walking in his integrity, Than the perverse `in' his lips, who `is' a fool.
And the humble have added joy in Jehovah, And the poor among men In the Holy One of Israel rejoice.
For thus said the high and exalted One, Inhabiting eternity, and holy `is' His name: `In the high and holy place I dwell, And with the bruised and humble of spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of bruised ones,' For, not to the age do I strive, nor for ever am I wroth, For the spirit from before Me is feeble, And the souls I have made.
And all these My hand hath made, And all these things are, An affirmation of Jehovah! And unto this one I look attentively, Unto the humble and bruised in spirit, And who is trembling at My word.
And I have left in thy midst a people humble and poor, And they have trusted in the name of Jehovah.
He raiseth from the dust the poor, From a dunghill He lifteth up the needy, To cause `them' to sit with nobles, Yea, a throne of honour He doth cause them to inherit, For to Jehovah `are' the fixtures of earth, And He setteth on them the habitable world.
and having opened his mouth, he was teaching them, saying: `Happy the poor in spirit -- because theirs is the reign of the heavens. `Happy the mourning -- because they shall be comforted. `Happy the meek -- because they shall inherit the land. `Happy those hungering and thirsting for righteousness -- because they shall be filled. `Happy the kind -- because they shall find kindness. `Happy the clean in heart -- because they shall see God. `Happy the peacemakers -- because they shall be called Sons of God. `Happy those persecuted for righteousness' sake -- because theirs is the reign of the heavens. `Happy are ye whenever they may reproach you, and may persecute, and may say any evil thing against you falsely for my sake -- rejoice ye and be glad, because your reward `is' great in the heavens, for thus did they persecute the prophets who were before you.
blind receive sight, and lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and deaf hear, dead are raised, and poor have good news proclaimed,
`Then shall the king say to those on his right hand, Come ye, the blessed of my Father, inherit the reign that hath been prepared for you from the foundation of the world;
And having looked round in a circle to those sitting about him, he saith, `Lo, my mother and my brethren! for whoever may do the will of God, he is my brother, and my sister, and mother.'
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Luke 6
Commentary on Luke 6 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 6
In this chapter we have Christ's exposition of the moral law, which he came not to destroy, but to fulfil, and to fill up, by his gospel.
Luk 6:1-11
These two passages of story we had both in Matthew and Mark, and they were there laid together (Mt. 12:1; Mk. 2:23; 3:1), because, though happening at some distance of time from each other, both were designed to rectify the mistakes of the scribes and Pharisees concerning the sabbath day, on the bodily rest of which they laid greater stress and required greater strictness than the Law-giver intended. Here,
Luk 6:12-19
In these verses, we have our Lord Jesus in secret, in his family, and in public; and in all three acting like himself.
Luk 6:20-26
Here begins a practical discourse of Christ, which is continued to the end of the chapter, most of which is found in the sermon upon the mount, Mt. 5 and 7. Some think that this was preached at some other time and place, and there are other instances of Christ's preaching the same things, or to the same purport, at different times; but it is probable that this is only the evangelist's abridgment of that sermon, and perhaps that in Matthew too is but an abridgment; the beginning and the conclusion are much the same; and the story of the cure of the centurion's servant follows presently upon it, both there and here, but it is not material. In these verses, we have,
"Such usage as this seems hard; but blessed are you when you are so used. It is so far from depriving you of your happiness that it will greatly add to it. It is an honour to you, as it is to a brave hero to be employed in the wars, in the service of his prince; and therefore rejoice you in that day, and leap for joy, v. 23. Do not only bear it, but triumph in it. For,'
Luk 6:27-36
These verses agree with Mt. 5:38, to the end of that chapter: I say unto you that hear (v. 27), to all you that hear, and not to disciples only, for these are lessons of universal concern. He that has an ear, let him hear. Those that diligently hearken to Christ shall find he has something to say to them well worth their hearing. Now the lessons Christ here teacheth us are,
Luk 6:37-49
All these sayings of Christ we had before in Matthew; some of them in ch. 7, others in other places. They were sayings that Christ often used; they needed only to be mentioned, it was easy to apply them. Grotius thinks that we need not be critical here in seeking for the coherence: they are golden sentences, like Solomon's proverbs or parables. Let us observe here,