Luke 6:21-25

     Luke’s recording of the “beatitudes” begins with two having to do with people who experience deprivation. First are the ‘poor,’ second are those who hunger. One scholar suggests this has a symbolic meaning, going back to Israelite history. When Jerusalem was captured in 586 b.c., the people who were left behind (i.e. not taken into exile or killed) were left destitute. The Cambridge scholars say they became a symbol for those who are poor and defenseless, yet loyal to God.
     It is hard to know from two thousand years later, whether Jesus was evoking this in speaking of the poor and hungry, particularly when he also says the opposite of those who are rich and well-fed. Certainly, it is tempting to apply this meaning, because it would simplify the question of how much Christ’s followers are called to divest themselves of material goods. Matthew, in telling the beatitudes, spiritualizes them—‘blessed are the poor in spirit,’ ‘blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.’
      There are differences in the beatitudes as recorded by Matthew and Luke. Both gospel writers give an extended account of teaching. It is generally assumed that Luke is giving a shorter account of the same event. Then where do the differences come from?
     Of course, no one was following Jesus around with a steno pad or recording device. As an oral culture, it was far more versed in remembering what was heard orally than most people are today. The teachings of Jesus tended to be memorable. A factor that is also often forgotten is that the teachings recorded in the gospels were almost certainly given more than once. As Jesus traveled from location to location, as he talked with various groups of people, he wouldn’t have said something new and different each time. They may have varied according to need and circumstance, but he probably repeated the ‘beatitudes’ on many occasions. He likely told the parables on multitudes of occasions. And even if the gospel writers were working from an account of the same occasion, there will still be variances in the way people remembered them. Both versions of the beatitudes are meaningful; both challenge us with different ways of being spiritual and faithful, as well as increasing our understanding of how God sees the world.
      All of that said, blessed are those who hunger and blessed are the poor should remain as a reminder that material goods are not the route to spiritual fulfillment. While not stated specifically here, the contrasting of rich and poor, hungry and well-fed, would certainly raise question of how can the rich and well-fed be comfortably so if there are human brothers and sisters who are lacking the necessities of life?
      When seriously engaged, the beatitudes remain sometimes puzzling. The blessing of weeping or mourning doesn’t feel much like a blessing. There is a promise that this condition will change. Luke says that they will laugh. Matthew says they will be comforted. 
     There are Old Testament references that sound similar. Jeremiah would record the promise, "I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow." Jeremiah 31:13. The majority of Christian funeral and memorial services remind mourners that even in the valley of the shadow of death, God goes with us (Psalm 23). 
      Some scholars contrast the weeping and rejoicing (those who laugh now will mourn and weep later). The suggestion is (expanding on the words of Jesus) that perhaps the weeping is over sinfulness, the laugher now is unconscious or uncaring of sin or the pain around us.  It can certainly be true that those with much of the world’s goods can be insenstive to the suffering around them. But, again, it is not necessarily so.
     Mourning is painful and Jesus knew it.  He experienced it himself in the death of Lazarus.  He mourned over Jerusalem.  We can safely presume he had mourned at other times, for friends and family members.  The ability to mourn is the sign of another blessing--the experience of loving and being loved.
     The marvelous power of the beatitudes is that they can evoke multiple layers of meaning and exploration. Jesus, the wise teacher, must have known this would happen. He must have also known that his words would remind people of other teachings. For example, the words of Ecclesiastes – that there is a time for everything, including laughter and weeping.
     Perhaps the most foolish thing we can do with the beatitudes is wrap them up too neatly in one single interpretation. The challenge of Jesus is to think, to grow, to mature, to go ever deeper. (To be continued next week with beatitudes having to do with persecution & reputation).

What makes you feel good in reading the beatitudes?
What makes you feel uncomfortable?
What scriptural associations do you think of in reading the beatitudes?