The Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:17-26)
The Sermon on the Plain: Blessings and Woes (Luke 6:17–26)
In one of the most profound moments in the Gospel of Luke, we encounter what is known as the “Sermon on the Plain,” a teaching that stands as a central element in Jesus’ ministry. Luke 6:17-26 presents a distinctive version of the blessings and woes, similar to the Beatitudes in Matthew’s Gospel but notably different in tone, structure, and setting. Jesus, here, speaks directly to the crowd in a way that emphasizes the radical nature of his kingdom and the reversal of worldly values.
This passage invites us to consider not only the blessings that come with following Christ but also the stark contrast between the world’s values and God’s kingdom. The inclusion of blessings and woes serves as a moral framework that challenges conventional thinking. It is a call to a life that is countercultural, offering hope to the marginalized while warning the comfortable and complacent.
As we look at this passage, it’s essential to explore the similarities and differences between this version of the blessings and woes and the more familiar passage in Matthew 5, often referred to as the Beatitudes. Though the general message is similar, the Sermon on the Plain offers unique insights into Jesus’ teaching and its implications for us today.
The Setting: A Mountain vs. A Plain
The first significant difference between the two passages is the setting. Matthew’s Gospel places the Beatitudes on a mountain, while Luke records this sermon as being delivered on a “plain” (Luke 6:17). This subtle detail is more than just a geographical difference; it speaks to the accessibility of Jesus’ message.
Matthew’s account, with its mountain setting, evokes the imagery of Moses receiving the law on Mount Sinai—an event that set Israel apart as a holy nation. Moses went up in veritable isolation and received the Word. By contrast, Luke’s plain suggests accessibility, where the masses, from all walks of life, can gather around Jesus. In this setting, Jesus’ words feel more direct, personal, and inclusive. There is no exclusivity to this teaching—he speaks to the common people, the poor, the sick, and the sinners, giving them a glimpse of the kingdom of God.
D.A. Carson in his Commentary on the Sermon on the Mount notes that Matthew’s mountain represents a setting of transcendence and revelation, while Luke’s plain emphasizes Jesus’ ministry among the ordinary people. Carson writes, “Luke’s version is not about setting apart the audience but bringing them in to the center of God’s kingdom” (Carson, The Sermon on the Mount, p. 102). God's kingdom is open to all, not just the religious elite or powerful or privileged.
The Blessings: A Radical Reversal
In Luke 6:20-23, Jesus pronounces four blessings. Each one highlights a radical reversal of the world’s values, emphasizing the reversal that will occur in the kingdom of God. These blessings are not abstract spiritual promises but concrete realities that stand in stark contrast to the prevailing norms of society.
1. “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God” (Luke 6:20).
This opening blessing immediately confronts the value systems of both Jesus’ time and our own. The poor, those without material wealth, are blessed because they are the ones who will inherit the kingdom of God. In the world, poverty is often seen as a curse, a result of failure or misfortune, but in the kingdom of God, the poor are lifted up and honored.
Martin Lloyd-Jones in his Studies in the Sermon on the Mount comments, “It is not that the poor are intrinsically more spiritual than the rich, but that the poor are often more aware of their need for God’s provision” (Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, p. 137). The poor are blessed because they are dependent on God, and in this dependence, they are uniquely positioned to receive the kingdom.
As I wrote about here, Rome occupied Judea, extracted wealth, and left most people living at subsistence.
2. “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled” (Luke 6:21).
This blessing speaks to those who experience physical hunger, but it also has a spiritual dimension. The hungry are promised satisfaction, both physically and spiritually. The language here echoes the Old Testament promises of God’s provision, reminding us that God cares for our basic needs and that those who hunger for righteousness will be filled.
This promise of fulfillment contrasts with the empty promises of wealth, fame, and power that the world offers. D.A. Carson writes, “Jesus here is declaring that the satisfaction of those who long for righteousness will be their greatest reward” (Carson, The Sermon on the Mount, p. 108). In the kingdom, those who lack will be provided for, and their deepest longings will be satisfied.
3. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh” (Luke 6:21).
Weeping is often associated with sorrow, loss, and pain. But here, Jesus promises joy. The grief that comes from living in a broken world will be replaced with laughter, a symbol of the joy and peace that will come when God’s kingdom is fully realized.
In The Gospel According to Luke, the European scholar Joachim Jeremias notes, “The weeping is a consequence of sin and suffering, but the laughter represents the reversal that God’s kingdom brings to those who are in Christ” (Jeremias, The Gospel According to Luke, p. 192). The sorrow of the present age will be replaced by the eternal joy of God’s presence.
4. “Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man” (Luke 6:22).
This blessing speaks to the persecution that Jesus’ followers will face. Rejection and hatred are not easy to bear, but Jesus promises that those who suffer for his name will be rewarded. This counters the world’s tendency to value acceptance and popularity. Following Christ may lead to exclusion, but in the eyes of God, such suffering is honored.
Rabbi’s often taught with either/or ideas or binary choices. This passage makes it clear, there is one route of blessing and another for harm. Jesus preaches on the plain to help people identify and walk upon the way of God.
The Woes: A Warning to the Comfortable
In contrast to the blessings, Jesus also pronounces four woes in Luke 6:24-26. These woes serve as a warning to those who are comfortable and secure in the world’s values, those who seek power, wealth, and popularity.
1. “Woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort” (Luke 6:24).
Wealth, in and of itself, is not condemned, but the pursuit of wealth and the reliance on material riches is. Those who place their trust in their wealth will find that it is fleeting and ultimately unsatisfying. The comfort that wealth provides is temporary, and those who seek it will not find lasting fulfillment in God’s kingdom.
DA Carson points out, “The rich are warned that their security in the material world will not save them. The comfort they seek is fleeting, and their future is uncertain” (Carson, The Sermon on the Mount, p. 110). Perhaps Jesus also knows that among them are those who are rich because they have exploited others (tax collectors like Levi/Matthew and Zacchaeus, or soldiers who take advantage of their position).
2. “Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry” (Luke 6:25).
This woe speaks to those who are satisfied with their current comforts and pleasures. Just as the hungry will be filled, those who are full now will find themselves spiritually empty. The reversal is stark—what satisfies in this life will fail to satisfy in the next.
Jeremias writes, “This is a warning against those who find their ultimate satisfaction in the things of this world, for their hunger for true life will remain unfulfilled” (Jeremias, The Gospel According to Luke, p. 194). The physical satisfaction of today is no guarantee of spiritual peace tomorrow.
3. “Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep” (Luke 6:25).
This woe contrasts with the blessing for those who weep. Those who live in constant enjoyment, seeking the pleasures of this world, will find that their joy is fleeting. What seems like happiness now will be replaced by sorrow later.
Lloyd-Jones notes, “There is a joy that comes from living for this world, but it is shallow and temporary. True joy comes from living for the kingdom of God” (Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, p. 153).
4. “Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets” (Luke 6:26).
This final woe is a warning against seeking the approval of others. Popularity, in and of itself, is not bad, but seeking it at the expense of faithfulness to God is. Jesus warns that the false prophets of history were often praised by the people, even while leading them astray. To be popular in this world may be to miss the approval of God.
The gospel of Luke starts with four songs that introduce themes that will be throughout the gospel, especially the Sermon on the Plain which Jesus preached.
The Four Songs in Luke 1 and the Sermon on the Plain
In the early pages of this gospel, Luke includes 4 songs: Zechariah's Benedictus, Mary's Magnificat, Simeon's Nunc Dimittis, and the Angels' Gloria. Themes introduced in those songs are repeated by Jesus - the promises was made by God, the four songs celebrate that the Messiah is born, and Jesus introduces the in-breaking of those world-changing promises.
In this passage, Jesus outlines the principles of God’s kingdom, which reflect the same themes of divine faithfulness, salvation, social reversal, and the universal scope of God’s work. These themes are central to understanding the radical nature of Jesus’ message and the way he redefines the values of the world.
Divine Faithfulness and Salvation Theme in Luke
Just as the songs in Luke highlight God’s faithfulness in fulfilling his promises of salvation, the Sermon on the Plain proclaims that God’s kingdom is arriving with power to deliver and redeem. In the blessings that open the sermon (Luke 6:20-23), Jesus speaks of hope for those who are poor, hungry, and persecuted. These are the very groups that the songs in Luke suggest God is specially concerned about, particularly in the ways God has shown mercy and brought salvation to the lowly (Luke 1:52-54, 1:69-71). The Sermon on the Plain promises a future reversal where these marginalized people will be filled and comforted, reflecting God’s faithfulness to rescue and save those who have been oppressed.
Social Reversal and the Kingdom of God Theme in Luke
The theme of social reversal, so clearly expressed in Mary’s Magnificat and echoed in Zechariah’s Benedictus, plays a critical role in the Sermon on the Plain as well. Jesus turns the social order upside down by pronouncing blessings on the poor and woes on the rich and satisfied (Luke 6:20-26). This is a radical declaration that challenges prevailing notions of status and power. Jesus affirms that God’s kingdom is not about maintaining the status quo but about upending it, lifting up the humble and lowering the exalted. The Magnificat speaks of this reversal directly, as Mary exclaims that God has “filled the hungry with good things” and “sent the rich away empty” (Luke 1:53). Similarly, in the Sermon on the Plain, the blessings and woes highlight a kingdom that values humility and righteousness.
The Universal Scope of God’s Salvation Theme in Luke
The universality of God’s salvation, another theme from the opening songs of Luke, also appears in the Sermon on the Plain. Jesus’ blessings extend not only to the poor and oppressed of Israel but also to all who are willing to follow him. This universal message is part of the same promise spoken by the angels in Luke 2:10-14, declaring that the Savior has come for “all people.” Jesus’ blessings and woes speak to the inclusivity of the kingdom of God, where all are invited to experience the transformation that comes through faith in Christ—whether rich or poor, powerful or weak. His message calls for repentance and renewal, ensuring that anyone who turns to God will find comfort, justice, and peace.
In the Sermon on the Plain, the themes of faithfulness, salvation, social reversal, and universality are not just lofty ideals but active realities that challenge the prevailing values of the world. Just as the songs at the beginning of Luke celebrated God’s coming kingdom, Jesus’ words here provide a tangible expression of that kingdom’s arrival
Luke 6:17-26 Commentary and Meaning for Today
The blessings and woes in Luke 6:17-26 serve as a powerful reminder that God’s kingdom operates on principles that are the opposite of those in the world. The poor are blessed, the hungry are filled, and those who suffer for Christ’s sake are honored. Conversely, the rich, the satisfied, and the popular face dire consequences if they do not turn to God.
In the Sermon on the Plain, Jesus lays out a vision of life that is radically different from the world’s expectations. The blessings and woes teach us that God’s kingdom is not about wealth, power, or popularity—it’s about humility, dependence on God, and faithfulness in the face of adversity. As we live in this world, we are called to embody these values, offering hope to the marginalized, confronting the complacent, and living lives that reflect the priorities of God’s kingdom.
