Luke 6:15-21

6:15 Matthew, Thomas, ¹  James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, ²  6:16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, ³  who became a traitor.

The Sermon on the Plain

6:17 Then ⁴  he came down with them and stood on a level place. ⁵  And a large number ⁶  of his disciples had gathered ⁷  along with ⁸  a vast multitude from all over Judea, from ⁹  Jerusalem, ¹⁰  and from the seacoast of Tyre ¹¹  and Sidon. ¹²  They came to hear him and to be healed ¹³  of their diseases, 6:18 and those who suffered from ¹⁴  unclean ¹⁵  spirits were cured. 6:19 The ¹⁶  whole crowd was trying to touch him, because power ¹⁷  was coming out from him and healing them all.

6:20 Then ¹⁸  he looked up ¹⁹  at his disciples and said:

“Blessed ²⁰  are you who are poor, ²¹  for the kingdom of God belongs ²²  to you.

6:21 “Blessed are you who hunger ²³  now, for you will be satisfied. ²⁴ 

“Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. ²⁵ 

[6:15]  ¹ sn This is the “doubting Thomas” of John 20:24-29.

[6:15]  ² sn The designation Zealot means that Simon was a political nationalist before coming to follow Jesus. He may not have been technically a member of the particular Jewish nationalistic party known as “Zealots” (since according to some scholars this party had not been organized at that time), but simply someone who was zealous for Jewish independence from Rome, in which case the descriptive term applied to Simon means something like “Simon the patriot” (see L&N 25.77 and especially 11.88).

[6:16]  ³ sn There is some debate about what the name Iscariot means. It probably alludes to a region in Judea and thus might make Judas the only non-Galilean in the group. Several explanations for the name Iscariot have been proposed, but it is probably transliterated Hebrew with the meaning “man of Kerioth” (there are at least two villages that had that name). For further discussion see D. L. Bock, Luke (BECNT), 1:546; also D. A. Carson, John, 304.

[6:17]  ⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[6:17]  ⁵ tn Or “on a plateau.” This could refer to a message given in a flat locale or in a flat locale in the midst of a more mountainous region (Jer 21:13; Isa 13:2). It is quite possible that this sermon is a summary version of the better known Sermon on the Mount from Matt 5-7.

[6:17]  ⁶ tn Grk “large crowd.”

[6:17]  ⁷ tn There is no verb in Greek at this point, but since “a large crowd” (see preceding tn) is in the nominative case, one needs to be supplied.

[6:17]  ⁸ tn Grk “and.”

[6:17]  ⁹ tn Grk “and from,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[6:17]  ¹⁰ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[6:17]  ¹¹ map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[6:17]  ¹² sn These last two locations, Tyre and Sidon, represented an expansion outside of traditional Jewish territory. Jesus’ reputation continued to expand into new regions.

[6:17]  ¹³ sn To hear him and to be healed. Jesus had a two-level ministry: The word and then wondrous acts of service that showed his message of God’s care were real.

[6:18]  ¹⁴ tn Or “were oppressed by,” “were troubled with.” See L&N 22.17.

[6:18]  ¹⁵ sn Unclean spirits refers to evil spirits. See Luke 4:33.

[6:19]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “And the.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[6:19]  ¹⁷ sn There was a recognition that there was great power at work through Jesus, the subject of a great debate in 11:14-23. Luke highlights Jesus’ healing ministry (5:17; 6:18; 7:7; 8:47; 9:11, 42; 14:4; 17:15; 18:42-43; 22:51; Acts 10:38).

[6:20]  ¹⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[6:20]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “lifting up his eyes” (an idiom). The participle ἐπάρας (epara") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[6:20]  ²⁰ sn The term Blessed introduces the first of several beatitudes promising blessing to those whom God cares for. They serve as an invitation to come into the grace God offers.

[6:20]  ²¹ sn You who are poor is a reference to the “pious poor” for whom God especially cares. See Ps 14:6; 22:24; 25:16; 34:6; 40:17; 69:29.

[6:20]  ²² sn The present tense (belongs) here is significant. Jesus makes the kingdom and its blessings currently available. This phrase is unlike the others in the list with the possessive pronoun being emphasized. Jesus was saying, in effect, “the kingdom belongs even now to people like you.”

[6:21]  ²³ sn You who hunger are people like the poor Jesus has already mentioned. The term has OT roots both in conjunction with the poor (Isa 32:6-7; 58:6-7, 9-10; Ezek 18:7, 16) or by itself (Ps 37:16-19; 107:9).

[6:21]  ²⁴ sn The promise you will be satisfied is the first of several “reversals” noted in these promises. The beatitudes and the reversals that accompany them serve in the sermon as an invitation to enter into God’s care, because one can know God cares for those who turn to him.

[6:21]  ²⁵ sn You will laugh alludes to the joy that comes to God’s people in the salvation to come.