Jesus Blesses the Lowly and Commands Merciful Love

6:17 Then he came down with them and stood on a level place. And a large number of his disciples had gathered along with a vast multitude from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon. They came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases, 6:18 and those who suffered from unclean spirits were cured. 6:19 The whole crowd was trying to touch him, because power was coming out from him and healing them all. 6:20 Then he looked up at his disciples and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God belongs to you. 6:21 "Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. "Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. 6:22 "Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject you as evil on account of the Son of Man! 6:23 Rejoice in that day, and jump for joy, because your reward is great in heaven. For their ancestors did the same things to the prophets. 6:24 "But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your comfort already. 6:25 "Woe to you who are well satisfied with food now, for you will be hungry. "Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. 6:26 "Woe to you when all people speak well of you, for their ancestors did the same things to the false prophets. 6:27 "But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 6:28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 6:29 To the person who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other as well, and from the person who takes away your coat, do not withhold your tunic either. 6:30 Give to everyone who asks you, and do not ask for your possessions back from the person who takes them away. 6:31 Treat others in the same way that you would want them to treat you. 6:32 "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 6:33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do the same. 6:34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to be repaid, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, so that they may be repaid in full. 6:35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to ungrateful and evil people. 6:36 Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. 6:37 "Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven. 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you: A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use will be the measure you receive." 6:39 He also told them a parable: "Someone who is blind cannot lead another who is blind, can he? Won't they both fall into a pit? 6:40 A disciple is not greater than his teacher, but everyone when fully trained will be like his teacher. 6:41 Why do you see the speck in your brother's eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own? 6:42 How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove the speck from your eye,' while you yourself don't see the beam in your own? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. 6:43 "For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, 6:44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from brambles. 6:45 The good person out of the good treasury of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasury produces evil, for his mouth speaks from what fills his heart. 6:46 "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and don't do what I tell you? 6:47 "Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and puts them into practice - I will show you what he is like: 6:48 He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep, and laid the foundation on bedrock. When a flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it, because it had been well built. 6:49 But the person who hears and does not put my words into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the river burst against that house, it collapsed immediately, and was utterly destroyed!"

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Jesus teaches his disciples that God's kingdom overturns ordinary values. The poor, hungry, weeping, and persecuted are blessed, while the rich, satisfied, laughing, and praised are warned. He commands love for enemies, mercy, forgiveness, and obedience to his words.

Jesus first shows his power by healing many people and casting out unclean spirits. Then he speaks to his disciples on a level place. His words are not mere advice. They come from one whose authority has already been shown in healing.

He calls the poor blessed, along with those who hunger, weep, and suffer rejection because of the Son of Man. Their present pain is not the last word. God will reverse their condition. The kingdom belongs to them. They will be satisfied, they will laugh, and their reward in heaven is great.

Jesus also speaks woe over the rich, the full, the laughing, and those who are spoken well of by everyone. This is not a simple attack on wealth itself. The warning is against present comfort and self-satisfied security that leave no room for God’s kingdom.

Jesus then commands a hard but holy love: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. His disciples must refuse revenge and a retaliatory spirit. They must give freely and not cling to strict repayment. They should treat others as they want to be treated.

He says this kind of love is greater than ordinary human exchange. Even sinners love those who love them. But God’s children are to be different. They must be merciful, because the Father is merciful. This mercy is not weak. It is strong love that seeks another's good.

Jesus also warns against judging in a condemning and hypocritical way. He does not forbid all moral discernment. He forbids the proud spirit that judges others while ignoring one's own sin. A person must first deal honestly with the beam in his own eye before trying to help another.

He says that a tree is known by its fruit. In the same way, a person's words and actions show what is in the heart. Good speech and good conduct come from a good heart. Evil speech and evil conduct come from an evil heart.

The sermon ends with a sharp warning. It is not enough to call Jesus 'Lord, Lord.' His true followers hear his words and put them into practice. The one who obeys him is like a house built on rock. It stands when the flood comes. The one who hears but does not obey is like a house with no foundation. It falls in ruin.

• Jesus' healing authority gives weight to his teaching authority.
• The blessings and woes announce God's reversal of ordinary human values.
• The poor in Luke 6 are real poor disciples, not only a symbol of inward humility.
• Persecution is blessed when it is suffered because of loyalty to the Son of Man.
• Enemy-love must be shown in concrete actions: do good, bless, pray, give, and refuse retaliation.
• 'Do not judge' forbids hypocritical condemnation, not all moral discernment.
• A person's words and actions reveal the condition of the heart.
• Calling Jesus 'Lord' means little if his words are not obeyed.

• Do not reduce the passage to only social issues or only inward spirituality; Jesus holds together material conditions, heart posture, and allegiance to himself.
• Do not treat the commands about non-retaliation and generosity as vague ideals, but do not force them into rigid case law without regard to context.
• Do not use 'do not judge' as an excuse to avoid moral clarity or correction.
• Do not soften the final warning: hearing Jesus without obeying him leads to ruin.

Jesus speaks as the King whose kingdom reverses present conditions. God's favor rests on the lowly, and God's coming justice warns the self-secure. The Father’s mercy becomes the pattern for the mercy of Jesus' disciples, and obedience to Jesus' words becomes the sign of true allegiance to God's reign.

Let Jesus, not comfort or public opinion, define what is blessed and what is dangerous. Show mercy to enemies through prayer, kindness, generosity, and refusal of revenge. Examine your own sin before trying to correct others. Do not measure faithfulness by popularity. Build your life on Jesus by hearing and obeying his words.

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