Are You Blessed?

The Sermon on the Mount

{Luke}

A large crowd of Jesus’ followers traveled from Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon to be healed of diseases and cured of evil spirits. (Personal Thought: interesting that Luke uses the word cured rather than cleansed.) The people tried to touch Jesus as power emanated from him. He healed them all.

{Matthew} Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat to teach the crowds.

The Beatitudes

{Matthew}

“Blessed are the poor in spirit (Luke says only the poor), for they gain the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn. They will be comforted.” (Luke says those who weep will laugh.) “Blessed are the meek. They inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Luke says those who are hungry will be satisfied.)

“The merciful will be shown mercy, and the pure in heart will see God. Peacemakers become the sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for doing the right thing. Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult, persecute, and lie, accusing you of all kinds of evil because you follow me. Rejoice and be glad. Your reward in heaven is great. These people persecuted the prophets who came before you in the same way.”

{Luke}

“Blessed are you when men hate you, exclude, insult, and reject your name as evil because of the son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for that is how their fathers treated the prophets. Woe to you who are rich, you’ve received your comfort. Woe to the well fed. You will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. Woe to you when men praise you, for even so their fathers praised the false prophets.”