Luke 6:20

Clearly Jesus’ disciples were the primary objects of His instruction in this sermon (cf. Luke 6:13-19).

"Blessed" (Gr. makarios) in this context describes the happy condition of someone whom God has blessed with His special favor. [Note: See Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, s.v. "makarios," by F. Hauck and G. Bertram, 4:362-70.] Luke’s original Greek readers would have been familiar with the word.

"Originally in Greek usage the word described the happy estate of the gods above earthly sufferings and labors." [Note: Martin, p. 220.]

Poor disciples are those who have given up what the world offers to follow Jesus faithfully (cf. Deuteronomy 33:29; Psalms 2:12; Psalms 32:1-2; Psalms 34:8; Psalms 40:4; Psalms 84:12; Psalms 112:1). Some of Jesus’ disciples had already done this (cf. Luke 5:11; Luke 5:28). Such disciples characteristically look to God for their needs rather than to themselves or the world. The parallel passage in Matthew clarifies that spiritual poverty, namely, a recognition of one’s spiritual need, is at the root of this physically poor disciple’s thinking (Matthew 5:3).

"They rely on God and they must rely on Him, for they have nothing of their own on which to rely. . . . The rich of this world often are self-reliant" [Note: Morris, pp. 126, 127.]

The second part of each beatitude explains why the person in view is blessed or happy. Disciples who forego the wealth of the present world order to follow Jesus faithfully have Jesus’ promise that they will enjoy the benefits of the new world order, namely, the messianic kingdom. Jesus’ disciples are better off poor now, yet having a part in the coming messianic kingdom, than being rich now and having no part in that future kingdom.

"Human society perpetuates structures of injustice and exclusion, but God intervenes on the side of the oppressed. The disruptive effect of this intervention is often presented in Luke as a reversal of the structures of society: those with power, status, and riches are put down and those without them are exalted. This reversal was proclaimed in the Magnificat (Luke 1:51-53). A similar overturn of the established order was anticipated in Simeon’s prophecy that Jesus ’is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel’ (Luke 2:34)." [Note: Tannehill, 1:109.]