Jesus Preaching the Sermon on the MountBible World
6:20Luke 6:20
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.
Christ's blessing in the verse is pronounced not upon the rich but upon the poor of this world, with the promise that the kingdom of God is theirs. The poor so blessed are those who are poor in spirit, who hunger and thirst after righteousness, who belong to Christ, and who are humble and worthy. Their poverty frees them from almost all of the delusive temptations that beset the rich, so that the poor face fewer such temptations. Poverty joined with Christ is high spiritual wealth, for their poverty of spirit will be supplied with wealth from the riches of God's grace.
As King of glory and Majesty of heaven He stripped Himself of glorious outward adorning, laid aside crown and kingly robe, and clothed divinity with humanity to stand at the head of the fallen human family. He came of poor parentage and began His human life in poverty, living the life of a poor man accustomed to privation. He labored with His hands for the support of His mother and brothers and sisters, had nowhere to lay His head, and worked in poverty all His life, knowing its stigma and reproach. He took His position with the poor and made poverty His own teacher to be educated by it. He was afflicted in all the afflictions of the human family so that He understands how the poor are treated, and He is linked with the poor in a special sense.
By choosing and accepting a life of poverty and humiliation, by His example, influence, words, and life, He honored and consecrated poverty. He thereby forever removed from it the shame, disgrace, and reproach attached to being destitute of worldly advantages. He thereby molds the poor, puts them on vantage ground with God, and brings sanctification, consecration, and redemption to the world. So no one can justly look with contempt upon the poor or honor great men merely because of wealth.
The verse also blesses those who help the poor and lighten their burden. Gathering many from the poorer class to obey the truth is therefore good work to be valued.
Christ's blessing in the verse is pronounced not upon the rich but upon the poor of this world, with the promise that the kingdom of God is theirs. The poor so blessed are those who are poor in spirit, who hunger and thirst after righteousness, who belong to Christ, and who are humble and worthy. Their poverty frees them from almost all of the delusive temptations that beset the rich, so that the poor face fewer such temptations. Poverty joined with Christ is high spiritual wealth, for their poverty of spirit will be supplied with wealth from the riches of God's grace.
As King of glory and Majesty of heaven He stripped Himself of glorious outward adorning, laid aside crown and kingly robe, and clothed divinity with humanity to stand at the head of the fallen human family. He came of poor parentage and began His human life in poverty, living the life of a poor man accustomed to privation. He labored with His hands for the support of His mother and brothers and sisters, had nowhere to lay His head, and worked in poverty all His life, knowing its stigma and reproach. He took His position with the poor and made poverty His own teacher to be educated by it. He was afflicted in all the afflictions of the human family so that He understands how the poor are treated, and He is linked with the poor in a special sense.
By choosing and accepting a life of poverty and humiliation, by His example, influence, words, and life, He honored and consecrated poverty. He thereby forever removed from it the shame, disgrace, and reproach attached to being destitute of worldly advantages. He thereby molds the poor, puts them on vantage ground with God, and brings sanctification, consecration, and redemption to the world. So no one can justly look with contempt upon the poor or honor great men merely because of wealth.
The verse also blesses those who help the poor and lighten their burden. Gathering many from the poorer class to obey the truth is therefore good work to be valued.