This morning’s reading from Luke 6:17–26 gives us a version of Jesus’ famous teaching that’s often called the Sermon on the Plain. Like the Beatitudes in Matthew, Jesus speaks blessings over the poor, the hungry, the grieving, and the hated—but Luke also includes a set of “woes” that warn the rich, the satisfied, and the admired. The setting is different too: Luke places Jesus on level ground, while Matthew has Him on a mountain. But both versions are true—Jesus likely shared these core messages many times, and each Gospel writer highlights different angles. Matthew emphasizes Jesus as the new Moses; Luke shows Him as a teacher for everyone. Together, they help us see Jesus more clearly.

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Good morning, and happy Friday! It’s great to be with you today as we wrap up our week in the Gospel of Luke. I hope your week has been a good one. Around here, it’s been busy—some of our local kids just started school. Our kids are in college now, so we’re past that season, but it’s still fun to see the excitement around a new school year.

I’m looking forward to a slower weekend—just church and a new sermon series starting on Sunday. We’ll be focusing on John Wesley’s “Three Simple Rules.” If you’re in the Madison area, we’d love to have you join us.

Today we’re in Luke 6:17–26. This passage might sound familiar—it closely resembles the Beatitudes from Matthew 5, known as the Sermon on the Mount. But in Luke, it looks a little different. Let’s read it and take a closer look at why:

He came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of disciples and a multitude of people from Judea, Jerusalem, and the coast of Tyre and Sidon. They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all in the crowd were trying to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.

Then he looked up at his disciples and said:

“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you will be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.

But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
Woe to you who are full now, for you will be hungry.
Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep.
Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.”

Sound familiar? These verses parallel the Beatitudes in Matthew 5—same structure, similar message. But there are some key differences. Matthew gives a fuller list of blessings (or “beatitudes”), while Luke gives a shorter list and adds several “woes.” Also, Matthew describes Jesus going up a mountain to teach, while Luke tells us Jesus came down and stood on a level place. That’s why this is often called the Sermon on the Plain in Luke, in contrast to the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew.

So which version is right? Did Jesus teach from a mountain or a plain? Were there more blessings or more warnings?

The answer is: yes—both are right.

Jesus was a preacher and teacher who likely repeated his core teachings many times to many different crowds. The Gospel writers weren’t trying to give a word-for-word transcript of every sermon. They were showing us who Jesus is, each from their unique perspective and with their audience in mind.

Matthew, writing for a Jewish audience, emphasizes Jesus as the fulfillment of the Old Testament—especially Moses. That’s why he shows Jesus going up a mountain to deliver his teaching, just as Moses went up Mount Sinai to receive the law. Matthew is showing Jesus as the new lawgiver—the one who doesn’t abolish the law, but fulfills it.

Luke, on the other hand, writes for a Gentile audience. His readers wouldn’t have connected those dots with Moses. Instead, Luke presents Jesus more like a philosopher or teacher in the tradition of figures like Socrates or Aristotle—someone who teaches from a level place, among his followers. He shows Jesus as a wise teacher whose message is for everyone, Jew and Gentile alike.

So while the setting and emphasis may differ, both accounts reveal deep truths about Jesus. Matthew reveals his connection to Israel’s story. Luke emphasizes his accessibility and universal mission. Together, they give us a fuller picture of who Jesus is.

Next week, we’ll dive into the content of this sermon itself—the blessings and the woes—and what they mean for our lives. But today, I hope it’s helpful to understand why the Gospel writers tell the story the way they do.

Thanks for spending time with me this week. Have a great weekend, and I’ll see you Monday as we continue our journey through Luke.