The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 1 — Section 170

Vere. 20-49.-The LegislatO'T' on the mount. We have seen how, after a whole night spent in prayer, our Lord proceeded to the important work of selecting his apostles. In this way he org(JITl,ized his kingdom. And now, havin~ healed all who needed healing, and had been brought or had come to him, he has the ground cleared for legislative work. From this mountain-top in Galilee he publishes the laws of the kingdom, and thus gives to the world such a high-toned morality a.a has not been surpassed or superseded by o.ny ethical speculations since. It may be safely said that all the Ohristless ethics which have been offered to the world in lieu of the Christian, contain nothing valuable which Christ's sy&tem has not in better form, and that they err by defect in many places. Christ is still, in the department of ethics, "the Light of the world." 1 Tho audience to whom the sermon on the mount was delivered w,1s almost entirely Jewish, and they doubtless entertained the usual ide!Ls about the king- dom of Messiah. This kingJom was, they hoped, to be one where they would enjoy immunity from trouble, and be in flourishing worldly circumstances. Theirs was a worldly dream. They wanted a golden age of wealth and worldly power. It was needful for our Lord, consequently, to correct these superficial notions, and to create a kingdom which could flourish in spite of the world's opposition and of all possible dis- advantages. Accordingly, we find the Divine Legislator first quietly describing the members of his kingdom and distinguishing them from the worldly minded outside; secondly, laying down the policy his people should pursue; thirdly, pointing out the secret of true leadership among men; and lastly, the stability of the obedient. To these points let us devote ourselves for a little in their order. I. CHRIST DIFFEBENTU.TES HIS SUBJECTS FBOllt THE WORLDLY MINDED OU'I'SIDE, (Vers. 20-26.) For the simple statement of the Beatitudes, and of the woes that constitute their contrast, really draws the line between his kingdom and the world. Matthew, in his fuller version of this sermon on the mount, gives eight Beatitudes and no woes; Luke balances the four Beatitudes by four contrasted woes. The teaching in both versions is, however, practically identical. And when we look into our Lord's declara- tions, we find, in the first place, that~ in his kingdom, the poor, the hungry, the tearful, and the persecuted are enabled to realize blessedness. 'l'his is the paradox of Christian experience, that, in spite of poverty, and of hnnger, and of sorrow, and of opposition, Christ enables his people to maintain a blessed spirit. The poor are "rich in faith;" the hungry, especially those whose appetite is keen for righteousness (cf. Matt. v. 6), are certain to be filled; the tearful have the assurance that God will wipe away all tears from their eyes, if not on earth, at all events in heaven (cf. Rev. vii. 17); and the persecuted for Christ's sake are enabled to rejoice in view of that great reward in heaven which awaits all Christ's faithful martyrs. 'l'bis blessedness is maintained in all these cases in spite of everything which militates against it. On the other band, our Lord shows the rich, and the satiated, and the laughter-indulging, and the popularity-hunt- ing people that, having received their eonsolation in this life, there is nothing in the next life for them but disappointment, lamentation, and woe. This may easily be verified. Those who "trust in uncertain riches "-and it is to these our Lord refers, as parallel passages show-must be woefully disappointed when they have to cross the Stygian river without their gold. All that they trll8ted in shall then have failed them for evermore. Those, again, who are satiated with this worlJ's pleasures, and who have contracted no higher appetite, will be terribly empty when this world and all its pleasures shall have passed away like a dream. Those, again, who lived for laughter- the sportsmen of the world-shall find no provision made in another life for such profit- less people, and shall'mourn and weep over the lost opportunities of life. And, lastly, the popularity-hunters, who made the good opinion of the populace their great ambi- tion, and were satisfied when all men spoke well of them, will fiud, like the popular falae prophets of the paat, that the other life is constructed upon such lines as will 11ssign to each his duo, and to popularity-hunting the doom of those who love applause rather than principle. Upon the worldly minded and successful, so far as this life is concerned., there is oast, by the great Lawgiver, the shadow of doom. For such people there is no reserve fund in a future life; they have eaten up both capital and interest. II. CHRIST LAYS DOWN THe: POLICY HIS PEOPLE SHOULD PURSUE. (Vers. 27--38.) Now, one of the cardinal principles of worldly policy is to" give nothing for nothing." 1 Of. • Tlle Light of the World,' by A. S. Wilkins, M.A., p<UBim.  THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. lon. m. 1-50.