In the weekly readings from the Bible, suggested by certain denominations of the Church, known as the Lectionary, we seem to have skipped a fair few passages from last week. What did we miss?
We don’t mention Jesus healing a man with a skin disease, or a paralysed man who had a problem with this roof (thanks to his friends), his calling of Levi or Mathew to follow him – you know the tax collector, Jesus eats a grain on one Sabbath, and on another Sabbath he heals another man with a dodgy arm. This greatly annoys the Pharisees. No, not the healing aspects but the bit about the ‘Sabbath’. Jesus then calls the 12 apostles who will follow him on his journey to Jerusalem – although they had yet to read the small print about that destination. Yes, they were all men, but just because it seems silent about women, doesn’t mean there weren’t there: check out Luke 8:1-3.
So, in our selected passage from this week: Luke 6:17-26 – oh, how some politicians are going to love this…
We have another healing of a man. Healing was a key attribute to the work of Jesus on his journey to Jerusalem. So much so, that many might well have been drawn to him, not as the Messiah but, as a magician, or magical healer. There were plenty of these folk around – for example, Jannes and Jambres in 2 Timothy, albeit the authorship is problematical) as medical practice was not officially recognised back then. Thirty eight out of 51 healings in the New Testament occur in the Gospels. [I’d encourage you to read the linked article about what reasons were given for healing in each situation – fascinating].
The Pharisees seem to get annoyed. Let’s put this into context. The author of Luke’s Gospel (not probably Luke) was writing in and around 80-85 AD (approximately). This was post the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem (c70AD), when Jews were then finding a new home, especially in the diaspora movement. The new followers in Jesus were also establishing themselves in people’s houses and courtyards, but also in the Synagogue on the Sabbath. The Jews of that time weren’t able to recognise Jesus as a Messiah given that he was a crucified criminal. I’m struck that some US right wing followers have yet to catch on that a felon could well be ascribed to be a ‘messiah’- type figure, or possibly they already have. Anyway, the Pharisees would be the ones who would be seeking to correct the Jesus followers; they wouldn’t agree totally on what they were doing, especially those who weren’t Jews originally. Hence, the flavour of annoyance with the Pharisees which pervades the Gospels. “They were only doing what they believed“
Jesus pops up a mountain. Whenever Jesus goes up a Munro, it’s to get closer to God. It might not actually have to be a mountain, but Moses, Abraham and Elijah have all posted posts on Tripadvisor before about their mountain experiences. As Jesus descends to the plain, he brings with him all the Apostles who he has called. Were they expecting the call, like just after an interview? Moreover, many, many more also pitch up to listen Jesus.
So, Jesus stands on the Plain (unlike Matthews’ Sermon the Mount up a Mountain, nor the image portrayed by Good Omens) and speaks to this great crowd. I’m surprised that no attendance figures, such as for the feeding of the 4 or 5 thousand aren’t given. Perhaps they were illustrative figures, not actual.
We have a few more physical healings to seta with, some with mental anguish are relieved, but then Jesus gets to the punch lines, which we might have heard of so recently:
<Spoiler Alert: Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde>
v20 Blessed are the poor, for theirs is the Kingdom of God;
v21 those who are hungry now (not limited to a particular food) for you will be filled, those who are weeping now, for you will laugh.
v 22. Blessed are those of you who are hated, when they exclude, revile and defame you on account of me.
And to conclude
v24-25 But woe to you who are full now (not limited to food) or are laughing now.
What was the remark given after the National Day of Prayer service with Bishop Budde: “Did you find that exciting?“
There’s a comparison here between being content with what we (as society) actually have and what we might want for a certain subset of society. Some might call it being happy and terrible, or even ‘honour and shame’, as Jesus might have recognised it. The blessings and warnings were statements for now. I wonder whether that was how it was perceived that January 21st in Washington DC?, and how we hear it today?
If the author was writing to Theophilus, mentioned at the start of the Gospel, someone who wasn’t poor, reviled nor excluded, was the author trying to infer that Jesus was highlighting the plague across the land, where society was polarised into those that have and those who defiantly will never have. The rulers and those who work the land. Do we hear that even today?
How do we respond?
We can ignore these words. Yet another Sunday sermon rolls by as we yearn for the coffee after the service – or act upon these words. How might they transform us, be that power within us to actively support the poor, marginalised, those crying in anguish, hungry for change? Or just keep to the status quo, and let those who are content now, laugh at the rest of society?
Might social ostracism still be the fate of those who befriend the poor?” (Ewart, quoting Malina and Rohrbaugh)
The pay for physical labor is much less in India, probably because of the availability of people wanting a job, unlike here. And therefore, the upper and middle class are able to afford to have helpers at their home to cook, clean and even help with laundry or washing dishes. I was single and lived alone in an apartment for a decade before moving to Germany which was something not very popular there, as firstly there was a security issue for a woman to live alone, and secondly, people did not consider that was a right thing to do and so almost everyone gets married there. Because of this, I was probably more friendly with the workers there – security guards, cleaners, plumbers
besides one old couple who stayed on the first floor. Well, others were busy gossiping while I was busy working hard in the IT sector. Of course there were a few open minded people there like the real estate agent 
and his family.