6th Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 16 2025

Before teaching his disciples and the crowds how to relate to God and to other people in the Sermon on the Plain, Jesus continues to heal the sick and cast out demons. His fame continues to spread. Luke notes earlier (6:17) that Jesus taught on a “level” place or plateau. There are many level places on the hills surrounding the Sea of Galilee, and this is not inconsistent with the mountain setting in Matthew. Virtually all of Luke’s Sermon on the Plain can be found in Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount. The only difference is that after the Beatitudes in 6:20–23, Luke includes a list of “woes” in 6:24–26. Luke has more of a physical, social focus indicating that Jesus cares about our physical needs as well as our spiritual needs. Those who are poor, hungry, sorrowful, hated, excluded, insulted, and rejected now because of their relationship to Jesus are blessed, for they are identifying with the true prophets of old (6:20–23). But those who are rich, well fed, haughty, and universally praised stand under the curse of God, for they are casting their lot with the false prophets (6:24–26).