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The Sermon on the Mount (2): the woes recorded by Luke

This article focuses on the woes Jesus pronounces in the Sermon on the Mount according to Luke's Gospel. By denouncing attachment to material things and the pursuit of human approval, these warnings highlight the essential values to follow as a true disciple.

4 min Sermon on the Mount woes Luke 5 verses 2 books

Resources

Biblical texts

Matthew
Matthew 23.13-31 (King James Version)

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!

Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

Mark
Mark (King James Version) not cited in the book
Luke
Luke 6.24-26 (King James Version)

But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.

Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

John
John (King James Version) not cited in the book

Technical details

Bar chart for the year 31

Location: On the plateau below a mountain near Capernaum in Galilee

Date: After the Passover pilgrimage to Jerusalem on April 5, AD 31

Method: We switch to Luke

Note on the approach: Luke alone recounts four woes pronounced by Jesus the Messiah; Matthew will also mention them, but at another time

Capernaum

The woes recorded by Luke.

The Sermon on the Mount: the woes recorded by Luke

The Sermon on the Mount (2): the woes recorded by Luke

Comments

Luke identifies four woes concerning:

- The rich, that is, those who rely on their riches.
- Those who selfishly enjoy life without caring for the poor.
- Those who find their joy in worldly pleasures.
- Those who seek human favour.

By emphasising these four points, Luke shows that anyone wishing to be Jesus the Messiah's disciple must not pursue this world's pleasures. This reasoning is consistent with that of the Beatitudes, highlighting the life a true disciple must lead.

The text of Matthew 23.13-31 differs from the thought of the Sermon on the Mount because it condemns the practices of the religious leaders of the time. It clearly illustrates the period's religious atmosphere and helps us better understand John the Baptist's anger towards these people, who showed not a trace of repentance (Matthew 3.7-10).

Matthew also mentions woes concerning three towns: , Chorazin and even Capernaum. By contrast, he cites three pagan towns: Tyre, Sidon and Sodom (Matthew 11.20-24).