Luke 6:20-26
20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.
22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.
25 Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.
26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
The Grace New Testament Commentary - Luke 6:20-26
6:20 Jesus begins His new wine message by focusing first on His followers. Jesus lifted up His eyes toward His disciples. His initial words - four beatitudes - contrast the situation of His disciples in the present age versus their lot in the future Kingdom. He assures, "Blessed are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God" - the coming Messianic kingdom which Jesus the Messiah would establish. These poor had their entrance into the kingdom assured by simple belief in Messiah.
The advent of God's promised kingdom will reverse negative physical need and emotional pain rendering these as both transient and anticipatory of blessing. This audience literally lacked material prosperity. Furthermore, they could now enjoy the blessings which accompany obedience to Jesus.
6:21 The ensuing beatitudes build on the first which specifies the future kingdom of God as the realm in which the now faithful will see their reward. Jesus continues, "Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled." The future kingdom will amply recompense whatever impoverishment the disciples would experience in the present age. He added, "Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh."
6:22 The fourth beatitude promises blessing to those who stand with Jesus in the midst of opposition (experiencing hatred, exclusion, and reviling "for the Son of Man's sake"). His words would help strengthen the disciples in light of the coming troubles that had already started to brew (cf. Luke 6:11).
6:23 Jesus then instructs them regarding the preferred response to persecution. The disciples should see it as a cause for celebration - "rejoice in that day and leap for joy" - since their "reward is great in heaven." Heaven identifies the sphere from where their reward proceeds and where the Father keeps it for them (see Matt 6:19-21: 1 Pet 1:3-5), rather than the locale in which they will experience the reward per se. The future kingdom on earth will serve as the realm in which they will enjoy the rewards of their present suffering for the Savior.
6:24 Jesus then addresses the men (cf. vv 22-23) who reject Messiah and His disciples with three woes that reflect and reverse the blessings promised to Jesus' disciples. He declares, "but woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation." Rather than affirming a present positive experience for the rich (the materially wealthy who also live in corresponding independence from God), Jesus portends their future as lacking reward. These rich had received it now.
6:25 Two more negative reversals await. Those "who are full... shall hunger." Those who let this present age fulfill them will experience lack in the future kingdom. Those "who laugh now... shall mourn and weep." The relative joy afforded in this world would give way to tearful mourning/regret in the next.
6:26 Jesus then again addresses His disciples with a similar warning saying, "woe to you when all men speak well of you." They should not regard complimentary words from these men as indicative of God's approval. Jesus provides a piercing rationale - "for so did their fathers to the false prophets." The present generation stood in a long line of opponents to God's true spokesmen thus rendering praise from these men as negative rather than positive. They persecuted the true prophets (cf. v 23) and praised the false.