“Woe to you,” “You who are rich,”

“You who are well fed now,” “You who laugh now” …

“But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort.  Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry.  Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep” (Luke 6:24–25).

As I meditate on these words, I desire to receive the lessons they give.

(1)   As I meditated on today’s passage, Luke 6:24–25, the first phrase that caught my attention was “the rich.”

(a)    So, I looked up the Greek word meaning “rich,” πλουσίοις (plousiois), on the internet and searched where else it appears in the Bible, reflecting on the rich (the wealthy):

(i)               Luke 21:1–4: “Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box. He also saw a certain poor widow put in two small copper coins.  And He said, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all the others.  For they all gave their offerings out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she had to live on.’”

·        From this passage, Jesus says that although the poor widow gave all her living expenses out of her poverty, the rich gave their offerings “out of their abundance.”

-        As I meditate on this passage, I receive the lesson that the rich do not give “more offerings” (than the poor widow), even though they give out of their abundance.

(ii)             1 Timothy 6:17–18: “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in uncertain wealth, but in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Tell them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, to be generous and willing to share.”

·        From this passage, I learn that “the rich of this world” are in danger of being proud and placing their hope not in God but in wealth that will soon disappear, and because they lack deep compassion for others’ hardships (are not generous), they may fail to do good, become poor in good works, and be reluctant to share.

(iii)           James 2:6–7: “But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you and drag you into court?  Do they not blaspheme the honorable name by which you are called?”

·        From this passage, I learn that “the rich” look down on the poor, oppress them, drag them into court, and blaspheme (insult) that honorable name.

(iv)            James 5:1–6: “You rich people, think about the misery that is coming upon you and weep and wail.  Your wealth has rotted, and your clothes have been eaten by moths.  Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire.  You have stored up wealth in the last days.  Look!  The wages you failed to pay the workers who harvested your fields are crying out, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.  You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence, and you have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.”

·        From this passage, I learn that “the rich” have stored up wealth in the last days, yet failed to pay the wages of the workers who harvested their fields, and instead have lived in luxury and pleasure in this world, satisfying only their own desires.

(v)             Revelation 3:17: “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’  But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked.”

·        From this passage, I learn that the Lord rebuked the spiritual pride, self-deception, and spiritual ignorance of the church in Laodicea and called them to repentance.  Even if the church may be materially wealthy, if it is spiritually wretched, poor, blind, and naked before God, it must repent (Ref.: Internet).

(vi)            Revelation 6:15–17: “Then the kings of the earth, the high officials, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free person hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains.  They called to the mountains and the rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!  For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?’”

·        From this passage, I learn that on the day of the final judgment, which comes when the sixth seal is opened, all classes of people on earth (kings, nobles, the rich, generals, the powerful, slaves, and free people) will hide in fear before God’s wrath and the terrifying judgment of the Lamb, crying out for the rocks and mountains to cover them.  This warns that neither the powerful nor sinners of the world can escape God’s judgment, that everything hidden will be revealed, and that without repentance there is only destruction (Internet).

(vii)          In conclusion, those who say, “I am rich and wealthy and lack nothing,” yet in their abundance place their hope not in God but in pride or in wealth that will soon perish; those who fail to deeply sympathize with the hardships of others (are not generous).  Therefore do not do good but are poor in good works and reluctant to share; those who look down on the poor, oppress them, drag them into court, and blaspheme (insult) the honorable name; and those who, in the last days, store up wealth while refusing to pay the wages of the workers, instead living in luxury and pleasure in this world and satisfying only their own desires—such rich people cannot escape God’s judgment.  All that is hidden will be revealed, and without repentance there is only destruction.

(b)   I came to relate this phrase “the rich” (Luke 6:24) to “those who are well fed” (v. 25) and “those who laugh” (v. 25). The following is an explanation from the Hochma Commentary:

(i)               “The rich”: “Here, ‘the rich’ appears as the opposite concept to ‘the poor’ in verse 20.  The meaning of this passage is not that all wealthy people on this earth will suffer woe. Rather, in a symbolic sense, it refers to those who hinder the work of the gospel and oppress the poor.  They do not trust in God or in the grace of Christ, do not repent of their sins, but instead trust only in themselves, becoming arrogant and boasting in their own education, learning, and wisdom.  Moreover, their hearts are extremely hardened and stubborn, so they are unable to listen to Christ’s warning message, and they think they can live without God’s blessing and without an inheritance in the kingdom of heaven.  Therefore, they place all the meaning of life in the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, and they engage only in futile pursuits.  Consequently, at the time of judgment, an irreversible and great woe will come upon them—that is, the punishment of God’s eternal death.”

·        “Those who are well fed”: “This refers to those who do not feel the need for God’s help and, while ignoring the hunger of the soul, squander their wealth in order to satisfy physical pleasures.  This stands in contrast to ‘those who are hungry’ in verse 21.”

-        “Those who laugh”: “Here, the laughter of those who laugh is physical and temporary, arising from enjoyment of worldly things and the pursuit of pleasure.  However, the weeping they will receive as payment at the time of judgment will be eternal and irreversible. At the same time, these ‘those who laugh’ stand in contrast to the third blessing in verse 21, ‘those who weep’ (Hochma).

n  Thus, to such “the rich,” “the well fed,” and “those who laugh,” the Lord declares, “Woe to you” (vv. 24–25).

(2)   The second passage that caught my attention in today's text, Luke 6:24-25, is the phrase, "Woe to you" (vv. 24, 25).

(a)    Here, "woe" is the Greek word "οὐαὶ" (ouai), which is basically an interjection, originally expressing strong emotion such as sorrow, lamentation, or a curse.  In the Bible, "οὐαὶ" is often used to signify a spiritual warning or curse.  For example, Jesus uses "οὐαὶ" to warn those who reject his teachings or distort the law, highlighting the serious consequences of their wrong actions (Internet).

(i)               I was reminded of Jesus' "Woe to you" statements:

·        (Mt. 23:13) “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces.  For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.”

·        (Mt. 23:15) “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.”

·        (Mt. 23:23) “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness.  These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.”

·        (Mt. 23:25-26) “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.  You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the dish, so that the outside may also be clean.”

·        (Mt. 23:27-28) “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.  So, you also outwardly appear righteous to people, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

·        Luke 6:25b: “… Woe to you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep.”

(ii)             I also reread the prophet Isaiah’s declarations of “Woe.”

·        Isaiah 10:2: “Woe to those who deprive the poor of justice and rob the rights of my oppressed people, who make widows their prey and rob the fatherless.”

-        To forcibly take from widows—the very ones among the socially vulnerable who most deserve protection—and to plunder what belongs to orphans is regarded as extreme injustice.  Yet leaders and those in power, who ought to protect the socially weak, instead judge the poor and weak unfairly, deprive them of their rights, and exploit widows and orphans.  Therefore, the prophet Isaiah proclaimed a strong curse and warning on God’s behalf, declaring that such actions would bring about God’s judgment and destruction (Ref.: Internet).

·        Isaiah 29:15: “Woe to those who deeply hide their plans from the LORD, who do their work in darkness and say, ‘Who sees us? Who knows us?’”

-        The people of Judah were not considering the works of God.  With their lips they drew near to God and honored Him, but their hearts were far from Him (v. 13).  Their faith was bound by human teachings and regulations (v. 13).  In this situation, rather than doing God’s work in the light, the people of Judah were doing their own deeds in the darkness (v. 15).  In other words, the people of Judah were carrying out their own plans secretly, apart from God.

n  The reason they could attempt to hide so deeply from God and carry out their plans in darkness was that they thought no one was watching or knew what they were doing (v. 15).  They even believed that God Himself did not see or know the things they were secretly doing in the darkness.  That is why the people of Judah continued to carry out their deeds in the darkness.

·        Isaiah 31:1–2: “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the abundance of chariots and in the great strength of cavalry, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or seek the LORD.  Yet He also is wise and will bring disaster …”

-        On the surface, Egypt—like a reed staff—appeared strong, so the kings of Judah (Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah) relied on the horses, numerous chariots, and mighty cavalry of the Egyptian army rather than on the God of Israel.  But to rely on such a reed staff inevitably brings disaster from God. The prophet Jeremiah also said: “The LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘I am about to punish Amon of Thebes, Pharaoh, Egypt, her gods and her kings, and those who rely on Pharaoh’” (Jere. 46:25).

n  Furthermore, relying on Egypt—the reed staff—inevitably results in harm, just as when a reed from the Nile breaks, its sharp end injures the shoulder of anyone who passes by, and when someone leans on it, it snaps and pierces the person’s side (Ezek. 29:7, Internet).  In the same way, if one does not rely on God but instead relies on the broken reed staff of Egypt, it will surely “pierce the hand” (2 Kgs. 18:21).

(iii)           I also reread the words of the prophet Ezekiel in Ezekiel 34:2: “… Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed only themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?”

·        The shepherds of Israel “slaughtered the fat sheep and ate their meat and clothed themselves with the wool, but they did not feed the flock” (Ezek. 34:3).  What happens when the sheep are not fed in this way?  In other words, when the shepherd does not provide the sheep with the nourishment they need, what becomes of the sheep?  They wander, are scattered, and eventually become food for Satan: “Because there was no shepherd, they were scattered.  When they were scattered, they became food for all the wild animals.  My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over the whole earth, and there was no one to search or look for them” (vv. 5–6).

(iv)            I also reread Jude 1:11: “Woe to them!  They have gone the way of Cain …”

·        We must not walk in the evil way of Cain, but instead walk in the righteous way of Abel (1 Jn. 3:12).  Like Abel, we must offer to God “by faith” a “better sacrifice” or a better worship (Hebrews 11:4).  In order to offer better worship to God, we must not ignore the words of Matthew 5:23–24: “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar.  First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”

-        The Scripture teaches that if, while preparing to worship God, we remember that a brother or sister has something against us, we must first go and be reconciled with that brother or sister, and only then offer our worship. In other words, we are to worship God while loving our brothers and sisters and living in reconciliation.  If, however, we worship God while remaining unreconciled—arguing and fighting with our brothers and sisters, failing to love our neighbors—then such worship is not the true worship the Lord desires.

n  Therefore, we must worship God with a heart that loves God while loving our neighbors.  May we walk as Jesus did (1 Jn. 2:6), and may we practice righteousness (3:10).  That is, we must love our brothers and sisters.  Those who belong to God love their brothers and sisters (v. 10).

(3)   The third and final passage that caught my attention in today’s text, Luke 6:24-25, concerns the words addressed to the “rich”, “well-fed”, and “laughing”: (a) To the rich: “You have already received your comfort” (v. 24), (b) To the well-fed: “You will go hungry” (v. 25), (c) To the laughing: “You will mourn and weep” (v. 25).

(a)    First, the words to the rich: “You have already received your comfort” (v. 24).  The Modern Korean Bible translates this as: “You have already received all the comfort you can in this world.”

(i)               The meaning: “The rich, who enjoy material abundance and worldly pleasures, have already received their reward (comfort) in this life.  Therefore, in the coming Kingdom of God, they will not receive comfort (blessing) but rather judgment.  In contrast to the blessings (heaven) given to the poor, the rich are satisfied with earthly comfort and thus miss out on spiritual blessings” (Internet).

·        This verse teaches that those who indulge in worldly wealth and pleasure while neglecting spiritual values must realize that the blessings they already enjoy in this world are all they will receive, and that true blessing is found in the Kingdom of God. It calls for repentance (Internet).

(b)   Second, the words to the well-fed: “You will go hungry” (v. 25).  The Modern Korean Bible translates this as: “You will be hungry.”

(i)               The meaning: Those who are materially satisfied and appear happy without God, enjoying their lives as they are, will actually experience spiritual or future deprivation and hardship as a result of God’s judgment.  They will “go hungry” (Internet).

·        This serves as a warning against complacency in worldly comfort.  Those who are satisfied with present ease while neglecting spiritual matters are strongly warned of coming suffering (Internet).

(c)    Third, the words to the laughing: “You will mourn and weep” (v. 25).  The Modern Korean Bible translates this as: “Now you who laugh, unfortunately you will grieve and weep.”

(i)               The meaning: Those who follow worldly values—satisfied with material abundance, pleasure, or secular success, and who indulge in worldly enjoyment without recognizing sin—will experience great sorrow and suffering in the future due to their sin, weakness, and separation from God.  Conversely, those who now mourn and weep over their sins and weaknesses will receive comfort and true joy from God. This is a paradoxical warning (Internet).

·        This emphasizes that true happiness is not in worldly pleasure, but in acknowledging one’s insufficiency before God and repenting (Internet).