Jesus often had a way of reversing categories like first and last, greatest and least, rich and poor, etc. Consider what happened at the Last Supper, for example:
Lk 22:24 And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest. 25 And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ 26 “But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant. 27 “For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.
This kind of radical about-face is evident in all the gospels; it is especially prominent in Luke. We can start with the blessings and woes he pronounced in Luke 6. Then we can go back to the beginning of this gospel and trace the idea farther through the rest of it.
| BLESSED ARE … | IN LUKE | WOE TO … |
| THE POOR | 6:20,25 | THE RICH |
| THE HUNGRY | 6:21,25 | THE WELL-FED |
| THE WEEPING | 6:21,25 | THE LAUGHING |
| THE INSULTED | 6:22,26 | THE PRAISED |
| THE TRUE PROPHETS | 6:23,26 | THE FALSE PROPHETS |
| EXAMPLES | ||
| MARY- SOCIALLY REJECTED | 1:47-53 | SOCIALLY ACCEPTED |
| THE HUMBLE | 1:52 | THE PROUD, THE RULERS |
| THE HUNGRY | 1:53 | THE FULL, THE RICH |
| CAPTIVES, THE BLIND, DOWNTRODDEN | 4:18 | |
| THE DISEASED | 5:12-26 | |
| LEVI, TAX COLLECTORS | 5:29-32 | LAWYERS, PHARISEES |
| THE “SINNERS” | 5:29-32 | THE “RIGHTEOUS” |
| ROMAN CENTURION | 7:2-10 | NATIVE ISRAELITES |
| THE IMMORAL WOMAN | 7:36-50 | SIMON THE PHARISEE |
| THE 5,000 | 9:12-17 | |
| CHILDREN | 9:46-48 | THE GREAT ONES, DISCIPLES |
| THE SAMARITAN | 10:25-37 | THE PRIEST AND LEVITE |
| THE BEGGING FRIEND | 11:5-13 | THE WELL-OFF FRIEND |
| THOSE RICH TOWARD GOD | 12:13-21 | THE RICH FOOL |
| WOMAN BENT DOUBLE | 13:10-17 | SYNAGOGUE RULER |
| FOREIGNERS, GENTILES | 13:28-29 | THE JEWS |
| THOSE WHO ARE LAST | 13:30 | THOSE WHO ARE FIRST |
| SELF-HUMBLED GUEST | 14:7-11 | SELF-EXALTED GUEST |
| POOR, CRIPPLED, LAME | 14:15-24 | INVITED, WORTHY GUESTS |
| PRODIGAL SON | 15:11-32 | ELDER, “RIGHTEOUS” SON |
| LOVERS OF GOD | 16:14-15 | LOVERS OF MONEY |
| LAZARUS THE POOR BEGGAR | 16:19-31 | THE RICH MAN |
| THE ONE SAMARITAN LEPER | 17:11-19 | THE NINE JEWISH LEPERS |
| THE HELPLESS WIDOW | 18:1-8 | THE UNCONCERNED JUDGE |
| THE PRAYING PUBLICAN | 18:9-14 | THE PRAYING PHARISEE |
| ZACCHEUS, CHIEF PUBLICAN | 19:1-10 | THE RICH YOUNG RULER |
| THE POOR WIDOW | 21:1-4 | RICH CONTRIBUTORS |
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