Luke 6 - Examining the difference between it and Matthew 5

As I was reading Luke 6 of course it brings the beatitudes so i decided to compare them side by side. I imagine that Jesus spoke for a long time so the author needed to choose what to include and Matthew chose slightly differently than Luke. The beatitudes in Matthew I know so well. I have memorized it in my childhood and although I don't know if I can recite it without help today, I certainly am very familiar. For the Luke passage that's not true for me so I found this comparison kind of fun to do and interesting. I have a cynical side that thinks that we as an American Christian culture gravitate to the Matthew passage rather than the Luke passage because of the "woes". I think there are other reasons as well, but I have noticed how we try to downplay verses that condemn the rich. Frankly, I'm not sure what to do with them myself. It's certainly something that I commit to prayer.


Matthew 5
1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2and he began to teach them saying:
3"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Luke just says poor)
4Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted. (very similar, although not verbatim)
5Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth. (not mentioned)
6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled. (Luke just says hunger)
7Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy. (not mentioned)
8Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God. (not mentioned)
9Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God. (not mentioned)
10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (not mentioned)

11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Very similar)


Luke 6
(all of the "blessed"s are duplicates of those mentioned in Matthew)
20Looking at his disciples, he said:
"Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
21Blessed are you who hunger now,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
22Blessed are you when men hate you,
when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.

23"Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.

(None of the woes were mentioned in Matthew)
24"But woe to you who are rich,
for you have already received your comfort.
25Woe to you who are well fed now,
for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will mourn and weep.
26Woe to you when all men speak well of you,
for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.

I'm not sure what he is saying here. Is he saying that having money and being well fed are wrong? That people like that won't receive anything from God? What about Abraham, who was blessed financially by God? I think it has more to do with where you place your hope - where do you get your comfort. Maybe I'm just doing the American make excuses for money thing. It's certainly as issue to struggle with.