{And he lifted up his eyes} (kai autos eparas tous
opthalmous autou). First aorist active participle from epair(935c).
Note also Luke's favourite use of kai autos in beginning a
paragraph. Vivid detail alone in Luke. Jesus looked the vast
audience full in the face.  Mt 5:2  mentions that "he opened his
mouth and taught them" (began to teach them, inchoative
imperfect, edidasken). He spoke out so that the great crowd
could hear. Some preachers do not open their mouths and do not
look up at the people, but down at the manuscript and drawl along
while the people lose interest and even go to sleep or slip out.
{Ye poor} (hoi pt(9363)hoi). {The poor}, but "yours" (humetera)
justifies the translation "ye." Luke's report is direct address
in all the four beatitudes and four woes given by him. It is
useless to speculate why Luke gives only four of the eight
beatitudes in Matthew or why Matthew does not give the four woes
in Luke. One can only say that neither professes to give a
complete report of the sermon. There is no evidence to show that
either saw the report of the other. They may have used a common
source like Q (the Logia of Jesus) or they may have had separate
sources. Luke's first beatitude corresponds with Matthew's first,
but he does not have "in spirit" after "poor." Does Luke
represent Jesus as saying that poverty itself is a blessing? It
can be made so. Or does Luke represent Jesus as meaning what is
in Matthew, poverty of spirit? {The kingdom of God} (h(8820)basileia
tou theou).  Mt 5:3  has "the kingdom of heaven" which occurs
alone in Matthew though he also has the one here in Luke with no
practical difference. The rabbis usually said "the kingdom of
heaven." They used it of the political Messianic kingdom when
Judaism of the Pharisaic sort would triumph over the world. The
idea of Jesus is in the sharpest contrast to that conception here
and always. See on 烘t 3:2| for discussion of the meaning of the
word "kingdom." It is the favourite word of Jesus for the rule of
God in the heart here and now. It is both present and future and
will reach a glorious consummation. Some of the sayings of Christ
have apocalyptic and eschatological figures, but the heart of the
matter is here in the spiritual reality of the reign of God in
the hearts of those who serve him. The kingdom parables expand
and enlarge upon various phases of this inward life and growth.