What is the meaning of Luke 11:28?

But He replied

Jesus is responding to a woman who had just exclaimed, “Blessed is the womb that bore You…” (Luke 11:27).

• The Lord does not dismiss the honor due to His earthly mother, yet He redirects the focus to what truly pleases God.

• He consistently moves conversations from human admiration to spiritual reality (see John 4:13-14; Luke 10:20).

• This reply reveals His authority to define blessing and correct misplaced priorities (Matthew 7:28-29).

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Blessed rather

• “Blessed” speaks of genuine, enduring happiness granted by God (Psalm 1:1).

• “Rather” signals a contrast: physical connections, religious heritage, or emotional enthusiasm are secondary to spiritual responsiveness (Philippians 3:7-9).

• Jesus echoes the Sermon on the Mount, where He upends conventional ideas of blessing (Luke 6:20-23).

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are those

• The phrase widens the invitation—anyone can experience this blessing, not just a privileged few (John 3:16; Acts 10:34-35).

• It underscores personal responsibility; each individual must decide how to respond (Deuteronomy 30:19).

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who hear the word of God

• Hearing here is more than auditory reception; it is attentive listening with a heart ready to respond (Romans 10:17).

• Scripture repeatedly connects blessing with delighting in and meditating on God’s word (Psalm 1:2; Joshua 1:8).

• Jesus identifies Scripture as the very speech of God, authoritative and trustworthy (Matthew 4:4; John 17:17).

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and obey it

• Hearing must lead to action; obedience is the evidence of genuine faith (James 1:22-25).

• Jesus links love for Him to keeping His commands: “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word” (John 14:23).

• God values obedience above ritual (1 Samuel 15:22), and such obedience brings assurance and joy (1 John 2:3-5).

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summary

Luke 11:28 teaches that true blessing comes not from external associations or emotions but from receiving God’s word with attentive ears and responding with obedient lives. Jesus invites everyone into this blessedness, promising joy and favor to those who hear and act upon His unchanging truth.