When Luke records Jesus teaching the "Beatitudes", he immediately adds the opposite kind of sayings: the "Woes". At other points in his Gospel, he records Jesus issuing similar condemnatory sayings: "Woe to you". Apart from these specific "Woes", Jesus also says many things which, from a human point of view, are distinctly not at all "Good News" for those to whom they are addressed: "The first shall be last and the last shall be first."

A commentator on this aspect of the Gospel has, with great insight, remarked that, while the Kingdom of God is open to all under certain conditions, the Gospel is only unconditionally "good news" to the poor, especially the poor in spirit. The rich and powerful will not find so much good news relating to their lives in this world.

Only the truly poor will be able to pray: "Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord". The Psalmist gently and indirectly reminds the iniquitous: "If you, O Lord, mark iniquities, Lord, who can stand?" The rich fool planned to accumulate more wealth and died that night! Those who cause untold suffering to others through their accumulation of wealth will be called "Fool" by God.