“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11-12, NASB)
The last beatitude is the only one with an extra note of encouragement from the Lord. I believe the reason for this is simple. All the other beatitudes have to do with the characteristics of a true disciple; what can be expected of the disciple. The final beatitude is the only one describing what can be expected from the world in response. Since this truth involves how the world is going to react to Christ’s followers, it makes sense that Jesus wants to give some instruction and encouragement to be used when that happens.
All who follow Christ will encounter persecution and our Lord has given us comfort for the days ahead.
Jesus Gets Personal
“Blessed are you...”
There is an interesting shift in this verse. Every beatitude starts with either “blessed are the” or “blessed are those.” At this point, Jesus shifts to “blessed are you.” Until now, the language has been general and descriptive. Jesus’ language has now become personal and pastoral. The intended audience here is His people.
Jesus does not leave His disciples flailing in the dark. He gives them instruction and hope for the journey. Often, in times of persecution, we are faced with the temptation to conclude that God is indifferent. Here we find assurance that Christ takes the persecution of His precious saints personally. He says, “Blessed are you when people…persecute you…because of Me.”
One major reason for this personal tone is to prevent the persecuted Christian from losing sight of their identity. When under the persecution and mockery of man, it is easy to begin feeling shame, embarrassment, and a diminished sense of worth. But Jesus gives us His words to cling to in those moments, “Blessed are you.” Persecution does not take away from the blessedness of the saint. It only affirms it. That is something we need to remember in the fire.
Persecution Guaranteed
“Blessed are you when…”
Persecution is a guarantee for the believer. The world despises the gospel. It is foolishness to them. Therefore, anyone who lives their life under the gospel’s light is despised as well. If you claim to be a Christian, yet have never experienced the world’s rejection, you prove yourself to be Christian in name only. It becomes obvious that you have made concessions to the world at various points in order to avoid looking too different from them.
The world only accepts their own. If the world accepts you, it is time to examine your soul. Persecution is a “when” not an “if.”
Three Kinds of Persecution
“…when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you…”
After highlighting the personal nature of His comments and guaranteeing persecution for His people, Jesus does some equipping. Not only does He say we can expect persecution, but He describes what that persecution is going to look like. He does not do this to cause fear or anxiety, but to equip His people for what is coming. He gives three categories that persecution is going to fall under.
Insults. The world will seek to belittle you and cut you with their words. Like wild animals feeling threatened in a corner, the haters of God resort to growling, barking, and lashing out.
Persecution. This is describing acute, aggressive persecution. The Greek describes one who “pursues or runs swiftly in order to catch a person or thing.” Another meaning is “to pursue in a hostile manner.” In this, Jesus is describing the persecution that comes when the world specifically targets a Christian and comes after them.
Slander. The world will also employ the tactic of false witness. In order to silence the gospel from the mouths and lives of Christians, the enemies of God will seek to defame their character.
It is worth noting that these categories parallel the tactics of the thief in John 10:10. He comes to “steal and kill and destroy.” Insults intend to steal a person’s dignity. Persecution seeks to kill their witness (sometimes even by literally killing them). Slander seeks to destroy their character and influence.
It may not seem so on the surface, but the fact that Jesus gives us these specific categories is very comforting. It tells us He has already anticipated the world’s tactics. They will never catch Him by surprise and, if we are paying attention, they will not surprise us either.
The Reception of Persecution
“Rejoice and be glad…”
Jesus now tells us how to receive the promised suffering. We are to rejoice! It is to make us glad! The Bible does not teach us to go out looking for persecution, nor does it tell us to actively avoid it. But it does tell us to embrace it with joy. This concept seems so foreign to us today, but reading church history gives us a striking example of this being lived out. In an early church letter written to the Trallian Christians, Ignatius wrote of their bishop, Polybius:
“By God’s will and that of Jesus Christ, he came to me in Smyrna, and so heartily congratulated me on being a prisoner for Jesus Christ…” (Taken from Readings in the History of Christian Theology (Volume 1), edited by William C. Placher and Derek R. Nelson.)
Today, we would send condolences and sympathies for brothers and sisters in chains. Polybius sent a hearty congratulation to Ignatius. It is to be seen as a mysteriously joyful thing to suffer for Christ. However, it is important to notice the reasons for the joyful reception. It is not because of the persecution itself. It is rather what the persecution confirms and points to.
“…for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
Jesus gives two reasons why persecution should bring joy to His people.
Heavenly Rewards. The pattern that Jesus followed was from death to grave, then to reigning in heaven. He endured these things “for the joy set before Him” (Hebrews 12:2). If the way to eternal life is following Jesus in faith, then we must expect to walk the path He tread. First, there is tribulation. Then, there is glory. Those who are pictured sinless before the throne of God are “the ones who come out of the great tribulation” (Revelation 7:14). So, tribulation, rightly understood, is not as much a curse for the Christian as it is a blessed harbinger of the eternal life to come.
The Right Teammates. Jesus tells us the way we will be persecuted will identify us with the faithful who have gone before us. It means we are playing for the right team. When I am persecuted for Christ, I can identify with all the faithful saints who have gone before me. What a comfort it is when the world uses persecution to affirm that I am of the same faith as men like the apostles, the early church fathers, the reformers, the puritans, and all those godly and afflicted saints across the world right now. It is good to know you are playing for the right team.
Chin Up, Christian
It is no mystery that the world is turning up the heat on Christians today. It is our generation’s turn in the fire. But take heart. There is another in the fire, whom the world does not recognize. We recognize Him, and every painful affliction - every wave of the fire’s heat across our faces - serves as a reminder that we are where He is. And if we are where He is, we are going where He is going. We are the blessed ones.
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