THE BEATITUDES (9)

Blessed Are They Which Are Persecuted for Righteousness’ Sake

Matthew 5:10-12

Victor M. Eskew

 

          The Beatitudes have followed a logical progression up to this point.  Too, they have been positive in nature.  Jesus now changes direction.  He sets forth a blessing to those who are persecuted.  He even elaborates on this beatitude more than the others.  “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake:  for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad:  for great is your reward in heaven:  for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matt. 5:10-12).  Those who live out the previous seven beatitudes are living a righteous life.  An unrighteous world does not appreciate those who are righteous.  A righteous life highlights the unrighteousness of those tied to the world.  Instead of changing, the world seeks to rid themselves of the righteous.  They revile them.  They speak evil against them.  They persecuted them.  They will even seek to put them to death.  Jesus understood this and pronounced a blessing upon those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.

          It is telling that Jesus never lies about the difficult aspects of following Him.  Jesus is the greatest blessing that a man could ever receive, but the life He calls individuals to lead as they follow Him can be fraught with difficulty.  Listen to this discussion between Jesus and Peter.  “Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.  And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, but he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life” (Mark 10:28-30).  Jesus notes how individuals who leave all to serve Him will receive blessing after blessing.  But, there is one word that He slips into the list that informs His followers of hardship.  There will be persecutions.  When Jesus was in the upper room with His disciples the night before His crucifixion, He reminded them, saying:  “Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord.  If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you…” (John 15:20).

          Notice that the blessing only comes to those who are persecuted “for righteousness’ sake.”  Some are persecuted for reasons other than righteousness.  They are unkind and unloving.  They seek an argument or a fight.  They intimidate and threaten others.  These have no blessing for which to look forward.  Only those who suffer for the right things, that is, the things of God will have a blessing to enjoy.

          The book of Acts tells about the apostles fulfilling the Great Commission.  It doesn’t take long to see that persecution was a reality the apostles and the church had to face.  “And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon them, being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection of the dead.  And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold unto the next day:  for it was now eventide” (Acts 4:1-3).  “And to him they agreed:  and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go” (Acts 5:40).  “Then they cried with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him:  and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.  And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.  And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord lay not this sin to their charge.  And when he had said this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:57-60).  “…And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles…As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.  Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word” (Acts 8:1, 3-4).”  “And Saul, ye breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem” (Acts 9:1-2).  All of this persecution against the early church arises from the Jews.  The second half of Acts focuses upon Paul’s missionary journeys.  He was persecuted severely for the cause of Christ.  In 2 Corinthians 11:24-27, he lists some of the tribulations he experienced.  “Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.  Thrice I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeying often, in perils of waters in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren, in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.”  Following his conversion, Paul learned quickly that seeking to live a righteous life involved pain and suffering at times.

          Jesus proclaims three promises to those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.  First, “theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:10).  Second, “great is your reward in heaven.”  Third, they could rejoice because they were like unto “the prophets which were before you.”  These are not just participation awards.  These are significant, meaningful, eternal rewards to those who endure the persecution of the Christian life.  These are not the only rewards, but they are enough to cause those who suffer for the cause of Christ to never give up.  “Blessed are ye, when shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake.  Rejoice, and be exceeding glad:  for great is your reward in heaven” (Matt. 5:11-12a).