APRIL 27, Matthew 5:10-12

What is persecution? It is to follow and hunt down as one does an enemy. Here in today’s reading, it means to oppress someone on account of their religion.

Many bible scholars take verse 10 as the last beatitude and consider verses 11 and 12 an elaboration of this beatitude, with personal application. We also note that “Blessed” is used twice in today’s reading – why? One bible commentator suggests that God doubly blesses those who suffer and those who are persecuted.

It should be observed that only those who are persecuted for “righteousness’ sake” (v10) and for “my [i.e. Jesus’] sake” (v.11) are blessed. In other words, persecution or bad treatment that you bring on yourself because of your own sinfulness, faults, flaws of character or self-righteousness or for a non-biblical belief bring no blessings whatsoever, except to teach us for the need to go to Jesus Christ for more purification of our hearts (1 Peter 3:13-17).

Christians should expect persecution! Jesus Christ himself said, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” ( John 15: 18-19). And the apostle Paul wrote that “Yea, and all that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution”. (2 Timothy 3:12).

This last beatitude is the most difficult of the beatitudes to live out. This beatitude, more so than the others, will draw the line and divide between those who are truly righteous and those that are not - between those that are truly Christians and are saved, and those that pretend to be Christians, but are not actually truly converted and saved.

Thought: The nature of righteousness is that it provokes the unrighteous.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please help me to be brave in standing up for You and Your Word with my friends and unbelieving family members. Help me to be brave, even to rejoice when I am harassed for Your sake. This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.