Selwyn now considers the last beatitude: ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you’ (Matthew (5:10-12).
Our attention is drawn to the fact that Jesus repeats His words: “Jesus must have known His followers would have a hard time with these statements as this is the only beatitude that repeats the blessing. Jesus doesn’t say once that the persecuted are blessed; he says it twice.”
My life has been free of persecution, so I can’t talk from personal experience. Have you experienced persecution – how did you handle it?
I really like the verses from 1 Peter, from the Further Study section – hopefully they will come to mind if I’m ever persecuted (1 Peter 1:3-9): “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, through now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
Isn’t it great to know that we are shielded by God’s power – that we are filled by an inexpressible joy - so that we can rejoice even when we are being persecuted? What are your views?
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Not once, but twice
Selwyn now considers the last beatitude: ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you’ (Matthew (5:10-12).
Our attention is drawn to the fact that Jesus repeats His words: “Jesus must have known His followers would have a hard time with these statements as this is the only beatitude that repeats the blessing. Jesus doesn’t say once that the persecuted are blessed; he says it twice.”
My life has been free of persecution, so I can’t talk from personal experience. Have you experienced persecution – how did you handle it?
I really like the verses from 1 Peter, from the Further Study section – hopefully they will come to mind if I’m ever persecuted (1 Peter 1:3-9): “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, through now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
Isn’t it great to know that we are shielded by God’s power – that we are filled by an inexpressible joy - so that we can rejoice even when we are being persecuted? What are your views?
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