“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:10
The Lord comes to the eight beatitude. Like the others before it, this one stuns His audience and us. He just said told us His children are
transformed into God’s image. This is an evidence that they belong to God and will enter His kingdom. It is a transformation of their heart into God’s heart. The heart, not the outward ritual observances of acts attempting to show to others their “goodness” is what God sees. When this transformation occurs something amazing happens.
Blessed What we are about to hear from the Lord is blessed by
God. It is not a curse or a punishment but instead something that is highly favored. It also brings. deep, lasting joy to our lives because we are sure of God’s blessing in the present and in the future.
Persecuted The Greek word means to put to flight or to pursue another. It is to aggressively chase, like a hunter pursuing the prey. It carries the idea of one pursuing with all haste in order to earnestly
overtake (apprehend). The word is used of persecuting the prophets of God (Matthew 5:12), of persecuting Jesus (John 15:20), of persecuting the church (Acts 22:4) and persecuting individual
believers (Matthew 5:10). The Lord says this follows the one who is pure in heart, sees God (and His truth) clearly and who wants to tell others about the only way to have peace with God. They will suffer persecution by Satan’s family. Paul describes it this way to Timothy. “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Note the verb “will be”. This is a natural consequence, it cannot be avoided.
For righteousness sake The Lord places a caveat on being persecuted. He speaks of the pure in heart and the peacemakers who are persecuted “for righteousness sake”. Righteousness means “righteousness of which God is the source or author.” It includes only actions of which God approves. Righteousness means more than just “being a good person.” It refers to a complete orientation of life toward God and His will – one who hungers and thirsts to follow God with purity of heart. Peter comments on suffering for our own sake when he writes, “What credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God”. Suffering for God’s sake because we look and act like Him to a fallen world is condemnable. If the world persecutes (anything from being mocked, laughed at to be being killed) us for righteous living we can be assured of God’s blessing. The principle? Those blessed by God are cursed by the world.
What can we learn? When I was being shot at in Viet Nam I used to think about those trying to kill me did not even know me. We were complete strangers yet they hated me because of what I believed and was trying to introduce into their country. The Lord said this is what we should expect. “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” (John 15:19). Hatred exists because there are two families at war. The victory has already been won but the enemy still wishes to kill, maim and destroy. The Lord does not want us to be surprised. “Beloved, think it
not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.” Persecution is a natural consequence of a Godly life.