Meditation May 13.2020
Matthew 5:11-12
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely
say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and
be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they
persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Jesus turns now from giving the characteristics of believers as a
class or group, to speaking directly to his disciples or those gathered with
them. What he says now they, and we who are His disciples, are to take
personally. You, not they, will be persecuted. It is as if he is anticipating
the “name and claim it” believers and their notion that suffering want,
ridicule, need persecution etc. is the result of a lack of faith. No, in fact,
Jesus is saying, it is just the opposite. Faith in Me, following Me is going to
bring you persecution, it is going to result in people insulting you and
speaking evil against you.
When that happens, Jesus say, “blessed are you”. He is not saying
you are blessed because you are insulted and lied about but that you are
blessed because you are my follower and being my follower has brought you
slander. There is no blessing in slander and persecution itself but there is
boundless blessing in being a follower of Christ. Being lied to and lied about,
slandered, misrepresented and persecuted is not a blessing but when you
received such for being a follower of Christ, you have reason to rejoice for it
is a clear indication your faith is genuine and your standing with God is to be
envied.
Thus, He says “blessed are you when people…falsely say all kinds
of evil against you.” Notice that Jesus does not say “if” people say false
things but “when” they say false things. It will happen. He has told us plainly
that the world hated Him and they will hate His followers. Make no mistake
about that. And make no mistake that it is not true accusations that are an indication
that we are blessed followers of Christ. There is no cause for rejoicing if
accusations made against you are true. If the accusations are true it is time
then for a broken and contrite heart; not rejoicing. Some say the word “falsely”
is not found in the best manuscripts. I do not quite get how they know one
manuscript is better than the next but it really matters little in this
instance for it is clear, whether found in the original manuscript (which we do
not have) or not it requires no genius to get that falsely is necessarily implied
whether actually included or not. There is a saying, an aphorism among the Jews
says ‘being cursed, do not curse’; ‘being reviled do not revile in return’. The
idea is to bear patiently the curses of others against you. Jesus takes that up
a notch from simple patient bearing and says to His followers, if you are
falsely accused, slandered, persecuted “for my sake.” Peter, remembering no
doubt this teaching of Jesus, teaches us the same when he says, “But even if
you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear their
threats; do not be frightened. But in your hearts revere Christ as LORD. Always
be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for
the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a
clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good
behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” (1 Peter 3:14ff)
The lesson is simple, the sufferings in this
life for the sake of Christ are not worth comparing to the glory that will be
revealed in heaven. (Ro, 8:18)
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