“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.”
Verses 11 and 12 explain and expand verse 10. Verse 10 identifies the slander aspect of persecution. This is the ninth beatitude.
5:11
“Blessed are you
The word “you” is in the plural (only instance in the beatitudes).
when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely
The word “revile” connotes the idea of to cast in one’s teeth. People will get in the face of witnesses for Christ, who will experience vicious, verbal abuse. Witnesses of Christ should not be surprised at rejection of their ministry. Loyalty to Jesus has its price.
on my account.
Suffering in the previous verse was for “righteousness,” but the purpose of suffering here is for Jesus’ sake. This is why a witness is willing to take courageous steps to proclaim the gospel.
5:12
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven,
Jesus uses two words for joy: (1) “rejoice”—inner animation of the soul, and (2) “glad”—leap with irrepressible demonstration.
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 1 Pe 1:6-8
…but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. 1 Pe 4:13
A person properly oriented to God’s will in suffering should carry a positive orientation toward reward.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Pe 1:3-5
for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
If the prophets experienced persecution, it should be no surprise that we should suffer also. Many rejected the message of the prophets in the Old Testament. Witnesses of Christ stand as heirs of the prophets; they stand in great stead. Witnesses witness for the intrinsic value of the gospel and not for extraneous reasons.
They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— Heb 11:37
PRINCIPLE:
Keeping eternal values in view mitigates pain in the present life.
APPLICATION:
Keeping eternal values in view will mitigate the impact of slander. Persecution in present time is temporary. Eternity is worth it all.
So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. Ac 5:41
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Ro 8:18
By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward. Heb 11:24-26
