Blessed are ye when they may reproach and persecute you, and say every wicked thing against you, lying, for my sake.
In the verse just before, the Lord describes a kind of person. Here He turns and speaks straight to the men in front of Him. Three details carry the weight: the change of pronoun, the new reason — no longer righteousness but "on my account" — and the small word "falsely."
The previous verse speaks about a group; this one speaks to a group. Writers see the shift as deliberate warmth rather than a stylistic accident.
Notice another difference in verses 10 and 11. In Matthew 5:10 it is "Blessed are they." In Matthew 5:11 it is "Blessed are you." When real suffering for Himself is in view, He drops the abstract wording as too cold. He makes it personal: "Blessed are you." Why? Because you are linked with Him now.
The reason for the ill-treatment has moved as well. Verse 10 gives righteousness; here the reason is a Person.
It is not now for righteousness' sake, but "for My sake." There is something still more precious than righteousness, and that is Christ. And when you have Christ, you can have nothing higher. Truly blessed to be persecuted for His sake!
What provokes the hostility differs in each case.
Here the Lord does not speak of sufferings for righteousness' sake, but of abuse, persecution and evil words for His sake. This is connected with the Person of our Lord and the confession of His Name. Suffering for righteousness comes from our moral attitude and actions. Suffering for Jesus' sake comes from our confession of Him.
The blessing does not rest on being disliked. One word guards the whole verse from misuse.
Our walk in the world should have the character of white linen. Sometimes people say: it is a good thing when people speak evil against you. The Lord Jesus said, "Blessed are you when others ... utter all kinds of evil against you." Yes, He did — but with the added words, "falsely" and "on my account." If it is for Christ's sake, and false, we can bless God for it. But let us make sure it is not because the garment is stained by the flesh. That would be to our shame, and a misrepresentation of our blessed Lord. In the same line with this is 1 Peter 4:14: "If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you."
One writer reads the change from "they" to "you" as marking two different experiences. A believer cannot produce the second one, and the Lord walked that road first.
Why is it "they" in verse 10, and "you" in verse 11? The one is doing the will of God, His revealed will. The other is suffering for the sake of the Lord Jesus, and that is a gift of God. Every true saint of God suffers with Christ — not to the same extent... And in a thousand ways we suffer with Christ, but it is not everyone who suffers for Him; that is a gift: "to you it has been granted for the sake of Christ, not only to believe in him but also to suffer for his sake."
The Lord's choice of word rules out treating this as a rare hazard for a few unlucky believers.
By using the word "when" the Lord shows He is not hinting at something that may happen. He is pointing to a fact we should expect. Those who take the side of our Lord and Saviour, confessing Him openly and bravely, will reap contempt, mockery and scorn... Some meet such a confession with a pitying smile. But as soon as the believer shows he is a Christian by his conduct as well, rejection and hatred follow.
If suffering on His account follows confession, it has a starting point — and a familiar set of voices that head it off.
Suffering for Christ's sake is the result of speaking about Him to others. It is not merely a firm no when someone asks or tempts us to do wrong. It is an earnest heart that watches for every chance to speak about the blessed Lord and salvation... There are always plenty of worldly-wise Christians near us who check our zeal and hinder faithfulness — all under the fair name of prudence.
- Confession — good behaviour is not the trigger. Suffering for righteousness follows how we live; suffering on His account follows whom we name.
- Personal — Christ Himself is now the cause, so He drops "they" for "you"; the sufferer is linked with Him.
- Gift — every believer suffers with Christ; suffering for Him is a gift God grants.
- Certain — He says "when," not "if"; contempt is the expected return for taking His side.
- Falsely — the blessing rests only on false charges borne for His sake, never on reproach we have earned.
Rejoice and exult, for your reward is great in the heavens; for thus have they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Jesus ends this list of blessings by speaking straight to His disciples: when people insult them for His sake, they are to be glad. His reason looks two ways — up to a reward in heaven, and back to the prophets who suffered before them.
Earlier blessings describe a kind of person. Here the Lord turns and speaks to His own:
The last of the two rises to the highest. It leaves the abstract for direct personal words of love: "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you… on My account." This was suffering for grace in full. "Rejoice," says the Lord therefore, "and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven; for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
The command is not to grit your teeth until trouble passes. The suffering itself gives the joy its reason:
The disciples of the Lord should rejoice not despite the sufferings connected with their confession, but because of them. Confessing the Name of the Lord may bring disadvantages here on earth — which is not always the case. Even so, the reward He has promised in the heavens is far greater! To know that we walk in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus already gives us joy. The promised reward adds to that joy, and that reward belongs to heaven, not to earth.
Earlier in the same list, the meek inherit the earth. Here the reward lies somewhere else:
Then at verse 11 He turned and spoke straight to His disciples. He told them in advance of a persecution they might meet for another cause… Earth now dropped out of view for them. Heaven alone lay before them. "The meek shall inherit the earth," however little that might seem likely then or now. But Christians are called out for heaven. What a change this revelation must have made in the hopes of the Jews! They waited, and still wait, for Messiah to appear in person and in power, to cut off their enemies and give them their land in peace, for good.
Commentators differ on who receives this reward first. One writer applies it to those who lose an earthly portion by dying for their faith:
Deprived of an earthly inheritance, they will enter into a heavenly one. Revelation 20:4-6 shows them as a special company of martyrs, added to the saints of the first resurrection.
If the reward is great, can anyone earn it? One writer answers plainly:
A Christian may lose his life, but not his reward; he may lose his head, but not his crown. Not that we can merit this reward by our sufferings. "I will give you the crown of life." The reward is the legacy which free grace bequeaths. What proportion is there between a drop of blood and a weight of glory? But though we have no reward by merit, we shall have it by grace. … A man who has to wade through deep water keeps his eyes on the firm land ahead. Christians wading through the deep waters of persecution should fix the eyes of their faith on the land of promise. Those who bear the cross patiently shall wear the crown triumphantly.
The verse ends by pointing back to the prophets. One writer hears comfort in that:
When you learn what pleases the Lord, and pleasing Him means doing what would displease everyone else, what does He say? "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven." It is heaven now, not the kingdom of heaven. And here is a lovely little word of gracious encouragement to the soul: "For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." That is, you have got into good company; do not mind.
This verse has a daily use. It settles when you expect justice.
Too often we are fretful and impatient in the face of wrongs, and we want them put right in this day instead of waiting for "that day". Suppose the glory of that day shines before us in the faith of our souls. Then we shall not be tempted to rebel at the insults and wrongs that may be allowed. We shall "rejoice and be glad", for, says the Lord, "your reward is great in heaven".
- Personal. The Lord drops the general "they" and speaks straight to His own, in "direct personal words of love."
- Because, not despite. Believers rejoice because of the suffering their confession brings — not just while they endure it.
- Heavenward. Earth drops out of view; the reward waits in heaven, not in the land or an earthly kingdom.
- Grace, not wages. A Christian "may lose his head, but not his crown" — the reward is free grace's legacy, never payment for pain.
- Good company. Insulted for His sake, you stand where the prophets stood. So leave today's wrongs for "that day".