Mattehw 5:10

Matthew 5:10 (The Message)
You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.

My first thought when I read this is that, as an American Christian, I don't really understand much about persecution. So I'll head straight to looking up parallel scriptures.

Parallel Scriptures

John 3:20
This is the crisis we're in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won't come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is

The thought here and apparently in Matthew 5:10 is that those who are not of God hate those who do love God. I remember that I had a friend growing up; Anne. Anne was my best friend 1st grade through 12th. Our sisters had been friends before us and I was so shy that my sister said to befriend Anne on the first day of school so I did and our friendship "stuck". Throughout the years we each had various other close friends but we remained the best of friends. I had the blessing of growing up in a Christian family; Anne's family had a religion but it was mostly just for holidays and wasn't about relationship. She came with me to various bible studies or other events throughout the years. When we graduated and went our separate ways to college I tried to stay in contact with her. I was so hurt because she seemed to shut me out and not want to stay friends. It wasn't until later that I realized the simple truth of what was going on; Anne, as most in college, was dating and having relationships and having sex was part of that. She knew, from those times we'd spent together, that the bible teaches that sex is a blessing from God for within marriage. Although I never confronted her or put her down, just my presence reminded her of something she didn't want to face; she just wanted to have fun and seeing me put a damper on it because I'd come to symbolize Christianity to her. The bible says that those who choose the prince of this world -Satan (although they are not always realizing that is who they are choosing since he comes as an angle of light) - do not want to be around those following God.


2 Chronicles 18:7
The king of Israel told Jehoshaphat, "As a matter of fact, there is another. But I hate him. He never preaches anything good to me, only doom, doom, doom—Micaiah son of Imlah."

"The king shouldn't talk about a prophet like that!" said Jehoshaphat.

Again we see that those who choose not to live God's way do not want to hear about it or think about it. They do not like those who follow Him.

Other people's thoughts

Jamieson, Faussett and Brown:
"But how, it may be asked, could such beautiful features of character provoke persecution?"
"the seven characters here described are all in the teeth of the spirit of the world, insomuch that such hearers of this discourse as breathed that spirit must have been startled, and had their whole system of thought and action rudely dashed. Poverty of spirit runs counter to the pride of men's heart; a pensive disposition, in the view of one's universal deficiencies before God, is ill relished by the callous, indifferent, laughing, self-satisfied world; a meek and quiet spirit, taking wrong, is regarded as pusillanimous, and rasps against the proud, resentful spirit of the world; that craving after spiritual blessings rebukes but too unpleasantly the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life; so does a merciful spirit the hard-heartedness of the world; purity of heart contrasts painfully with painted hypocrisy; and the peacemaker cannot easily be endured by the contentious, quarrelsome world. Thus does "righteousness" come to be "persecuted." But blessed are they who, in spite of this, dare to be righteous."

JFB makes a good point here; that such wonderful characteristics as those described in Matthew 5:4-10 would seem so good -why would anyone want to persecute these? But then he goes on to explain how counter to this world's way of doing business Jesus' words were. I especially like the last line above "but blessed are they who, in spite of this, dare to be righteousess" Oh that I may dare to be righteous! And what exactly will that look like today?

Wesley:
"For righteousness' sake - That is, because they have, or follow after, the righteousness here described. He that is truly a righteous man, he that mourns, and he that is pure in heart, yea, all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution, 2 Tim. iii, 12. The world will always say, Away with such fellows from the earth. They are made to reprove our thoughts. They are grievous to us even to behold. Their lives are not like other men's; their ways are of another fashion."

As I read John Wesley's words I think about a deep desire in my heart. The desire to be loved, accepted and approved of. I'm challenged that I must make sure to get this need met at the feet of Christ vrs looking for it in this world.