I was invited to speak on one of the Eight Beatitudes today: "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." As I thought the Beatitudes were a special revelation from Jesus most of my life, I assumed this was one of the tickets to get into heaven.
The Greek word, dioko, means to pursue or to run away from. It implies persecution and is used several times by Jesus in Matthew's Gospel. The Lord is clear that His followers will be 'pursued, harassed or persecuted' because the world is at odds with Jesus. There are two different kingdoms in conflict.
The Greek word, dikaiosyne, means to be in the right relationship or in the proper mode of being. It can also mean to be just or do right, but it connotes right standing with God. This is the covenant relationship with requires us to trust God and be loyal to Him. In other words, its about our relationship, not my morality.
Jesus says that if we love God, trust God and are faithful to God we are truly blessed. The blessing/happiness of those who are persecuted for ordering their lives in right relationship with God stems from the realization of what happens in right relationship with God--one inherits the kingdom of heaven. (this is a circumlocution for kingdom of God, Matthew avoiding the use of the word God in keeping with the pious practice of many Jews as a sign of respect. It does not mean going to heaven.) To be in God's kingdom is to enjoy the abundance of shalom, the peace which surpasses human understanding, where all will be well. When God is in charge things will be much better. Of course, the Kingdom has not yet been completely established, so in the mean time the Enemy still reigns. Jesus is inviting us to look beyond the current "pressing" of opposition to God. The apostle Paul sums it up in his letter to the Romans when he declares that the sufferings of the present are as nothing compared to the glory to be revealed. If we suffer for God's sake it is a blessing because it assures us that we are in right relationship with God and stand to enjoy life with God to the ages of ages.
In saying this, Jesus speaking like a Jew. If I had been more attuned to this years ago I would have understood the Eight Beatitudes better. There are many more than eight! Matthew actually has four other beatitudes:
11:16 "Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me."
13:16 "But your eyes are blessed because they see and your ears because they hear." (prophets and saints longed to see and hear Messiah)
16:17 "You are blessed Simon bar Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven."
24:46 "Blessed is that slave whom the Master finds at work when he comes."
Jesus used this expression because blessing is a major theme in the Jewish Bible. It occurs thirty five times in Genesis alone. God blesses, people bless and some people are called blessed. It is a constituent part of the theological understanding of the way God works in the world.
In my search, it appears Numbers 24 contains the first beatitude, in the Balaam story. The pagan prophet, hired to curse Israel, is warned by God that this people is blessed and cannot be cursed. So Balaam, inspired by the spirit of God faces Israel and makes an oracle. Comparing the people to a mighty lion, he concludes with these words, "blessed are they who bless you and accursed they who curse you." (which echoes God's promise to Abraham)
While many references to blessing and being blessed following Balaam, the next beatitude occurs in Job 5:17 ("blessed is the man whom God corrects") However, it is in the collection of Psalms that we begin to see numerous beatitudes similar to Jesus' usage.
Psalm 1:1 ''how blessed" the one who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand... with sinners, or sit... with scoffers"
2:2 "Blessed are those who take refuge in Him" [God]
32:1, 2 "Blessed are those who are forgiven,... blessed are those God does not punish for wrongdoing
33:12 "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord."
34:8 "Blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him."
41:1 "Blessed is the one who treats the poor properly."
84:4 "Blessed are those who live in your temple and praise you continually."
84:5, 12 "blessed are those who find their strength in you...blessed are those who trust you."
89:15 "Blessed are they who worship You Lord"
94:12 "Blessed is the one whom You instruct Lord.
106:3 "Blessed are those who promote justice and always do what is right."
112:1 "Blessed is the one who obeys the Lord and takes great delight in keeping His commands."
119:1,2 "Blessed are those who observe His rules and seek Him with all their heart."
128:2 "Blessed is every one of the Lord's loyal followers, each one who keeps His commands."
(there are some others, and several which are borderline to our purposes, but this illustrates the point)
In addition, Wisdom Literature contains numerous Beatitudes
Proverbs 3:13 "Blessed is the one who finds wisdom and obtains understanding."
8:32, 34 Wisdom speaks to her children, "Blessed are those who listen to me...blessed is the one who listens to me."
28:14 "Blessed is the one who is always cautious."
29:18 "the one who keeps the law, blessed is he." (there are several other examples in psalms and proverbs of this reversed ordering)
There are beatitudes in the Prophets as well.
Is 30:18 "...all who wait for Him in faith will be blessed."
56:2 "Blessed is the man who does this." (keeps Sabbath)
Daniel 12:12 "Blessed is the one who waits..." (for apocalyptic judgment)
Luke and John record numerous Beatitudes of Jesus. In Luke 11:28, when someone says Mary is blessed to have Jesus as a son, He replies, "Blessed are those who hear the word of God and do it" John 13:17 Jesus said, "If you understand these things, you will be blessed if you do it," and more famously 20:29 where Jesus says to Thomas, "Blessed are those who have not seen yet believed!"
The first time I stumbled across the "other beatitudes" was in a Book of Revelation class I taught. One commentator pointed out the repetition of seven in the book, not simply the number but groups of seven. This is a reminder of the complexity of many books and the intentional structuring.
Revelation
1:3 Blessed is the one who reads the prophecy... blessed are those who hear and obey.
14:13 "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord."
16:15 "Blessed is the one who stays alert."
19:9 "Blessed are those invited to the Banquet of the Lamb."
20:6 "Blessed and holy is the one who takes part in the first resurrection."
22:7 "Blessed is the one who keeps the prophecy expressed in this book."
22:14 "Blessed are those who wash their robes."
The Blessed (or happy) are in right relationship with God. They trust God and entrust themselves to His care. The look to Him for their protection and salvation. They are also blessed because they worship, listen, obey and walk in His ways. Faith without faithfulness is dead. If we hear the Eight Beatitudes in the wider context of dozens of other biblical beatitudes, it is probable that Jesus is not doing a new thing here (except as He identifies Himself as the core of the relationship with God). It is easy to get distracted by many things. I believe meditating on the Bible's beatitudes provides us a corrective to the false beatitudes proclaimed by the world, the flesh and the devil.
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