There are many different views and opinions on exactly what Jesus was saying during the closing three verses of the Beatitudes and what these scriptures mean. I have read and studied the Bible in many translations and also studied commentaries and religious philosophies. But I am not a Bible scholar nor a candidate for a doctorate in religion. I don't want to argue semantics or fight over interpretation. I believe that I understand these verses, but more importantly I trust that as I continue to have relationship with my Creator and grow closer to Him that He will bring to my attention and correct any misunderstanding of these verses or any other parts of His word, as long as I listen and remain teachable the Great Teacher will teach. All I can do is here is the same as I have done with the other parts of the Beatitudes that do not have as much differing opinion, which is to simply offer my experience, strength and hope.
There is so much differing opinion about meaning here, because this doesn't sound fun. The other parts were all about being blessed. Blessing is good. I'll have extra of that thank you, but please hold the onions....I mean persecution. I don't want to be uncomfortable, hurt, despised or rejected. I mean seriously, I want to be like Jesus and all, but beaten down, despised and rejected? Let's not go overboard here. I came to Jesus because I felt beaten down, despised, rejected, unloved and unlovable, unaccepted and unacceptable. I drank a lot of alcohol and did a lot of drugs to escape feeling like that. When that quit working and the consequences of my choices and actions caused me to feel all those things even more then I realized I needed to surrender my life and my will over to the care of God. But I surely didn't do it to feel more of the same old same old hurt and rejection.
But it's not the same old same old and can't be if I'm doing what my program of recovery and relationship with my Master Teacher have instructed me to do. The term "persecute" is from a root which means "to put to flight, drive away." The word is defined as "...in any way whatever to harass, trouble, molest one." This includes all that can be done to hurt one outwardly. To "revile" someone is to insult them and call them by contemptuous names. So after looking these words up and getting a little better understanding of what they mean so I don't have to jump right to the idea or concept of martyrdom when I see or hear the word persecute, I need to look further before I start thinking that I qualify here. I used the word qualify because Jesus did not say blessed are they which are persecuted and reviled. He added qualifying words, "for righteousness' sake" and "for my sake," for a reason.
It is not a blessing to be persecuted as a reaction to living selfishly or in the authority of my own will. That is either justice or a result of placing myself in a situation where I am vulnerable to those who are also not living in submission and surrender to God. Let me use for example my time in prison. My sentence was somewhat extreme and harsh considering the circumstances according to the opinions of those involved and most of those who know the details. But the truth is that I broke the law, I accepted responsibility and plead guilty, and my sentence fell well within the boundaries and guidelines for the degree of felony offense. The truth of the matter is that I didn't receive even half of the maximum sentence. I certainly wasn't persecuted. I experienced justice in the eyes and standards of the state.
But while I was incarcerated, I experienced some persecution. We were dehumanized, belittled, put down and abused by those in authority over us on a daily basis. Then there was plenty of behavior from other convicts that qualifies under the definition of persecution. I experienced ,many things over those seven and a half years that I did not deserve based on the crime that put me in that place. But it still doesn't qualify me, because I wasn't being persecuted or reviled for righteousness' sake or Christ's. I was being persecuted because I put myself in the hands of evil men as a direct result of living a life that was centered only on myself and out of control.
So these verses are not talking about being persecuted as a result of living for myself or being called names for being what I am or for doing what I did. They are also not about being persecuted or called names because of religious beliefs. I don't believe that to have someone treat me negatively or say something to hurt my feelings because they don't like the cross tattoo I have qualifies either, although some would say it does. I personally believe that it goes deeper.
When I first got clean and sober, I lost some friends. Many of them simply didn't want me around anymore or want to be around me. It interfered with their pleasure to be around someone not using or drinking, especially when that someone used to use and drink. I was a buzz kill to them, and some were not nice about how they told me to stay away. I made them uncomfortable, because deep down they knew the truth about themselves, that they was powerless and that their lives were unmanageable. They couldn't accept or face that truth yet, and my presence made that truth gnaw at them a little. They couldn't stand it.
People are selfish. People do not live or act in love or service to others for the most part. People take advantage of others to advance themselves or get what they want, and when they've been hurt they retaliate. True patience, love, tolerance and forgiveness is something that most people do not or can not practice without a relationship with God.
I remember when I first started my recovery and learned how I was to act in service being afraid. I was afraid that if I lived this way that I would be taken advantage of, that I would be hurt. No, I was going to protect myself and what was mine. But Jesus said turn the other cheek and give your cloak also. He understood that I can't pick and choose when to be selfish and when to love. I have to walk in love to the best of my ability at every moment and circumstance. That is the will of my Heavenly Father who loved me even when I acted unlovable. If I walk in love, I never have to worry about what is the next right thing or what is or isn't the will of God. To walk in love fulfills everything.
It also makes the people who are not walking in love, and who have been broken and hurt and need and want love so much, very uncomfortable. Some will feel that discomfort as a sign that they too want what we have, conscious contact with our Creator and freedom from the bondage of self. Some will feel that and react out of fear to drive the love away. If it isn't there, I can't let my guard down and let it in. If I don't do that, it can't hurt me. So they persecute and revile in an attempt to not be hurt, they extend their pain and misery by hurting those who would love them and help them find the solution to their confusion and pain. Some of those who persecute those who walk in love also try to take advantage in financial, emotional, and other ways.
It is when by walking in, acting out of, having my decisions governed by love and doing the next right thing according to what God would have me do and thereby provoke the above responses that I qualify for the blessings that come from persecution. Mother Theresa understood this, and I feel her final analysis prayer sums up the spirit of these verses nicely. "People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway. If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway. What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway. Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway. In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway."
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