Bible Studies in the Gospel of Matthew

Bible Studies in the Gospel of Matthew
XIV

Matthew 5:11-12; Luke 6:22-23, 26; 1 Peter 2:7; Proverbs 18:24; Romans 8:17-18: If it is for His name, for the Son of Man’s sake, for the sake of the truth, righteousness, and faithfulness that we are mocked, despised, hated, and persecuted, then we are blessed.

If we believe the Word, we know that our reward for this will be great. In other words, it is pure net income! And people do not usually grieve because it increases.

Additionally, if the ungodly defame us ever so much, we receive just as much honor in spite of it, because it is not the ungodly or ignorant who allot true honor, but God. He does it in harmony with 1 Peter 2:7: “Therefore, to you who believe belongs the honor.”

People are backwards. They turn things upside down when they mock us, to whom the honor truly belongs. They should rather be ashamed of themselves because they are wretches and poor weaklings, cowardly wretches who do not dare, who are not capable of, who do not have the strength, who cannot do what they very well know they should be doing.

On the other hand, we do God’s will. Therefore it belongs to us and we will receive honor for all eternity; so we are, as the Word says, blessed for these good reasons.

The reproach and mockery of the opponents increases the reward, and thereby the blessedness, so we can safely do as the Word says: “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad.”

Being honored and praised by ungodly people, by liars, is a dubious honor and gratification. Being their friend is not very praiseworthy either. On the other hand, being their enemy must be—by the very nature of things—an honor. Therefore dear, genuine brother, do as the Word says: Drink from the brook, and lift up your head. Ps. 110:7.