In this article, we will look at Jesus’ teaching on persecution. The key point that will come out of our study is that persecution is almost always associated with preaching.
Blessed are ye
Jesus taught the beatitudes to the multitudes that followed him as a result of his initial preaching, teaching, and healing campaign (Mt. 4:23-5:2). He concludes with, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake” (Mt. 5:10). Then he turns to his closest disciples and says, “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake” (Mt. 5:11). Imagine what it must have been like. Having been called by Jesus, you chose to leave your family, your home, your work. You are sitting there, listening to Jesus, impressed with his message. He says that some will be persecuted. Perhaps you feel some sympathy for them. But, before you have completed the thought, he turns to you, and looking at you, he says that you will be the one persecuted. And that it would come because of your choice to be associated with him. If you had not realized it already, you would surely know now, life with Christ would not be filled with complacency — you would be expected to follow his example, the example of the prophets before you, including especially, their patient endurance of persecution.
For Christ’s sake
In the eighth beatitude, Jesus says, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake” (Mt. 5:10). When he expands this beatitude, he says, “Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake” (Mt. 5:11). In Luke, Jesus says, “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake” (Lk. 6:22). These phrases emphasize that the apostles would be persecuted for believing and preaching the gospel of Christ.
Foretelling 1st century persecutions
Luke records the prophetic words of Christ, “But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you (cp. Acts 4:3 Peter and John; 5:18 the apostles; 12:1 certain of the church, i.e. James and Peter; 21:27 Paul), and persecute you (s.w. Acts 7:52 Stephen accuses the Sanhedrin; 8:1; 9:4,5; 22:4,7,8; 26:11,14,15 Saul persecuted the church; 13:50 against Paul and Barnabas), delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons (s.w. Acts 5:18,21,25 the apostles; 8:3; 26:10 Saul put the ecclesia in prison; 12:4,17 Peter; 16:23,26,36,40 Paul in Philippi), being brought before kings (cp. Acts 12 James killed and Peter imprisoned by King Herod; 25:13-26:32 Paul before King Agrippa) and rulers (cp. Acts 23:2424:26 Paul before Felix the governor, s.w.) for my name’s sake. And it shall turn to you for a testimony. Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer: for I will give you a mouth and wisdom (s.w. Acts 6:3,10 Stephen; cp. 7:10 Joseph and 7:22 Moses), which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay (s.w. Acts 4:13-14 Peter and John) nor resist (s.w. Acts 6:10 the wisdom and spirit of Stephen). And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolk’s, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death (e.g. Acts 7:59-8:1 Stephen and 12:1-2 James the brother of John). And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish” (Lk. 21:12-18).
As we have indicated above, Luke demonstrates the fulfillment of these words throughout the book of Acts. The apostles preached the gospel and men reacted in one of two ways: many believed the gospel and were baptized; but others, especially the Jewish leaders, laid their hands on the apostles, questioning them, putting them in prison, even killing them.
As further emphasis that this persecution comes because one preaches, Mark’s version of this saying of Jesus (Mk. 13:9-13), includes, “And the gospel must first be preached unto all the nations” (Mk. 13:10 RV; cp. Mt. 24:9-14).
Also, Matthew records this saying in the context of Jesus sending the twelve out to preach the gospel (Mt. 10:5-7,1623).
Paul persecuted for preaching
After he had appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus, Jesus said to Ananias, “Go thy way: for he (Saul of Tarsus) is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: for I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake” (Acts 9:15-16). So Saul the Persecutor became Paul the Apostle, persecuted for preaching the gospel he had once zealously attacked.
Throughout his epistles, Paul emphasizes this connection between preaching and persecution, all for Christ’s sake. “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God…We are fools for Christ’s sake…we are despised…being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: being defamed, we intreat” (1 Cor. 1:17- 18;4:10,12-13).
“For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake…For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake” (2 Cor. 4:5,11).
Peter records the same message
Peter makes the same connections, using the language of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. “And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be ye troubled but sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil oj you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ” (1 Pet. 3:13-16).
The seed sown on the stony ground
In the parable of the Sower, Jesus says, “And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended” (Mk, 4:16-17 // Mt. 13:20-21).
So Persecuted They the Prophets
Jesus continues the Sermon with the words, “Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Mt. 5:12). Luke includes the following contrast, “Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold. your reward is great in heaven:for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets…Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets” (Lk. 6:23,26; cp. Mt. 23:29-37).
Paul makes the same point using the words of Jesus as recorded in Mt. 23, “For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews: who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: forbidding them to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost” (1 Thess. 2:15-16).
Ye are the Salt of the Earth
Jesus continues, “Ye are the salt of the earth” (Mt. 5:13). In an earlier article (Tidings, Feb. 1992) we cited Old Testament allusions to salt, showing that salt was associated with acceptable sacrifice and with the everlasting covenant. Salt caused burnt offerings and incense to burn true. It emphasized that there would come a day when the kingdom of God would be set up for ever.
Paul connects salt to preaching. “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech alway be seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Col. 4:2-6). In short, Paul says, we must preach the one true gospel of the everlasting covenant, having our speech seasoned with salt, prepared as a sacrifice.
But what if our preaching loses its saltiness? Jesus says, “If the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men” (Mt. 5:13).
Paul delivers the same exhortation, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another (Gk. heteros, i.e., another of a different sort) gospel: which is not another (allos, i.e., another of the same sort), but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other (para, i.e., contrary to, RV margin) gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Gal. 1:6-8).
Ye are the Light of the World
Jesus continues the Sermon, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Mt. 5:14 – 16).
In that same Tidings article, we cited passages in which the law was referred to using images of light, city, and candle. For example, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and alight unto my path” (Psa. 119:105; see also Prov. 6:23; Isa. 51:4, 2:2-3, 62:1). One of the priest’s daily duties was to keep the lamps burning. Similarly, we must keep our lamp filled with oil and shining forth the word of God.
In Mark, this saying (Mk. 4:21-22) follows immediately after the parable of the sower (Mk. 4:1-20), with its obvious connection to preaching.
Paul writes, “Do all things without murmurings (against God) and disputing’s (with men): that ye may be blameless (before God) and harmless (among men) (s.w. Mt. 10:16), the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation (RV, generation, i.e., the seed of the serpent), among whom ye shine as lights in the world: holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run (i.e. preached the word; cp. 2 Thess. 3:1- 2 RV; Psa. 147:15; Hab. 2:2) in vain, neither labored in vain. Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice (poured out as a drink-offering, RV margin) and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me” (Phil. 2:14-18).
John the Baptist and the two witnesses
John the Baptist and the two witnesses of Rev. 11 are referred to as lamps that burn. “Ye have sent unto John (the Baptist), and he hath borne witness unto the truth…He was the lamp that burneth and shineth: and ye were willing to rejoice for a season in his light” (Jn. 5:33,35 RV).
“And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed with sackcloth. These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth (cp. Elijah calling fire down from heaven, 2 Kgs. 1:10,12), and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed. These have power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy (cp. Elijah’s prayer that it might not rain, 1 Kgs. 17:1; Jas. 5:17): and have power over waters to turn them to blood (cp. the first plague on Egypt, Ex. 7:14-25), and to smite the earth with all plagues (cp. the other nine plagues upon Egypt, Ex. 8-12), as often as they will. And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of bottomless pit shall make war against them, and kill them” (Rev. 11:3-7).
The two witnesses recall Moses and Elijah, who represent the Law and the Prophets, which Christ came to fulfill (Mt. 5:17-18). Luke records, “And (Jesus) said unto (the apostles), These are the words which I spake unto you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me” (Lk. 24:44).
Teaching and Preaching
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, “Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Mt. 5:19). Teaching and preaching are strongly connected (see Mt. 4:23, 9:3, 11:1 Jesus; Acts 5:42 apostles; Acts 28:31; 1 Tim. 2:7; 2 Tim. 1:11 Paul).
A Call to Preach
The prophets preached God’s word, and were persecuted and killed. John the Baptist preached the gospel, and was killed. Jesus was God’s word made flesh, and was persecuted and killed. The apostles preached the gospel, and were persecuted. They were put in prison. Stephen was killed. Saul persecuted the ecclesia, the body of Christ. James was killed. Paul himself suffered many things for Christ’s name sake. The disciples burned bright with the message of Christ, and shared in his suffering.
Are we following the same path? Do men speak evil of us, hating us because we preach the true gospel? Or, do men speak well of us, assimilating us because they do not hear any differences in the gospel we preach? Or, do they not speak of us at all, ignoring us because we are not preaching enough that they notice? Brothers and sisters, let us redeem the time.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One