Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:11-12
There’s a final “blessed” that’s not counted with the Beatitudes.
It’s set apart from the others.
It’s not blessed are those.
It is blessed are you.
It is no longer an abstract,
A concept, a premise.
It is pointed and personal.
Blessed are you …
But He continues
When they …
A clear division
You, you who are following and listening.
And they, they who revile, persecute and slander.
When, not if.
It does not matter that we show mercy and comfort and make peace.
The reviling, the persecution, and the slander will still come.
But that’s not all.
Blessing comes.
And later great reward in heaven.
Makarios
Then misthos