Matthew 5:12

‘Rejoice, and be extremely glad,

For great is your reward in Heaven,

For so persecuted they the prophets who were before you.'

And when persecution happens they should rejoice. Indeed they should be deliriously happy. For it will indicate that they are deserving people, and it will mean that their reward in Heaven will be great. To them will belong the Kingly Rule of Heaven which has been given to the persecuted ones of Matthew 5:10. Eternal blessedness will be theirs. For such treatment will put them into the same category as the great prophets of the past. For the prophets too were persecuted by the fathers of these people in the same way as they will shortly be. This last statement parallels that in Matthew 5:10. Those prophets were ‘blessed ones' as well.

Here then Jesus' current disciples are paralleled with the prophets. They are presumably indeed to see themselves as prophetic men. Theirs is to be the privilege of carrying on in the train of the prophets, and indeed, because of their present position in the Kingly Rule of God, to be at present of an even higher status than they (Matthew 11:11).

And here He stops, on a high note with no jarring thought of false prophets. But later He will add a warning. He will introduce the thought that they must take heed to themselves. For towards the end of Jesus' message the contrast will be brought out of false prophets. Sadly they too will arise. And they will be known by their fruits (Matthew 7:15). It will then be brought out that it was important therefore that His disciples recognise the danger of becoming false prophets. They were to ensure that if they were persecuted and insulted it was for the right reason. They must look to the fruit that will be borne in their lives in the doing of the will of Jesus' Father in Heaven (Matthew 7:21). By ensuring that they do His will, they will then ensure that they remain as true prophets. However, this is not part of Jesus' message yet. At present He is speaking with positive confidence in His disciples, and showing them what kind of people they are and must be. For their present status demonstrates that they have been truly blessed by God.

‘Your reward in Heaven.' That is, ‘your reward stored up for you by God'. This is another example of the desire to avoid using God's name more than necessary. The point is that no one will lose out, however much they are called on to suffer.