Thomas Aquinas Commentary Matthew 5:11-12

"Blessed are ye when [men] shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you." — Matthew 5:11-12 (ASV)

The prophets were killed because they did not deny the faith, but instead proclaimed the truth; John the Baptist was killed and was a martyr because he was proclaiming the truth.

And it should be observed that this beatitude is placed in the eighth position, just as circumcision was performed on the eighth day, in which a kind of general circumcision of the martyrs is foretold.

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:10). These words seem to be taken from words that are related in the first beatitude; therefore, it is interpreted in various ways by the Saints. Some say that this is the same as what is said: Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:3), and this is to designate the perfection of patience: And patience has a perfect work: that you may be perfect and entire, failing in nothing (James 1:4).

Now, patience is signified by its return to its origin, as appears in a circle. Likewise, whoever suffers persecution is poor for justice’s sake, and all other things should be given to him, because Blessed are the meek: for they shall possess the land (Matthew 5:5), and, Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy (Matthew 5:7), and so on for the other beatitudes.

Therefore, Ambrose says that the kingdom of heaven is presented in relation to the glory of the soul and of the heart: for the kingdom of heaven corresponds to the virtues of the soul, but the beatitude which consists in the glorification of the bodies corresponds to martyrdom, on account of the afflictions which they suffered.

Alternatively, the kingdom of heaven is promised in hope to the poor, because they do not immediately ascend to heaven, but it is promised to the martyrs in reality because they immediately ascend to heaven.

Blessed are you when they shall revile you, etc. (Matthew 5:11). Here He touches upon the dignity of those who should teach the very doctrine of the Apostles. It should be known that all the beatitudes relate to three things: the first three are for removing evil, namely, “Blessed are the poor,” “Blessed are the meek,” and “Blessed are they that mourn”; the other four are for doing good; the last beatitude, however, pertains to patiently suffering evil.

Now these three things should be in the teacher of Sacred Scripture preeminently, because in enduring evils, not only should he patiently bear them, but he should rejoice in them. Likewise, he should remove evils from others; moreover, thirdly, he should enlighten others for the purpose of doing good.

Therefore, in these three things Christ commends the apostolic dignity in order, and He starts from persecution, because by this the perfection of all the others is designated, and it signifies that no one should assume the office of preaching unless he is perfect: The learning of a man is known by patience (Proverbs 19:11); and: They shall suffer well, that they may preach (Psalms 91:15).

About this He does three things:

1. Firstly, He enumerates the evils that they are about to suffer.
2. Secondly, He teaches the manner of suffering them, where it is said, Be glad and rejoice (Matthew 5:12).
3. Thirdly, He assigns the reason for rejoicing, where it is said, for your reward is very great in heaven (Matthew 5:12).

Now evils are either present or absent; likewise, the present evils happen either by word or by deed. Therefore, He sets forth every kind of evil. He says, therefore: Blessed are you (Matthew 5:11).

Now, here Augustine raises a question, in that He first says: when they shall revile you, and afterward He says: when they shall speak all that is evil against you (Matthew 5:11), for it seems to be the same thing. But it should be known that those revile who give an affront to those who are present, while those speak all that is evil who detract from those who are absent.

For those are reviled to whom many reproaches are made: All curse me (Jeremiah 15:10), and, Who, when he was cursed, did not curse (1 Peter 2:23). Blessed are you when they shall revile you (Matthew 5:11), meaning when they shall offend you by word and deed.

Chrysostom says: “The merit of eternal life consists in two things: in doing good and in bearing evil, and just as every good deed, however small, is not without merit, so every injury has a reward.” And persecute you (Matthew 5:11), meaning by driving you out from city to city: We are reviled: and we bless. We are persecuted: and we suffer it (1 Corinthians 4:12); Behold I send to you prophets and wise men and scribes: and some of them you will persecute from city to city (Matthew 23:34); and, If you be reproached for the name of Christ, you shall be blessed (1 Peter 4:14).

But it should be known that not everyone about whom bad things are said is reviled; rather, it is required, first, that it be said falsely, and second, that it be said for Christ’s sake. Therefore, He says: untruly, for my sake (Matthew 5:11). And these words, for my sake, refer to all the previously mentioned evils. Likewise, note that what He says, for my sake (Matthew 5:11) and for justice’ sake (Matthew 5:10), are the same thing.

Be glad and rejoice (Matthew 5:12). Here He teaches the manner, namely, how evils are to be endured. Previously, when He was speaking of all people, He said: Blessed are they that suffer persecution (Matthew 5:10), meaning who do not become indignant; but for the Apostles this does not suffice; indeed, it is necessary that they rejoice: Count it all joy, when you shall fall into divers temptations (James 1:2); and, The Apostles went from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were accounted worthy to suffer reproach for the name of Jesus (Acts 5:41).

But on the contrary, Augustine says, “You command them to be endured, not to be loved.” I answer that one need not rejoice about the tribulations themselves, but about the hope that enduring them produces; just as one who takes medicine does not rejoice about the bitterness of the medicine but about the hope of health.

And He says: Rejoice and exult (Matthew 5:12), where it should be known that to delight, to exult, to rejoice, and to be glad are the same regarding what is signified, but differ logically from one another. For delight, properly speaking, comes from the conjunction of the loved and suitable thing itself; joy is not only in the conjunction but also in the apprehension. Interior gladness and exultation are the effects following joy and delight, because from these the heart is first dilated: hence, gladness (laetitia) is a certain dilation (latitia) of the heart. Likewise, not only is the heart inwardly dilated, but when this dilation is expressed, it appears outwardly, and then it is called exultation, as though appearing outwardly (extra apparens).

Now one should rejoice about tribulation, because it will be for the confusion of unbelievers and for the joy of the faithful; so blessed Laurence rejoiced on the gridiron, as is read about him.

And there are two reasons for joy:

1. The reward is a cause of joy; therefore, your reward is very great in heaven (Matthew 5:12), namely, the empyrean heaven. Therefore: We shall be taken up in the clouds to meet Christ, into the air: and so shall we be always with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:16). Augustine says, “By the fact that He says, in heaven, He names the object and substance of beatitude, which will not be in corporeal, but in spiritual things”—more precisely, in the enjoyment of God. These spiritual things are designated by the heavens on account of their solidity and firmness. And He says, very great, because of the superabundant reward of the Apostles: Give: and it shall be given to you: good measure and pressed down and shaken together and running over shall they give into your bosom (Luke 6:38), and, I am thy reward exceeding great (Genesis 15:1).
2. The second reason one should rejoice about tribulation is the example of the prophets. Therefore, For so they persecuted the prophets that were before you (Matthew 5:12). For it is a great comfort when people are likened to the great fathers who preceded them: Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? (Acts 7:52), and, Take, my brethren, for example of suffering evil, of labor and patience, the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we account them blessed who have endured (James 5:10–11).

And observe that, in these words, Christ’s dignity is indicated, because He has His prophets suffering for Him in the Old Testament; and also, the dignity of the Apostles is indicated, who are likened to the prophets.