SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:12
Gozaos y alegraos; porque vuestro galardn es grande en los cielos; que así persiguieron a los profetas que estuvieron antes de vosotros.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 5:12
Verse 12. Rejoice] In the testimony of a good conscience; for, without this, suffering has nothing but misery in it. Be exceeding glad] agalliasqe, leap for joy. There are several cases on record, where this was literally done by the martyrs, in Queen Mary's days.
Great is your reward in heaven] In the Talmudical tract Pirkey Aboth, are these words: "Rabbi Tarpon said, The day is short: the work is great: the labourers are slow: the REWARD IS GREAT: and the father of the family is urgent." The followers of Christ are encouraged to suffer joyfully on two considerations. 1. They are thereby conformed to the prophets who went before. 2. Their reward in heaven is a great one. God gives the grace to suffer, and then crowns that grace with glory; hence it is plain, the reward is not of debt, but of grace: Rom. vi. 23.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 12. Rejoice and be exceeding glad , etc.] Because of the honour put upon them, the glory they bring to Christ and his cause, by cheerfully suffering for it; and because of the glory and happiness that shall follow upon their sufferings: for great is your reward in heaven ; not of debt, but of grace; for there is no proportion or comparison between what the saints suffer for Christ, and the glory that shall be revealed in them by him; not in earth, but in heaven.
Saints must not expect their reward here, but hereafter, when God himself will be their reward; he will be all in all; Christ and all his glory, glory and all the riches of it will be the reward of the inheritance, and which must needs be a great one. And the more to animate them to suffer with joyfulness, and to support them under all their reproaches and persecutions, it is added; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you ; as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Zechariah, and others; which shows, that what should befall them was no new and strange thing, but what had been the lot of the most eminent servants of God in former ages.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 3-12 - Our Saviour here gives eight characters of blessed people, whic represent to us the principal graces of a Christian. 1. The poor in spirit are happy. These bring their minds to their condition, when it is a low condition. They are humble and lowly in their own eyes. The see their want, bewail their guilt, and thirst after a Redeemer. The kingdom of grace is of such; the kingdom of glory is for them. 2. Thos that mourn are happy. That godly sorrow which worketh true repentance watchfulness, a humble mind, and continual dependence for acceptance of the mercy of God in Christ Jesus, with constant seeking the Holy Spirit, to cleanse away the remaining evil, seems here to be intended Heaven is the joy of our Lord; a mountain of joy, to which our way is through a vale of tears. Such mourners shall be comforted by their God 3. The meek are happy. The meek are those who quietly submit to God who can bear insult; are silent, or return a soft answer; who, in their patience, keep possession of their own souls, when they can scarcel keep possession of anything else. These meek ones are happy, even in this world. Meekness promotes wealth, comfort, and safety, even in thi world. 4. Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness are happy Righteousness is here put for all spiritual blessings. These ar purchased for us by the righteousness of Christ, confirmed by the faithfulness of God. Our desires of spiritual blessings must be earnest. Though all desires for grace are not grace, yet such a desir as this, is a desire of God's own raising, and he will not forsake the work of his own hands. 5. The merciful are happy. We must not only bea our own afflictions patiently, but we must do all we can to help thos who are in misery. We must have compassion on the souls of others, an help them; pity those who are in sin, and seek to snatch them as brand out of the burning. 6. The pure in heart are happy; for they shall se God. Here holiness and happiness are fully described and put together The heart must be purified by faith, and kept for God. Create in m such a clean heart, Of God. None but the pure are capable of seeing God nor would heaven be happiness to the impure. As God cannot endure to look upon their iniquity, so they cannot look upon his purity. 7. The peace-makers are happy. They love, and desire, and delight in peace and study to be quiet. They keep the peace that it be not broken, an recover it when it is broken. If the peace-makers are blessed, woe to the peace-breakers! 8. Those who are persecuted for righteousness' sak are happy. This saying is peculiar to Christianity; and it is mor largely insisted upon than any of the rest. Yet there is nothing in ou sufferings that can merit of God; but God will provide that those wh lose for him, though life itself, shall not lose by him in the end Blessed Jesus! how different are thy maxims from those of men of thi world! They call the proud happy, and admire the gay, the rich, the powerful, and the victorious. May we find mercy from the Lord; may we be owned as his children, and inherit his kingdom. With thes enjoyments and hopes, we may cheerfully welcome low or painfu circumstances.
Greek Textus Receptus
χαιρετε 5463 5720 V-PAM-2P και 2532 CONJ αγαλλιασθε 21 5737 V-PNM-2P οτι 3754 CONJ ο 3588 T-NSM μισθος 3408 N-NSM υμων 5216 P-2GP πολυς 4183 A-NSM εν 1722 PREP τοις 3588 T-DPM ουρανοις 3772 N-DPM ουτως 3779 ADV γαρ 1063 CONJ εδιωξαν 1377 5656 V-AAI-3P τους 3588 T-APM προφητας 4396 N-APM τους 3588 T-APM προ 4253 PREP υμων 5216 P-2GP
