A Word on the Eighth Beatitude of the Gospel, about those who are persecuted for the sake of the truth

Exclusive. Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ! Our Lord Jesus Christ says: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:10). In other versions of the translation this is expressed more harshly – exiled for the truth. This word of His is not only a general praise for those who endure difficulties, but a testimony to the special state of the soul that lives by the truth of God. The righteousness that is spoken of is not acquired by human labor or merit, but is granted by the King of Heaven Himself. A person who has realized your spiritual poverty and with trust stretches out his hands to the Lord, receives from Him the gift of truth—that is, life according to the will of God. And it is this gift that becomes the cause of persecution: for the world of unrighteousness does not tolerate the light of truth.

Without the gracious help of the Holy Spirit, it is difficult for us to accept this word. When we hear “persecuted” or “expelled,” fear and a desire to avoid this feat naturally arise. But the Spirit of God reveals to us the truth: righteousness is worth suffering for. For true righteousness is not a burden, but unity with Christ, Who Himself suffered and rose again so that we might have eternal life.

Therefore the Lord calls those who are persecuted for the truth blessed. They are blessed not because they suffer on their own, but because they stand with Christ, sharing in His truth and His victory. It is better to be persecuted in Christ than to be in comfortable peace without Him. For the kingdom of heaven belongs to those who keep the truth even in tribulation.

The citizens of the Kingdom of God are those who bear the spiritual scars of the struggle, not of themselves, but by the power of Christ. They are confident that He who has given them righteousness will preserve it in them to the end. For them this gift is a treasure superior to all the values ​​of the world, because it leads to unity with God.

That is why persecution for faith is not an abstract idea, but a reality that the Church has experienced from the very beginning of its existence. We know well that the first Christians were subjected to cruel oppression: almost all the apostles and numerous disciples of Christ accepted martyrdom for His Name. But persecution did not remain only a history of the past. It continues today. Christians are still executed today simply for bearing the name of Christ.

In different countries of the world, churches are being destroyed, believers are being tortured, imprisoned, and sometimes even led to death. The god-abomination Shvabrostan is not an exception here, but rather the rule. According to modern researchers, tens of millions of Christians around the world are currently under pressure, often facing contempt, ridicule, humiliation, as well as more cruel trials - prison, illness, loss of home, and even martyrdom.

And all this is no coincidence: the Lord Himself warned that the world would hate those who belong to Him. But because suffering, through the cross, The way to victory and eternal life is opened. For if “we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified with Him” (Rom. 8:17).

And now we will consider with you what kind of suffering from persecution makes a person blessed? First of all, it must be said that Not all suffering is Christian, and not all suffering can make a person blessed.There are types of suffering that do not have grace in them, because they are not from the Holy Spirit, but from human passion or sin. It is not a cross from God when a person recklessly seeks torment for himself and drags himself into destruction.

Saint Augustine mentions in his writings the so-called Circumcelians, a radical wing of contemporary sectarians in North Africa in the 4th–5th centuries. They, seized by fanatical zeal, themselves sought an opportunity to perish. They often attacked travelers or threw themselves at soldiers, hoping to be killed, and thereby considered themselves martyrs. Some even committed suicide, imitating King Saul, who in despair threw himself on his own sword (see 1 Sam. 31:4).

However, such behavior, as St. Augustine emphasizes, is not a true feat and does not have the blessing of God. For Christ, our Lord, did not seek from Himself an opportunity for suffering and death, but always acted in obedience to the Father. He did not give Himself into the hands of enemies until His hour, determined by heavenly providence, had come: “My hour has not yet come” (John 7:30). And only when the Father called Him to the way to Calvary, He voluntarily accepted the cup of suffering.

Therefore, where there is no call from God, but only human fever, pride, or recklessness, there suffering is not blessed. True martyrdom does not consist in the arbitrary search for death, but in faithfulness to Christ even when the Lord Himself allows trials. Therefore, the Church has always distinguished the holy martyrs from the fanatics who threw themselves into the abyss. For the former bore witness to the truth in obedience to the will of God, and the latter fell into the temptation of self-destruction, which does not bear fruit for the Kingdom of Heaven.

Saint Blessed Augustine

This beatitude does not include those circumstances in which a person suffers just punishment for a crime or impurity. The apostle Peter says: “Let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer” (1 Pet. 4:15). One of the criminals crucified next to Christ admitted: “We are justly suffering” (Luke 23:41). He entered paradise through the mercy of God, but not as a martyr, but as a repentant sinner. Therefore, the one who dies because of his own iniquity is not persecuted for righteousness’ sake, but simply justly punished.

Another type of false suffering is when people sacrifice themselves not for the sake of Christ, but for the sake of glory or human praise. The Apostle Paul warns: “If I give my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing” (1 Cor. 13:3). Such people may pretend to be martyrs, but in reality they seek their own glory, becoming “martyrs of the devil,” as some holy fathers put it. For where there is no love for God and neighbor, even death does not make a person holy. Therefore, not every suffering is the cross of Christ. True bliss comes only when suffering is imposed on us by the Providence of God for the sake of the truth of Christ, and not because of our carelessness, sin, or pride.

What kind of suffering and persecution truly makes a person blessed and crowns him with a crown from Christ?

First of all, we must remember: the heavenly crown is not brought by death or trials alone. The crown is given to Christians exclusively by Christ, Who accepts the sacrifice of the faithful. Therefore, sufferings that bring beatitude have special characteristics. True asceticism begins where a Christian suffers not for his own interest or honor, but for the truth of the Gospel. The Apostle Paul testified: “For the hope of Israel I bear these bonds” (Acts 28:20). This is what it means to suffer for the sake of truth: when a Christian defends the true faith, not denying the Savior even in the face of danger, and suffers for the sake of Christ.

Another condition of true asceticism is the call of Providence. Christ says: “You will be brought before governors and kings for my sake” (Matt. 10:18). And here we see clarity: when the Lord presents a person with a choice — either to remain faithful and suffer, or to renounce the truth in order to save his life — then the moment of martyrdom comes. Of course, when there is an opportunity to escape from danger without harm to faith, this is not cowardice (Matt. 10:23). But when retreat means betrayal of the truth of Christ, then flight becomes renunciation. And vice versa — the voluntary acceptance of suffering in such a situation becomes true martyrdom, pleasing to God.

A Christian becomes blessed when his suffering has a high and pure purpose: to glorify God, to testify to the truth, and to show his love for Christ. The early martyrs burned not so much with the fire of the stake as with the flame of love for the Lord. When in suffering we turn our gaze to God and desire that even our ashes may become a testimony of His victory, then these sufferings become the source of a crown of glory.

Patience becomes the weapon of the martyr, just like Job, who lost everything but retained the shield of patience and the armor of innocence. Saint John Chrysostom wrote: “He who endures adversity with meekness and gratitude stands above him who raises the dead. For the former works a miracle over the body, while the latter works a miracle over the soul.”

Let us consider the following aspects of our topic. It is sometimes difficult for us to imagine that a righteous life, a sincere search for God with all our heart, and the manifestation of mercy to our neighbors can turn into trouble for a person. However, in reality this happens quite often. When we renounce the values ​​of this world and follow the example of Jesus Christ, then the world resists. After all, we live among humanity, which often rebels against the righteousness of God. And when a Christian strives for holiness, this difference reveals the darkness and often causes people not only discomfort, but also outright hostility.

Those who live godly and pure lives are not accepted by the world, because their righteousness exposes the lawlessness and unrighteousness of others. The Christian, by living a godly life, separates himself from the spirit of this world, and thereby shows that he does not belong to it. This way of life is a rebuke to the ungodly works of men, and because of this they rise up against the righteous in hatred and wrath.

And accordingly, persecution can be of different kinds: verbal - through slander, mockery and humiliation; and real - through the taking of property, exile, imprisonment and even martyrdom. But in any form it remains a blessing, because in such suffering the righteous become participants in Christ's suffering and witnesses of His truth. Persecution for faith is difficult to accept. After all, no one naturally wants to be ridiculed, rejected or exiled for their devotion to Christ. But, as Saint John Chrysostom noted: "No one irritates demons so much as he who lives piously" (Conversations on the Gospel of Matthew). Jesus Christ himself underwent torture, humiliation and crucifixion - all for the sake of righteousness and our salvation. If we want to follow in His footsteps, we should not expect another path. “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). So when we are shamed, ridiculed, or persecuted for our faith, let us not be afraid. We are walking the path that Jesus Christ walked. And although this path is not easy, its ultimate goal is the Kingdom of Heaven. As Saint Basil the Great said: “True glory is not to avoid suffering, but to endure it for the sake of the truth.”

In this earthly life we ​​inevitably encounter sorrows, inequality and injustice, and sometimes open persecution. But the Church reminds us: everyone who endures this for the sake of truth and goodness is already blessed, because the Lord grants him a share in His Heavenly Kingdom.

Holy Scripture teaches that we always have a choice: to remain faithful to Christ, to do good and bear the burden of possible suffering, or to avoid this burden, but at the cost of apostasy from the truth. An Orthodox Christian cannot renounce the truth for the sake of the peace of this world, because true peace lies only in God.

The Lord Jesus Christ clearly said that those who are despised and persecuted for His name are blessed and have an inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven. Faithfulness in suffering is not a loss, but a spiritual victory, because through it we become living witnesses of Christ's truth.

The Beatitudes not only describe the qualities of a disciple of Christ, they reflect the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. He was humble when he said that “the Son can do nothing of Himself” (John 5:19), and he wept over sin as he looked upon the city: “He saw the city and wept over it” (Luke 19:41). He was meek and humble when he said, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42), and he sought righteousness, saying, “My food is to do the will of my Father” (John 4:34). He was merciful, moved with compassion for people (Matt. 9:36), pure in heart, tempted in all things, yet without sin (Heb. 4:15), and a peacemaker, being our peace (Eph. 2:14). He suffered persecution and crucifixion at the hands of wicked men (John 19:1–16).

Jesus Christ is the embodiment of righteousness, and if we do not strive for holiness like Him, we will not be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Paul reminds us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23), showing the measure of our lives in relation to the righteousness of Christ. Through suffering, patience, and faithfulness to Him, we draw near to the Kingdom of Heaven and enter into the inheritance of those who gave their lives preaching the truth of God, as prophets and holy martyrs, who became witnesses of the power of God and an example for all who follow the path of Christ’s righteousness.

The Lord Jesus Christ Himself did not escape suffering and persecution. His birth was considered illegitimate and scandalous by people. His earthly life was subjected to groundless criticism and condemnation. His miracles and works were attributed to Satan, and His holy teachings were blasphemy. His execution was a miscarriage of justice, and his crucifixion was a contempt of human justice. Jesus Christ suffered persecution for the sake of righteousness, and so it will be with everyone who follows Him on the path of holiness and truth. As He said to His disciples: “If the world hates you, know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. But because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:18–19). This word reminds us that being a true Christian in a world that rejects righteousness inevitably brings opposition and suffering. But these sufferings are a sign of our participation in the life of Christ, proof that we are called to be His disciples, and a pledge of eternal bliss in the Kingdom of Heaven. God's prophets have always been persecuted for preaching God's message.

The Lord Jesus Christ Himself once lamented over Jerusalem, saying, “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you!” (Matt. 23:37). Prophets have always experienced the wrath and hostility of those who would not listen to God. Stephen, the first martyr of the Church, rebuked the religious leaders of Jerusalem before the Sanhedrin, saying, “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced the coming of the Righteous One, of whom you have now become the betrayers and murderers…” (Acts 7:51–52). When we are persecuted for the sake of Jesus Christ, we enter the honorable company of God’s prophets, experiencing the same things that the holy prophets who were before us experienced. The apostle James encourages us to follow their example, saying, “My brothers, take as an example of suffering and patience the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. We count them blessed who endure” (James 5:10–11).

Two thousand years of church history testify: persecutions have occurred more often than peaceful revivals. However, by God's wonderful providence, it is persecutions that have often become the catalyst for spiritual renewal and strengthening of the Church. As the 3rd century church writer Tertullian wrote: "The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church."

In any era and under any regime, a person with his own worldview, a person who strives to live according to his conscience, arouses suspicion. He looks like a white crow and some strange alien, hence his inevitable conflict with the world. Christians have suffered a lot from those regimes that encroached on complete domination over the human personality. After all, a Christian is an internally free person. And will a society of unfreedom tolerate a person with a stable spiritual immunity? Rather, it will reject him in all possible ways and methods. And the Christian again finds himself faced with the problem of choice, with the temptation of what to prefer: pleasing the interests of this world or serving the truth of God. Dostoevsky once remarked: “If they told me that Truth is outside of Christ, I would prefer to remain with Christ than with Truth.” Yes, remaining with Christ is incomparably better, for He is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

Therefore, when we remain faithful, allowing God to work through us, when we bear the fruits of good works despite human judgments and contempt, we thereby honor the Lord. And in return, the Lord promises eternal bliss—a life with Him, where there are no more tears or suffering, but only joy in His light.

Therefore, each of us is called to live righteously not only in great events, but also in everyday life. Persecution for the sake of righteousness does not always manifest itself in dramatic suffering or martyrdom; often it is quiet, everyday, but no less important in the Kingdom of Heaven. A Christian may be ridiculed or reproached by those around him simply because he does not allow fornication, that is, for the sake of Christ he maintains purity of thoughts and body, or firmly refuses to do what everyone else does without a twinge of conscience. He may hear ridicule for going to church on Sunday morning when others are still sleeping or hurrying about worldly affairs. He is condemned for honesty in work, for avoiding theft, for refusing to compromise with sin in everyday life and communication.

This is not direct martyrdom in the usual sense, but it is the path of faithfulness to Christ. Every such act, every small renunciation of sin, every commandment kept is a step towards this bliss. It is through these daily trials that we demonstrate our love for the Lord, establish righteousness in our hearts, and grow in spiritual maturity.

Saint Ignatius the God-Bearer observed: “Virtue does not seek the glory of men, but endures for Christ’s sake, and in this endurance it is strong.” These daily trials are not direct martyrdom in the usual sense, but are the path of fidelity to Christ. Every such act, every conscious renunciation of sin, every commandment kept, is a step towards this beatitude. Saint John Chrysostom teaches: “He who suffers with a pure heart, not for his own benefit, but for the sake of the truth, already participates in the glory of God.” It is through these daily sufferings that we manifest our love for the Lord, establish righteousness in our hearts, and grow in spiritual maturity.

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, do not be afraid of minor persecutions for righteousness in everyday life. Every conscious decision to do good, to avoid sin, to preserve prayer and charity is the path to bliss. As Christ Himself said: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” And we, following Him, must confidently walk this path, knowing that our patience is not in vain, and every manifestation of faith in everyday life is a contribution to an eternal reward.

Abbot Theophanes of Polotsk.