Let us look closer at these two commands from Jesus in
verse 12. First, we are to rejoice (
chairo in Greek), to be glad. It is a present tense verb, meaning we are to do this each time, not just in one instance. It is an active voice verb, meaning we produce the action. Thirdly, it is in the imperative mood; it is not a suggestion of Jesus but a clear command to rejoice when persecuted. (This word
chairo is also used in
Acts 5:40-41, when the Apostles rejoiced when they were persecuted.)
Second, Jesus commands us to be exceedingly glad (the Greek word is
agalliao). The idea here is one who jumps, skips, and shouts for joy (
MacArthur, p. 213). It is a present passive imperative. The passive voice means the subject is acted upon. What are we to possess while suffering? Exceeding joy! You and I as followers of Christ are to rejoice and be exceedingly glad when we are persecuted for righteousness' sake and for the name of Jesus, when we are mistreated, passed over for a promotion, denied privileges, physically or emotionally harmed, or about to die. In the words of
James 1:2, we are to
"Count it all joy when we fall into various trials." The Greek word for joy is
chara, the root word used in
Matthew 5:12.
Stan Dale and Phil Masters served the Lord in Papua, Indonesia. In 1968, these two men were witnessing for Christ when the tribesmen of the Yali Tribe savagely attacked them. Both men were shot nearly 60 times with arrows before they finally collapsed. The warriors were especially concerned about the smaller Stan Dale, as he should have fallen earlier, but he stood much longer. Stan was from Australia and was married with five children. But as the arrows pierced his body, there was no cursing or seeking revenge, only resolve to die honorably for Christ. The result of their martyrdom was simply amazing. The Yali Tribe and the surrounding area came to faith in Christ! Stan's fifth and youngest child became a follower of Christ while reading the story of his father's martyrdom (see
MacArthur, p. 199-202).
This true story reminded me of Tertullian, the early church father in the second century, when he said, "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church." On one occasion, a man came to Tertullian and said, "I've come to Christ, but I don't know what to do. I have a job that I don't think is right, but I have to live." Tertullian responded, "Must you?" (
MacArthur, p. 192)
John Stott writes, "We are not to retaliate like an unbeliever, nor to sulk like a child, nor to lick our wounds in self-pity like a dog, nor just to grin and bear it like a Stoic, still less to pretend like we enjoy it like a masochist. Instead we are to 'Rejoice and be glad.'"
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