Matthew 5:12

12. Rejoice and be exceeding glad This verse may be most easily explained by reversing the order of its clauses. As your sufferings associate you with the prophets which were before you, so like their’s your reward in heaven is great; therefore Rejoice, etc.

2 . Woes pronounced upon the opposite characters.

To three of these benedictions, St. Luke’s report of the discourse contains three counter woes. They are so presented as to suggest that Luke reports but a part, and that our Lord uttered an antithetic woe for each benediction.

Luke (Luke 6:24-25) pronounces a woe upon the rich and the full; that is, upon those who have made this world’s goods, or some other satisfaction, a substitute for the Gospel grace and blessedness. Their case we have sufficiently explained in our comment on Matthew 5:3.

Luke 6:25: Woe unto you that laugh in opposition to the penitents of Matthew 5:4. The evil of sin makes no impression upon their revelling merriment; or instead of mourning for sin, they drown the commencing grief with laughter, and perhaps riot. Christ pronounces upon them WOE; a word in which grief and authority in him are combined, and in which future sorrow and vain weeping are predicted for them.

Luke 6:26: Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you This woe stands opposed to the blessed, spoken of those who are reviled for righteousness’ sake in Matthew 5:11. The phrase all men (like the term the world) is used to distinguish the great ungodly mass as opposed to the righteous few. The phrase alludes to the fact that, in Jewish history, the mass of the nation the all men reviled the prophets, and persecuted the righteous few. Woe to that preacher who wins applause by whitewashing sin.