Y4. Expecting & Accepting Persecution on Account of Our Faith in Yeshua. [Make a Comment]
We are to expect and accept that we will be persecuted on account of our faith in Yeshua.
This precept is derived from His Word (blessed be He):
Key Scriptures
Matthew 10:17-23
Be on guard, for there will be people who will hand you over to the local
Sanhedrins and flog you in their synagogues. On my account you will be
brought before governors and kings as a testimony to them and to the Goyim.
But when they bring you to trial, do not worry about what to say or how to
say it; when the time comes, you will be given what you should say. For it
will not be just you speaking, but the Spirit of your heavenly Father
speaking through you. A brother will betray his brother to death, and a
father his child; children will turn against their parents and have them put
to death. Everyone will hate you because of me, but whoever holds out till
the end will be preserved from harm. When you are persecuted in one town,
run away to another. Yes indeed; I tell you, you will not finish going
through the towns of Isra'el before the Son of Man comes.
(see also, Mark 13:9-13)
Luke 6:22-23
How blessed you are whenever people hate you and ostracize you and insult
you and denounce you as a criminal on account of the Son of Man. Be glad
when that happens; yes, dance for joy! because in heaven your reward is
great. For that is just how their fathers treated the prophets.
Supportive Scriptures
Matthew 24:9
At that time you will be arrested and handed over to be punished and put to
death, and all peoples will hate you because of me.
Luke 21:12
But before all this, they will arrest you and persecute you, handing you
over to the synagogues and prisons; and you will be brought before kings and
governors. This will all be on account of me ...
John 16:1-3
I have told you these things so that you won't be caught by surprise.
They will ban you from the synagogue; in fact, the time will come when
anyone who kills you will think he is serving God! They will do these
things because they have understood neither the Father nor me.
Commentary
The Scriptures supporting this Mitzvah refer to attitudes violently hostile to Yeshua that existed in the synagogues of First Century Jerusalem. That notwithstanding, Yeshua's warnings are prophetic, and we see their fulfillment even today. The attitudes of most synagogues are still hostile to Yeshua, and although Jewish believers are no longer in mortal danger from them, persecution through ostracization is still very real. There are, however, many countries in the modern world where believers in Yeshua (both Jews and Gentiles) are not safe due to their faith, and where Jews are not safe merely for being Jews. We are warned to flee if we can, but we are not to seek protection through denying Yeshua.
Classical Commentators
This Mitzvah is not addressed by any of the Jewish classical commentators.
NCLA: JMm JFm KMm KFm GMm GFm