Saying 68

English

Jesus said, ‘You are favored when you are hated and persecuted. A place will be found where you will not be persecuted.’

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Interpretation

Compare Sayings 54 and 58. The second half of this saying seems to be an addition, possibly amid a time of perceived oppression on the Jesus Movement. The expectation of a safe ‘place’ to alleviate persecution seems too specific for the oldest form of the book, while the later stages of the book’s development insist that such a ‘place’ is already available, not something that ‘will be found’. This would put the addition in an intermediate stage.

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Parallels

Matthew

5.10–12 ‘Those who are persecuted for justice’s sake are favored, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. You are favored when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.’

Luke

6.22–23 ‘You are favored when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the son of man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven, for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.’

1 Peter

3.14 But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are favored.

4.13–14 But rejoice insofar as you are sharing the Anointed One’s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. If you are reviled for the name of the Anointed One, you are favored, because the spirit of glory, which is the spirit of God, is resting on you.

Clement of Alexandria

Stromata 4.6 ‘They are favored,’ he says, ‘who are persecuted for justice’s sake, for they shall be called the sons of God,’ or, as some of those who transpose the gospels say, ‘They are favored who are persecuted by justice, for they shall be perfect,’ and, ‘They are favored who are persecuted for my sake, for they shall have a place where they shall not be persecuted,’ and, ‘You are favored when men shall hate you, when they shall separate you, when they shall cast out your name as evil, for the son of man’s sake.’