We now examine a verse that pulses with paradoxical joy amidst persecution—Luke 6:23. This verse, nestled within the Lukan Beatitudes, presents an imperative charged with both immediacy and eternity. Our focus will be on the aorist imperative forms χάρητε (“rejoice”) and σκιρτήσατε (“leap for joy”), which appear in juxtaposition with the present-tense affirmation of eternal reward. Through this grammatical interplay, Luke crafts a command that transcends temporal suffering by anchoring ethical response in eschatological certainty.
χάρητε ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ καὶ σκιρτήσατε· ἰδοὺ γὰρ ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν πολὺς ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ· κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ γὰρ ἐποίουν τοῖς προφήταις οἱ πατέρες αὐτῶν.
The Aorist Imperative: Commanding Immediate Response
In Luke 6:23, Jesus issues a dual command to his disciples: χάρητε and σκιρτήσατε. These verbs are striking not only for their content but also for their form: both appear as aorist imperatives, a mood used to express a direct, urgent command with a view toward the action as a whole. Unlike the present imperative, which might suggest ongoing or habitual action, the aorist here conveys a momentary, decisive act of rejoicing and leaping for joy.
This tense choice is significant in context. Jesus addresses those who are persecuted, reviled, and excluded “in that day” (ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ). In the face of such suffering, he does not call for gradual comfort or delayed celebration. Rather, the aorist imperative demands an immediate, decisive expression of joy—not because the situation itself warrants it, but because of what lies beyond it: “for behold, your reward is great in heaven.”
The aorist thus functions as a theological mirror: just as God’s promises are eternally certain, so too must the believer’s response be immediate and complete. There is no room for hesitation or partial obedience; the command is framed as a singular, definitive act—because faith sees the reward even before it is seen.
Morphological Breakdown: Key Verbs
| Term | Morphology | Translation | Grammatical Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| χάρητε | Verb – aorist active imperative, second person plural | “Rejoice” | Imperative of command; aorist emphasizes completeness of the action |
| σκιρτήσατε | Verb – aorist active imperative, second person plural | “Leap for joy” | Conative force; suggests outward physical expression accompanying inner joy |
| ἐποίουν | Verb – imperfect active indicative, third person plural | “Used to do” | Contrasts past actions with present commands; highlights historical continuity of persecution |
Temporal Juxtaposition: Aorist Command, Present Reward
What follows the imperative is a declaration of reward: ἰδοὺ γὰρ ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν πολὺς ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ (“for behold, your reward is great in heaven”). Here, the verb ἐστιν is implied (as is common in declarative statements), and it appears in the present tense, affirming the ongoing reality of the reward. This creates a powerful tense contrast: the believer is commanded to rejoice once and fully (aorist), while the reward already exists and continues to exist (present).
This grammatical structure reinforces a key Lukan theme: the kingdom of God is both present and future, already begun yet not fully realized. The believer’s response is rooted in the certainty of what is unseen but guaranteed. The aorist imperative captures the urgency of faith, while the present tense of the reward affirms its unshakable reality.
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“Κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ”: Historical Parallel and Typological Echo
The phrase κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ γὰρ ἐποίουν τοῖς προφήταις οἱ πατέρες αὐτῶν (“for according to the same things they did to the prophets, their fathers did”) serves as a typological anchor. The prepositional phrase κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ (“according to the same things”) denotes conformity or parallelism—not merely similar actions, but identical patterns of opposition. The use of the imperfect tense ἐποίουν indicates repeated action in the past, suggesting that persecution of God’s messengers was not an anomaly but a recurring feature of Israel’s history.
This historical repetition underscores the continuity between the old covenant prophets and the new covenant disciples. It also subtly frames the disciples’ suffering not as a mark of failure, but as a badge of authenticity. By aligning their experience with that of the prophets, Luke invites the reader to interpret persecution as a sign of divine calling rather than divine disfavor.
Mood and Meaning in Ethical Command
In Luke 6:23, grammar becomes theology. The aorist imperative compels decisive, joyful response to suffering—not as denial of pain, but as affirmation of hope. The present tense of the reward assures believers that joy is not deferred but declared. And the historical parallel drawn through the imperfect tense roots this ethic in the long arc of salvation history.
Thus, the believer’s rejoicing is not naive optimism but obedient realism—a response shaped by syntax, sustained by promise, and sealed by precedent. In these few words, Luke captures the essence of Christian discipleship: to rejoice fully, immediately, and without reservation, because the kingdom has come near—even when the world casts us out.
