This is a proof that Christ did not come to abolish the law, or to abate its demands in any degree whatsoever.
5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
Therefore if thou bring thy gift - Evil must be nipped in the bud. An unkind thought of another may be the foundation of that which leads to actual murder. A Christian, properly speaking, cannot be an enemy to any man; nor is he to consider any man his enemy, without the fullest evidence: for surmises to the prejudice of another can never rest in the bosom of him who has the love of God in his heart, for to him all men are brethren.
5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Leave there thy gift before the altar - This is as much as to say, Do not attempt to bring any offering to God while thou art in a spirit of enmity against any person; or hast any difference with thy neighbor, which thou hast not used thy diligence to get adjusted.
5:25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
There is nothing like ending disputes at once, before the rancor grows, and your adversary becomes determined to push you to extremes. Oh, for more of that spirit of yielding!
5:26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
thou shalt by no means come out thence - from prison, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing, or "last farthing"; or as the Ethiopic version reads it, "till thou hast exactly paid all"; which seems to express the inexorableness of the creditor, and the impossibility of the debtor's release.
5:37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
Let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay - That is, a positive affirmation, or negation, according to your knowledge of the matter concerning which you are called to testify. Do not equivocate; mean what you assert, and adhere to your assertion. Hear what a heathen says on this subject.
5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
An eye for an eye - Our Lord refers here to the law of retaliation mentioned See Exodus 21:24, and see Leviticus 24:20, which obliged the offender to suffer the same injury he had committed. The Greeks and Romans had the same law.
5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil -This is not to be understood of any sort of evil, not of the evil of sin, of bad actions, and false doctrines, which are to be opposed.....We must not render evil for evil. Turn to him the other also - That is, rather than avenge thyself, be ready to suffer patiently a repetition of the same injury.
5:40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
And if any man will sue thee at the law -Or "will contend with thee", or as the Syriac renders it, , "will strive", or "litigate with thee"; not contest the matter, or try the cause in an open court of judicature, a sense our version inclines to; but will wrangle and quarrel in a private way, in order to take away thy coat, by force and violence, let him have thy cloak also; do not forbid, or hinder him from taking it;
5:41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. - αγγαρευσει. This word is said to be derived from the Persians, among whom the king's messengers, or posts, were called Αγγαποι, or angari. The way to improve the injustice of man to our own advantage, is to exercise under it meekness, gentleness, and long-suffering, without which disposition of mind, no man can either be happy here or hereafter; for he that avenges himself must lose the mind of Christ.
5:42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow - To give and lend freely to all who are in need.
5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.
The Jewish teachers by "neighbor" understood only those who were of their own country, nation, and religion, whom they were pleased to look upon as their friends. The Lord teaches that we must do all the real kindness we can to all.
5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
God constantly does that which many people regard almost as a crime, namely, doing good to the undeserving.
5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
For if ye love them which love you - He who loves only his friends, does nothing for God's sake.
5:47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
And if you salute your brethren only - This does not mean salutation by embraces or kisses, but by words, asking of each other's welfare, and wishing prosperity and happiness to one another.
5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Be ye therefore perfect - as your Father - God Himself is the grand law, sole giver, and only pattern of the perfection which He recommends to His children.
5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of judgment - By "brother" is meant, not in a religious sense, but in a large sense, any man, of whatsoever country or nation: for we are to be angry with no man; that is, as is rightly added,
Raca - ריקה from the Hebrew רק rak, to be empty. It signifies a vain, empty, worthless fellow, shallow brains, a term of great contempt. Thou fool - Moreh, probably from מרה marah, to rebel, a rebel against God, apostate from all good. This term implied, among the Jews, the highest enormity, and most aggravated guilt.
Raca - ריקה from the Hebrew רק rak, to be empty. It signifies a vain, empty, worthless fellow, shallow brains, a term of great contempt. Thou fool - Moreh, probably from מרה marah, to rebel, a rebel against God, apostate from all good. This term implied, among the Jews, the highest enormity, and most aggravated guilt.
5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
Therefore if thou bring thy gift - Evil must be nipped in the bud. An unkind thought of another may be the foundation of that which leads to actual murder. A Christian, properly speaking, cannot be an enemy to any man; nor is he to consider any man his enemy, without the fullest evidence: for surmises to the prejudice of another can never rest in the bosom of him who has the love of God in his heart, for to him all men are brethren.
5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Leave there thy gift before the altar - This is as much as to say, Do not attempt to bring any offering to God while thou art in a spirit of enmity against any person; or hast any difference with thy neighbor, which thou hast not used thy diligence to get adjusted.
5:25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
There is nothing like ending disputes at once, before the rancor grows, and your adversary becomes determined to push you to extremes. Oh, for more of that spirit of yielding!
5:26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
thou shalt by no means come out thence - from prison, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing, or "last farthing"; or as the Ethiopic version reads it, "till thou hast exactly paid all"; which seems to express the inexorableness of the creditor, and the impossibility of the debtor's release.
5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old - By the ancients, τοις αρχαιοις.
5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
5:29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Give up the dearest, choicest, and apparently most needful thing, if it leads you into sin.
5:30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
And if thy right hand offend thee - Or "cause thee to offend"; that is, is the means of ensnaring thine heart; and of drawing thee into either mental, or actual adultery; Pluck it out - cut it off - We must shut our senses against dangerous objects, to avoid the occasions of sin, and deprive ourselves of all that is most dear and profitable to us, in order to save our souls, when we find that these dear and profitable things, however innocent in themselves, cause us to sin against God.
5:31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
Whosoever shall put away his wife - dissolve the marriage.
5:32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
saving for the cause of fornication - which must not be taken strictly for what is called fornication, but as including adultery, incest, or any unlawful copulation; A real Christian ought rather to beg of God the grace to bear patiently and quietly the imperfections of his wife, than to think of the means of being parted from her.
5:33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
But I say unto you, swear not at all - Which must not be understood in the strictest sense, as though it was not lawful to take an oath upon any occasion, in an affair of moment, in a solemn serious manner, and in the name of God; which may be safely done: but of rash swearing, about trivial matters.
5:34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:
for it is God's throne - referring to Isaiah 66:1 where He sits, the glory of His majesty shines forth, and is itself glorious and excellent, and not to be mentioned in a vain way;
5:35 Nor by the earth; for it is His footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
Nor by the earth, for it is His footstool - That the Jews were wont to swear by the earth, is clear from the above mentioned instances; and is condemned by Christ for this reason, because the earth is God's "footstool", referring, as before, to Isaiah 66:1.
5:36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
Neither shalt thou swear by thy head - For these plain reason: God commands thee not to do it. ,.... This also was a common form of swearing among the Jews.
Ye have heard that it was said by them of old - By the ancients, τοις αρχαιοις.
5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
So that the unholy desire, the lascivious glance, everything that approximates towards licentiousness, is here condemned; and Christ is proved to be not the Abrogator of the law, but the Confirmer of it.
See how he shows that the commandment is exceedingly broad, wide as the canopy of heaven, all-embracing.
5:29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Give up the dearest, choicest, and apparently most needful thing, if it leads you into sin.
5:30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
And if thy right hand offend thee - Or "cause thee to offend"; that is, is the means of ensnaring thine heart; and of drawing thee into either mental, or actual adultery; Pluck it out - cut it off - We must shut our senses against dangerous objects, to avoid the occasions of sin, and deprive ourselves of all that is most dear and profitable to us, in order to save our souls, when we find that these dear and profitable things, however innocent in themselves, cause us to sin against God.
5:31 It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
Whosoever shall put away his wife - dissolve the marriage.
5:32 But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
saving for the cause of fornication - which must not be taken strictly for what is called fornication, but as including adultery, incest, or any unlawful copulation; A real Christian ought rather to beg of God the grace to bear patiently and quietly the imperfections of his wife, than to think of the means of being parted from her.
5:33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
But I say unto you, swear not at all - Which must not be understood in the strictest sense, as though it was not lawful to take an oath upon any occasion, in an affair of moment, in a solemn serious manner, and in the name of God; which may be safely done: but of rash swearing, about trivial matters.
5:34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne:
for it is God's throne - referring to Isaiah 66:1 where He sits, the glory of His majesty shines forth, and is itself glorious and excellent, and not to be mentioned in a vain way;
5:35 Nor by the earth; for it is His footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
Nor by the earth, for it is His footstool - That the Jews were wont to swear by the earth, is clear from the above mentioned instances; and is condemned by Christ for this reason, because the earth is God's "footstool", referring, as before, to Isaiah 66:1.
5:36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
Neither shalt thou swear by thy head - For these plain reason: God commands thee not to do it. ,.... This also was a common form of swearing among the Jews.
5:37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
Let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay - That is, a positive affirmation, or negation, according to your knowledge of the matter concerning which you are called to testify. Do not equivocate; mean what you assert, and adhere to your assertion. Hear what a heathen says on this subject.
5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
An eye for an eye - Our Lord refers here to the law of retaliation mentioned See Exodus 21:24, and see Leviticus 24:20, which obliged the offender to suffer the same injury he had committed. The Greeks and Romans had the same law.
5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil -This is not to be understood of any sort of evil, not of the evil of sin, of bad actions, and false doctrines, which are to be opposed.....We must not render evil for evil. Turn to him the other also - That is, rather than avenge thyself, be ready to suffer patiently a repetition of the same injury.
5:40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.
And if any man will sue thee at the law -Or "will contend with thee", or as the Syriac renders it, , "will strive", or "litigate with thee"; not contest the matter, or try the cause in an open court of judicature, a sense our version inclines to; but will wrangle and quarrel in a private way, in order to take away thy coat, by force and violence, let him have thy cloak also; do not forbid, or hinder him from taking it;
5:41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.
Shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. - αγγαρευσει. This word is said to be derived from the Persians, among whom the king's messengers, or posts, were called Αγγαποι, or angari. The way to improve the injustice of man to our own advantage, is to exercise under it meekness, gentleness, and long-suffering, without which disposition of mind, no man can either be happy here or hereafter; for he that avenges himself must lose the mind of Christ.
5:42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow - To give and lend freely to all who are in need.
5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.
The Jewish teachers by "neighbor" understood only those who were of their own country, nation, and religion, whom they were pleased to look upon as their friends. The Lord teaches that we must do all the real kindness we can to all.
5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
God constantly does that which many people regard almost as a crime, namely, doing good to the undeserving.
5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
That ye may be the children of your Father - Instead of ὑιοι children, some MSS., the latter Persic version, and several of the primitive fathers, read ὃμοιοι, that ye may be like to, or resemble, your Father who is in heaven. This is certainly our Lord's meaning.
He maketh His sun to rise on the evil - There is nothing greater than to imitate God in doing good to our enemies.
5:46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?
For if ye love them which love you - He who loves only his friends, does nothing for God's sake.
5:47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
And if you salute your brethren only - This does not mean salutation by embraces or kisses, but by words, asking of each other's welfare, and wishing prosperity and happiness to one another.
5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Be ye therefore perfect - as your Father - God Himself is the grand law, sole giver, and only pattern of the perfection which He recommends to His children.
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