Christ's sermon ST. MATTHEW, V. on the mount. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of 19 plished. Whosoever therefore shall break these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called 20 great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. 211 Ye have heard that it was said by them of 21 old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry 22 judgement: but I say unto you, that every 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. one who is angry with his brother1 shall be in danger of the judgement; and whosoever shall say to his brother, 2 Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in 23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, 23 danger of the hell of fire. If therefore and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee; thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go 24 aught against thee, leave there thy gift thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 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. 25 before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art with him in the way; lest haply the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge 6 deliver thee to the officer, and thou be Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the last farthing. 26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no 26 cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. 271 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 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. 27 Ye have heard that it was said, Thou 28 shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, that every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. 29 And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, 29 And if thy right eye causeth thee to stumand 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. ble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole 30 And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, 30 body be cast into hell. And if thy right 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. hand causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should 1 Many ancient authorities insert without cause. 2 An expression of contempt. 3 Or, Moreh, a Hebrew expression of condemnation. Gr. unto or into. Gr. Gehenna of fire. Some ancient authorities omit deliver thee. Gr. Gehenna. 19. One of these least commandments. That is, "least" in human eyes. In the kingdom of heaven. In the Church under the gospel dispensation (see note on chap. 3:2). In the glorified state, not even the least commandment will be broken. The Church on earth is therefore referred to. 20. Ye shall in no wise enter. The kingdom of heaven, though on earth, has a spiritual boundary, which does not include Pharisaic hypocrisy and formalism. 21. It was said by the Jewish teachers. The judgment. The Court of Seven, an inferior court (Josephus, B. J., 2, 20, 5). 22. Raca. The Hebrew for "vain" or "trifling," the word used by Michal to David when he had danced before the ark. Council. The Sanhedrin, or highest Jewish court. Thou fool. This refers to wickedness, moral depravity: it may be the Hebrew word "Moreh," which means "rebel" or "traitor." In either case its use betokens, on the part of the user, a deep and burning enmity, which consigns the object to eternal doom. Hell of fire. Literally, "the Gehenna of fire." Gehenna is the Hebrew for the valley of Hinnom (Josh. 18:16), the deep ravine on the south side of Jerusalem, where a constant fire burned the offal from the temple. This fire was emblematic of spiritual and eternal punishment. Our Lord teaches that an angry feeling is sinful, and calls for punishment equal to what a Jew thought murder deserved. Anger, when it proceeds to taunts, is worse, and, when it reaches to cursing, is worse still. The figures used would be very striking to a Jew. Our Lord, throughout this passage, shows that he came to fulfil the law; i.e., to fill the law full, to make it deeper and more comprehensive than the Jews supposed it. 24. Leave there thy gift before the altar. Even a religious service should be counted secondary to an act of brotherly love. 25. Adversary at law. Make friends even of those who would be your enemies. If you show an inimical spirit, beware lest justice, carefully dealing with you, may find you in the wrong, and you be condemned. 29. Causeth thee to stumble. Old version "offend," or "stumbleth thee." The eye may, by its defectiveness, only lead a man into peril. So, also, the hand may be a false reliance by reason of disease or weakness. 33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear 33 thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: 34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: 35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. 381 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 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. 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. 43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 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; 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. Again, ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the 34 Lord thine oaths: but I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by the heaven, 35 for it is the throne of God; nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet: nor 2 by Jerusalem, for it is the city of 36 the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, for thou canst not make one 37 hair white or black. * But let your speech be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: and whatsoever is more than these is of 4 the evil one. 38 Ye have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 but I say unto you, Resist not him that is evil: but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if any man would go to law with thee, and take away thy coat, let him 41 have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall 6 compel thee to go one mile, go with him 42 twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. 43 Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine 44 enemy: but I say unto you, Love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute 45 you; that ye may be sons of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust. 46 For if ye love them that love you, what reward have ye? do not even the 7 publi47 cans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the Gentiles the 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father 48 same? Ye therefore shall be perfect, as which is in heaven is perfect. your heavenly Father is perfect. 1 Gr. Gehenna. Or, toward. 3 Some ancient authorities read But your speech shall be. 39; vi. 13. 5 Or, eril. 6 Gr. impress. That is, collectors or renters of Roman taxes Or, eril; as in verse and so elsewhere. The removal of these causes represents the removal of any cause, however dear to us, which leads us to unchaste thoughts, or, more generally, to any form of sin. In chap. 18, verses 8 and 9, the reference is general, here special. 31. It was said by Moses (see chap. 19:7,8). Moses' law of divorce was a civil enactment. Now that the civil polity of the Jews is at an end, that civil enactment is abrogated, and their duty is to conform to the original design of the marriage-law (Gen.2:24; Matt. 19:5, 6). 34. Swear not at all. This can only refer to trivial occasions; for we find the apostles calling God to witness the truth of what they say, both in their letters (Gal. 1: 20), and before magistrates (Acts 23:1, and 26:29). 36. By thy head. Heaven, earth, Jerusalem, and the head, were common words to swear by. But, as God is the Maker of them all, their use was virtually a swearing by God. 37. Yea, yea; Nay, nay. Simple or reiterated assertion. 38. An eye for an eye. This rule, which was a law for the magistrate (Exod. 21:24, Lev. 24:20, Deut. 19:21), was perverted by the Jews to the purpose of personal revenge. The measure of punishment was considered the measure of revenge. It is against a revengeful feeling that Christ directs his teaching. 39. The instances given in this and the three succeeding verses are not to be interpreted literally. They are teachings per contra, - a hyperbole common in the East. They may in each case be interpreted, "Rather do this extreme act on the right side than do any thing from the opposite motive." So we are told, that, unless we hate our family, we cannot be Christ's disciples (Luke 14:26), -a phrase which is explained by the parallel passage in Matt. 10:37. 41. Compel thee in the courier's service. 43. Hate thine enemy. This was a Jewish inference from God's command to exterminate the Canaanites, - an inference wholly against the spirit of the law. 46. Publicans. These were the collectors, or farmers, of the revenue, a proverbially extortionate and base class. Jews who would accept such an office under the Romans were naturally despised by their countrymen. 48. Ye therefore shall be perfect, or complete in your love for all sorts and conditions of men. |