Matthew 5

3. Blessed. With these beatitudes compare the blessings promised through Moses to ancient Israel (Deut. xxviii.). As the Jews had come to regard these as their hereditary right, our Lord marks out the character of those who are to enjoy the blessings of His kingdom. The full meaning of the beatitudes would be more clearly seen if the word translated “blessed” were rendered “happy.” Happiness is here shown by our Lord to consist not in what we have, but in what we are.

theirs is the kingdom of heaven. They enjoy the blessings of the Divine kingdom of Messiah, predicted and partially described in Psa. lxxii.; Isa. lx.; Jer. xxx, xxxi.; Ezek. xxxiv. 22-31; Dan. ii. 34, 44.

5 the meek. In contrast with the spirit in which earthly power and supremacy are generally sought, and especially with the hopes and ambitions of the Jews at this epoch. The conquests of Christ’s kingdom are those of gentleness: see Psa. xlv. 4.

the earth. Or, “the land”; meaning the blessings suggested by Canaan: see Psa. xxv. 13; xxxvii. 9, 11, and notes. But the promise is true in its largest sense. The whole world will yet be won by the forces of love.

6 righteousness. “Righteousness” here means the removal of all sin, and the fulfilment of God’s will in heart and conduct. “Hunger” and “thirst” symbolise not merely the dictates of the judgement, but the appetites of the new life.

filled. The word here used denotes the amplest satisfaction: see Psa. xvii. 15. Weymouth translates, “they shall be completely satisfied.”

8 the pure in heart. There is here an evident reference to Psa. xxiv., where purity of heart is declared to be a condition of communion with God in His sanctuary. Our Lord extends the privilege to all places and times. God is seen by the pure now and hereafter (1 John iii. 2, 3).

9 shall be called. That is, “they shall be recognised” as such by God, in being partakers of His moral likeness.

10 which are persecuted. Rather, as R.V., “that have been persecuted.” The reference of this verse is to confessors and martyrs of the past; that in vers. 11, 12 to Christ’s own disciples.

13. Ye are the salt. There was a remarkable proverb current in our Lord’s days, “Nothing is more useful than sun and salt” (Plin. Hist. Nat. xxxi. 9). What salt and sunlight are to the material world, preventing corruption and dispelling darkness, Christ’s disciples, divinely imbued with the living, saving power of gospel truth, are to be to the spiritual world. But, if there be any in whom the gospel loses its sanctifying and diffusive influence, their lives become useless.

14. Ye are the light of the world. The very title appropriated in John i. 9; viii. 12, to Christ is here given by Him to His disciples, as those to whom He has given His grace and truth, that they may shine forth for the salvation of the world.

15 a candle, etc. Render, as R.V., “a lamp”: “the lampstand.”

a (the) bushel. Rather, “measure,” the modius, found in every house: containing about two gallons.

16 so shine. Rather, “shine thus”; i.e., like a lamp on its stand.

17 to fulfil. Our Lord, by His life, sufferings, and death, “fulfilled” the types of the ceremonial law, and the predictions of the prophets. But the scope of the whole discourse, and especially the following precepts, make it evident that He here refers to the completeness which He gave, both by His teaching and by His example, to the moral and spiritual commands both of the law and of the prophets.

18 jot. Or, “iota” (Heb. yod. 9); the smallest letter in the alphabet. A “tittle” is a small point or stroke, by which some letters are distinguished from others (as Heb. 7 from 7: cp. English E from F).

20 scribes and Pharisees. The scribes were students, public readers, and expounders of the law. The majority of them were Pharisees, though some belonged to other sects.

21-48. The superiority of our Lord’s teaching is now shown in regard to several enactments of the ancient law: 1. The law against murder, which is now shown to include hatred, and to require a conciliatory spirit (21-26). 2. The law against adultery, which applies in principle to lust and to divorce (27-32). 3. The law of oaths, intended to lead to simple affirmation (33-37). 4. The law of retaliation, which must not be held to permit private revenge, or to exclude a hearty readiness to forgive and to benefit those who have wronged us (38-42). 5. The law of exclusiveness. The law to love one’s neighbour had been so misinterpreted as to imply hatred to one’s enemies. Our Lord shows that the law, rightly understood, leads to a comprehensive and godlike charity (43-48).

21 by them of old time. Rather, “to them of old” (R.V.); “to the ancients.” For those who lived under a preparatory dispensation, the general precept was sufficient.

22. But I say unto you. A formula not of disapproval, but of exposition: a phrase used by Hebrew teachers to introduce their explanations of the law.

angry with his brother. The words, “without a cause,” seem to have been added by some early transcriber “to soften the apparent rigour of the precept” (Bengel, Alford). Most modern critics omit the phrase (R.V.). The expressions used (Raca I “empty” and Thou fool I a term attributing utter mental and moral worthlessness) illustrate the several degrees of anger, incurring corresponding penalties. The “judgement” was a local court of judges or magistrates. The “council” was the supreme central court, or Sanhedrin, who inflicted capital punishment with the disgrace of stoning. “Hell fire” is rather

“the Gehenna of fire” (see 2 Kings xxiii. 10, and note), and refers to the burning of the body—the greatest ignominy, which was inflicted only occasionally upon the worst of criminals. By this climax, our Lord shows the guilt and danger of indulging hatred in the heart, even though its expressions may be only those of contempt or petulance.

23 if thou bring. More precisely, as R.V., “If thou art offering”—the remembrance occurring in the very act of presenting the sacrifice.

to the altar. “Gifts,” or offerings to God, were commonly presented at the Temple; and in part or wholly consumed upon “the altar.” But he who retains enmity to his fellow-man cannot be an acceptable worshipper.

aught against thee. Not only, If thou hast any ground of complaint against him; but if he have any against thee.

25 whiles thou art in the way. Here follows a new illustration, derived from the legal practice of the time, which allowed the settlement of a dispute after a summons had been served, and before the cause had come on for trial. The indulgence of an unkindly spirit places a man in the condition of one who is already summoned; and who, if he do not speedily seek reconciliation, will be irrevocably condemned: see note on Luke xii. 58.

28 looketh, etc. The sense is, “gazeth with impure desire.”

29 offend thee. Rather, “causeth thee to stumble”; i.e., to sin (R.V.). “Is a snare to thee” (Weymouth).

pluck it out. The “right eye” and “right hand,” the most valuable of our members, represent sometimes our strongest propensities and habits, sometimes our most precious earthly possessions. Whenever these become inlets to temptation or the instruments of sin, they must be surrendered, or we perish.

31 it hath been said. See note on Deut. xxiv. 1; also on xix. 3-9, where our Lord further explains this subject.

33. Thou shalt not forswear thyself. A literal rendering of the Third Commandment, which in Hebrew reads, “Thou shalt not lift up the name of Jehovah thy God to vanity” (or, “falsehood”). To “lift up the name” is a phrase signifying to swear by it.

34. Swear not at all. An oath is an appeal to God to witness and to judge the truth of a man’s words; and therefore brings him under solemn obligation “unto the Lord.” But the Jews denied that an oath was binding, unless the name of God, or the gold or the sacrifices of the Temple, were invoked. Our Lord shows the futility of these distinctions; which were originally the resource of fraud, and had the effect of filling common discourse with profane expletives. The spirit of this precept is violated by using the name of God to give emphasis to our language. Some persons in all subsequent ages have regarded this prohibition as extending even to solemn judicial oaths.

37. Yea, yea. A Christian’s word should be enough.

cometh of evil (or, “of the evil one,” R.V.: see note on vi. 13). The need of oaths indicates either want of truthfulness or want of confidence, or both, and therefore is the result of evil. And the frequent use of them increases the evil.

38. An eye for an eye, etc. Exod. xxi. 24.

39 resist not evil (“him that is evil,” R.V.). This

A blow on the cheek was a contumelious action.

40 coat . . . cloak. The “coat,” or “tunic,” is the inner and smaller; the “cloak,” the outer and more valuable of the two garments ordinarily worn. The force of this command to yield even the cloak will appear from Exod. xxii. 27. In Luke vi. 29 the order is reversed, the outer garment being there regarded as that first seized.

41 compel thee to go. The Greek word means “impress you into his service.” Impressment by the imperial couriers (a practice which the Romans borrowed from the Persians) was an act of public oppression. Weymouth translates “compel you to convey his goods.”

twain. “Two.”

42. Give to him that asketh thee. Our Lord emphatically repeats the law of Deut. xv. 1-11 (on which see notes). The people had been often reminded of this law (see Psa. xxxvii. 26; cxii. 5, 9); but they repeatedly violated it (see Neh. v.; Ezek. xxii. 7), and did so in the time of Christ (Matt. xxiii. 14).

43 love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. This was a perversion of the law of love in Lev. xix. 18; restricting the meaning of the term “neighbour,” and adding the hatred here denounced.

45. He maketh His sun, etc. Even the rays of the sun and the drops of rain read a lesson to the vindictive.

46 the publicans. “Tax-gatherers.” The “publicans,” or collectors of the revenue under the Roman government, comprised two classes of persons. The higher grade were usually Romans of rank, who levied the revenues of a large district. Under them, the taxes were farmed by numerous local collectors, who are the “publicans” of the New Testament. As they collected the tribute for a foreign heathen power, and often practised extortion, they were extremely unpopular among their countrymen. The children of the benevolent Father in heaven ought to cultivate higher virtues than even such men may practise.

48 perfect. “Complete in goodness” (Weymouth).