Matthew 5

1 But seeing the crowds, he went up into the mountain, and having sat down, his disciples came to him;

2 and, having opened his mouth, he taught them, saying,

3 Blessed [are] the poor in spirit, for *theirs* is the kingdom of the heavens.

4 Blessed they that mourn, for *they* shall be comforted.

5 Blessed the meek, for *they* shall inherit the earth.

6 Blessed they who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for *they* shall be filled.

7 Blessed the merciful, for *they* shall find mercy.

8 Blessed the pure in heart, for *they* shall see God.

9 Blessed the peace-makers, for *they* shall be called sons of God.

10 Blessed they who are persecuted on account of righteousness, for *theirs* is the kingdom of the heavens.

11 Blessed are ye when they may reproach and persecute you, and say every wicked thing against you, lying, for my sake.

12 Rejoice and exult, for your reward is great in the heavens; for thus have they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

13 *Ye* are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have become insipid, wherewith shall it be salted? It is no longer fit for anything but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot by men.

14 *Ye* are the light of the world: a city situated on the top of a mountain cannot be hid.

15 Nor do [men] light a lamp and put it under the bushel, but upon the lamp-stand, and it shines for all who are in the house.

16 Let your light thus shine before men, so that they may see your upright works, and glorify your Father who is in the heavens.

17 Think not that I am come to make void the law or the prophets; I am not come to make void, but to fulfil.

18 For verily I say unto you, Until the heaven and the earth pass away, one iota or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law till all come to pass.

19 Whosoever then shall do away with one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of the heavens; but whosoever shall practise and teach [them], *he* shall be called great in the kingdom of the heavens.

20 For I say unto you, that unless your righteousness surpass [that] of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of the heavens.

21 Ye have heard that it was said to the ancients, Thou shalt not kill; but whosoever shall kill shall be subject to the judgment.

22 But *I* say unto you, that every one that is lightly angry with his brother shall be subject to the judgment; but whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be subject to [be called before] the sanhedrim; but whosoever shall say, Fool, shall be subject to the penalty of the hell of fire.

23 If therefore thou shouldest offer thy gift at the altar, and there shouldest remember that thy brother has something against thee,

24 leave there thy gift before the altar, and first go, be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

25 Make friends with thine adverse party quickly, whilst thou art in the way with him; lest some time the adverse party deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

26 Verily I say to thee, Thou shalt in no wise come out thence till thou hast paid the last farthing.

27 Ye have heard that it has been said, Thou shalt not commit adultery.

28 But *I* say unto you, that every one who looks upon a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

29 But if thy right eye be a snare to thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members perish, and not thy whole body be cast into hell.

30 And if thy right hand be a snare to thee, cut it off and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members perish, and not thy whole body be cast into hell.

31 It has been said too, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a letter of divorce.

32 But *I* say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, except for cause of fornication, makes her commit adultery, and whosoever marries one that is put away commits adultery.

33 Again, ye have heard that it has been said to the ancients, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt render to the Lord what thou hast sworn.

34 But *I* say unto you, Do not swear at all; neither by the heaven, because it is [the] throne of God;

35 nor by the earth, because it is [the] footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, because 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 word be Yea, yea; Nay, nay; but what is more than these is from evil.

38 Ye have heard that it has been said, Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.

39 But *I* say unto you, not to resist evil; but whoever shall strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other;

40 and to him that would go to law with thee and take thy body coat, leave him thy cloak also.

41 And whoever will compel thee to go one mile, go with him two.

42 To him that asks of thee give, and from him that desires to borrow of thee turn not away.

43 Ye have heard that it has been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy.

44 But *I* say unto you, Love your enemies, [bless those who curse you,] do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who [insult you and] persecute you,

45 that ye may be [the] sons of your Father who is in [the] heavens; for he makes his sun rise on evil and good, and sends rain on just and unjust.

46 For if ye should love those who love you, what reward have ye? Do not also the tax-gatherers the same?

47 And if ye should salute your brethren only, what do ye extraordinary? Do not also the Gentiles the same?

48 Be *ye* therefore perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Matthew 5 Commentary

Chapter 5

Christ's sermon on the mount. (1,2) Who are blessed. (3-12) Exhortations and warnings. (13-16) Christ came to confirm the law. (17-20) The sixth commandment. (21-26) The seventh commandment. (27-32) The third commandment. (33-37) The law of retaliation. (38-42) The law of love explained. (43-48)

Verses 1-2 None will find happiness in this world or the next, who do not seek it from Christ by the rule of his word. He taught them what was the evil they should abhor, and what the good they should seek and abound in.

Verses 3-12 Our Saviour here gives eight characters of blessed people, which represent to us the principal graces of a Christian. 1. The poor in spirit are happy. These bring their minds to their condition, when it is a low condition. They are humble and lowly in their own eyes. They see their want, bewail their guilt, and thirst after a Redeemer. The kingdom of grace is of such; the kingdom of glory is for them. 2. Those that mourn are happy. That godly sorrow which worketh true repentance, watchfulness, a humble mind, and continual dependence for acceptance on the mercy of God in Christ Jesus, with constant seeking the Holy Spirit, to cleanse away the remaining evil, seems here to be intended. Heaven is the joy of our Lord; a mountain of joy, to which our way is through a vale of tears. Such mourners shall be comforted by their God. 3. The meek are happy. The meek are those who quietly submit to God; who can bear insult; are silent, or return a soft answer; who, in their patience, keep possession of their own souls, when they can scarcely keep possession of anything else. These meek ones are happy, even in this world. Meekness promotes wealth, comfort, and safety, even in this world. 4. Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness are happy. Righteousness is here put for all spiritual blessings. These are purchased for us by the righteousness of Christ, confirmed by the faithfulness of God. Our desires of spiritual blessings must be earnest. Though all desires for grace are not grace, yet such a desire as this, is a desire of God's own raising, and he will not forsake the work of his own hands. 5. The merciful are happy. We must not only bear our own afflictions patiently, but we must do all we can to help those who are in misery. We must have compassion on the souls of others, and help them; pity those who are in sin, and seek to snatch them as brands out of the burning. 6. The pure in heart are happy; for they shall see God. Here holiness and happiness are fully described and put together. The heart must be purified by faith, and kept for God. Create in me such a clean heart, O God. None but the pure are capable of seeing God, nor would heaven be happiness to the impure. As God cannot endure to look upon their iniquity, so they cannot look upon his purity. 7. The peace-makers are happy. They love, and desire, and delight in peace; and study to be quiet. They keep the peace that it be not broken, and recover it when it is broken. If the peace-makers are blessed, woe to the peace-breakers! 8. Those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake are happy. This saying is peculiar to Christianity; and it is more largely insisted upon than any of the rest. Yet there is nothing in our sufferings that can merit of God; but God will provide that those who lose for him, though life itself, shall not lose by him in the end. Blessed Jesus! how different are thy maxims from those of men of this world! They call the proud happy, and admire the gay, the rich, the powerful, and the victorious. May we find mercy from the Lord; may we be owned as his children, and inherit his kingdom. With these enjoyments and hopes, we may cheerfully welcome low or painful circumstances.

Verses 13-16 Ye are the salt of the earth. Mankind, lying in ignorance and wickedness, were as a vast heap, ready to putrify; but Christ sent forth his disciples, by their lives and doctrines to season it with knowledge and grace. If they are not such as they should be, they are as salt that has lost its savour. If a man can take up the profession of Christ, and yet remain graceless, no other doctrine, no other means, can make him profitable. Our light must shine, by doing such good works as men may see. What is between God and our souls, must be kept to ourselves; but that which is of itself open to the sight of men, we must study to make suitable to our profession, and praiseworthy. We must aim at the glory of God.

Verses 17-20 Let none suppose that Christ allows his people to trifle with any commands of God's holy law. No sinner partakes of Christ's justifying righteousness, till he repents of his evil deeds. The mercy revealed in the gospel leads the believer to still deeper self-abhorrence. The law is the Christian's rule of duty, and he delights therein. If a man, pretending to be Christ's disciple, encourages himself in any allowed disobedience to the holy law of God, or teaches others to do the same, whatever his station or reputation among men may be, he can be no true disciple. Christ's righteousness, imputed to us by faith alone, is needed by every one that enters the kingdom of grace or of glory; but the new creation of the heart to holiness, produces a thorough change in a man's temper and conduct.

Verses 21-26 The Jewish teachers had taught, that nothing except actual murder was forbidden by the sixth commandment. Thus they explained away its spiritual meaning. Christ showed the full meaning of this commandment; according to which we must be judged hereafter, and therefore ought to be ruled now. All rash anger is heart murder. By our brother, here, we are to understand any person, though ever so much below us, for we are all made of one blood. "Raca," is a scornful word, and comes from pride: "Thou fool," is a spiteful word, and comes from hatred. Malicious slanders and censures are poison that kills secretly and slowly. Christ told them that how light soever they made of these sins, they would certainly be called into judgment for them. We ought carefully to preserve Christian love and peace with all our brethren; and if at any time there is a quarrel, we should confess our fault, humble ourselves to our brother, making or offering satisfaction for wrong done in word or deed: and we should do this quickly; because, till this is done, we are unfit for communion with God in holy ordinances. And when we are preparing for any religious exercises, it is good for us to make that an occasion of serious reflection and self-examination. What is here said is very applicable to our being reconciled to God through Christ. While we are alive, we are in the way to his judgement-seat; after death, it will be too late. When we consider the importance of the case, and the uncertainty of life, how needful it is to seek peace with God, without delay!

Verses 27-32 Victory over the desires of the heart, must be attended with painful exertions. But it must be done. Every thing is bestowed to save us from our sins, not in them. All our senses and powers must be kept from those things which lead to transgression. Those who lead others into temptation to sin, by dress or in other ways, or leave them in it, or expose them to it, make themselves guilty of their sin, and will be accountable for it. If painful operations are submitted to, that our lives may be saved, what ought our minds to shrink from, when the salvation of our souls is concerned? There is tender mercy under all the Divine requirements, and the grace and consolations of the Spirit will enable us to attend to them.

Verses 33-37 There is no reason to consider that solemn oaths in a court of justice, or on other proper occasions, are wrong, provided they are taken with due reverence. But all oaths taken without necessity, or in common conversation, must be sinful, as well as all those expressions which are appeals to God, though persons think thereby to evade the guilt of swearing. The worse men are, the less they are bound by oaths; the better they are, the less there is need for them. Our Lord does not enjoin the precise terms wherein we are to affirm or deny, but such a constant regard to truth as would render oaths unnecessary.

Verses 38-42 The plain instruction is, Suffer any injury that can be borne, for the sake of peace, committing your concerns to the Lord's keeping. And the sum of all is, that Christians must avoid disputing and striving. If any say, Flesh and blood cannot pass by such an affront, let them remember, that flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God; and those who act upon right principles will have most peace and comfort.

Verses 43-48 The Jewish teachers by "neighbour" understood only those who were of their own country, nation, and religion, whom they were pleased to look upon as their friends. The Lord Jesus teaches that we must do all the real kindness we can to all, especially to their souls. We must pray for them. While many will render good for good, we must render good for evil; and this will speak a nobler principle than most men act by. Others salute their brethren, and embrace those of their own party, and way, and opinion, but we must not so confine our respect. It is the duty of Christians to desire, and aim at, and press towards perfection in grace and holiness. And therein we must study to conform ourselves to the example of our heavenly Father, 1Pe. 1:15, 1Pe. 1:16 . Surely more is to be expected from the followers of Christ than from others; surely more will be found in them than in others. Let us beg of God to enable us to prove ourselves his children.

Footnotes

• [a]. It is well to notice here an habitual use of the article. It is a known rule that contrast, and hence one part of a thing as contradistinguished from another, has the article. This is the case with 'ship' and 'mountain' in the gospels: 'he was' or 'went' 'on board ship;' not a particular ship, but 'on board ship,' as we say, in contrast with 'on shore.' So 'the mountain;' not a particular mountain, but in contrast with the plain, where the plain and the mountain are in contrast. Christ had a particular ship which waited on him, but the article is used, as here, where that is not the case. 'In the ship with' is tantamount to 'the same ship;' so here I do not change the form, but translate literally.
• [b]. Or 'land.' This is a quotation from Ps. 37.11. For a Jew, inheriting the land was inheriting the earth, and vice versa. It was not the haughty Pharisee or the violent who were to have it: God would give it to the meek of the earth that waited on Him. I have put 'earth' as giving a larger thought, as characteristic, not local only. Here ge in Greek, agrees with erets, in Hebrew. See Notes, 1Sam. 2.8; Ps. 2.8.
• [c]. Or 'land.'
• [d]. I have left 'bushel' as well known; it was a measure under half a bushel.
• [e]. I do not put 'good works,' because it has acquired the force of benevolent actions, which is not the force here, but all that is upright and honourable and comely, what ought to be in one who feels aright. 'Upright' does not quite give the whole sense: see 'good work,' Mark 14.6; Titus 2.14.
• [f]. 'Give the fulness of.' It is not to fulfil a command in the way of obedience, nor to complete another thing by adding to it; but to fill up some system sketched out, or that which is expressed in the thing fulfilled, as a whole. Thus the doctrine of the Church completed the word of God, made full what was expressed by it. Christ does not here fulfil what is said, nor add to what still remained and was perfect itself; but came to make good the whole scope of law and prophets. The passage has nothing to do with obeying the law. Nor is it here accomplishing a particular prophecy. He comes as the revealed completeness of God's mind, whatever the law and the prophets had pointed out. Verse 18 forbids the sense of obedience as not to be maintained, though 19 proves that he was to be condemned who, being under law, broke the commandments spoken of. But this is a consequence; Christ speaks of their authority. All was to be fulfilled in some way or another, not set aside.
• [g]. Or 'excel.' It includes the idea of being a better righteousness: see ver. 47.
• [h]. i.e. stupid, worthless, a term of contempt.
• [i]. As chs. 23.17; 25.2,3,8.
• [j]. Eis: has the force of 'even to,' 'as far as,'as in other cases: as Rom. 5.21, 'to eternal life;' Rev. 13.3, 'to death;' Eph. 3.19, 'to all the fulness.'
• [k]. Gehenna: so vers. 29,30.
• [l]. Or 'lest it may be.' Perhaps 'lest' is sufficient; it suggests something uncertain which otherwise might happen any time: see Mark 4.12.
• [m]. The quarter of an assarion: see ch. 10.29.
• [n]. Lit. the 'catch of a trap:' see ch. 13.57.
• [o]. Or 'the evil one.'