Matthew 5:27

27 Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

Matthew 5:27 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 5:27

Ye have heard that it was said
These forms of speech, as well as what follows,

by them of old time,
have been explained, in ver. 21. The law here mentioned,

thou shalt not commit adultery,
is recorded in ( Exodus 20:14 ) and the meaning of our Lord is, not that the then present Jews had heard that such a law had been delivered "to the ancients", their fathers, at Mount Sinai; for that they could read in their Bibles: but they had received it by tradition, that the sense of it, which had been given to their ancestors, by the ancient doctors of the church, was, that this law is to be taken strictly, as it lies, and only regards the sin of uncleanness in married persons; or, what was strictly adultery, and that actual; so that it had no respect to fornication, or unchaste thoughts, words, or actions, but that single act only.

Matthew 5:27 In-Context

25 Agree with thy adversary quickly, while 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.

26 Verily, I say to thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

27 Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

28 But I say to you, That whoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

29 And if thy right eye shall cause thee to sin, 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.