Matthew 5

1 Jesus saw the crowds and went up a hill, where he sat down. His disciples gathered around him,

2 and he began to teach them:

3 "Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!

4 "Happy are those who mourn; ¹ God will comfort them!

5 "Happy are those who are humble; ² they will receive what God has promised!

6 "Happy are those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires; ³ God will satisfy them fully!

7 "Happy are those who are merciful to others; God will be merciful to them!

8 "Happy are the pure in heart; ⁴ they will see God!

9 "Happy are those who work for peace; God will call them his children!

10 "Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires; ⁵ the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!

11 "Happy are you when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of evil lies against you because you are my followers. ⁶

12 Be happy and glad, for a great reward is kept for you in heaven. This is how the prophets who lived before you were persecuted. ⁷

13 "You are like salt for the whole human race. But if salt loses its saltiness, there is no way to make it salty again. It has become worthless, so it is thrown out and people trample on it. ⁸

14 "You are like light for the whole world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. ⁹

15 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl; instead it is put on the lampstand, where it gives light for everyone in the house. ¹⁰

16 In the same way your light must shine before people, so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven. ¹¹

17 "Do not think that I have come to do away with the Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets. I have not come to do away with them, but to make their teachings come true.

18 Remember that as long as heaven and earth last, not the least point nor the smallest detail of the Law will be done away with - not until the end of all things. ^{[a] 12}

19 So then, whoever disobeys even the least important of the commandments and teaches others to do the same, will be least in the Kingdom of heaven. On the other hand, whoever obeys the Law and teaches others to do the same, will be great in the Kingdom of heaven.

20 I tell you, then, that you will be able to enter the Kingdom of heaven only if you are more faithful than the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees in doing what God requires.

21 "You have heard that people were told in the past, "Do not commit murder; anyone who does will be brought to trial.' ¹³

22 But now I tell you: if you are angry ^[b] with your brother you will be brought to trial, if you call your brother "You good-for-nothing!' you will be brought before the Council, and if you call your brother a worthless fool you will be in danger of going to the fire of hell.

23 So if you are about to offer your gift to God at the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you,

24 leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift to God.

25 "If someone brings a lawsuit against you and takes you to court, settle the dispute while there is time, before you get to court. Once you are there, you will be turned over to the judge, who will hand you over to the police, and you will be put in jail.

26 There you will stay, I tell you, until you pay the last penny of your fine.

27 "You have heard that it was said, "Do not commit adultery.' ¹⁴

28 But now I tell you: anyone who looks at a woman and wants to possess her is guilty of committing adultery with her in his heart.

29 So if your right eye causes you to sin, take it out and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose a part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell. ¹⁵

30 If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose one of your limbs than to have your whole body go off to hell. ¹⁶

31 "It was also said, "Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.' ¹⁷

32 But now I tell you: if a man divorces his wife for any cause other than her unfaithfulness, then he is guilty of making her commit adultery if she marries again; and the man who marries her commits adultery also. ¹⁸

33 "You have also heard that people were told in the past, "Do not break your promise, but do what you have vowed to the Lord to do.' ¹⁹

34 But now I tell you: do not use any vow when you make a promise. Do not swear by heaven, for it is God's throne; ²⁰

35 nor by earth, for it is the resting place for his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. ²¹

36 Do not even swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black.

37 Just say "Yes' or "No' - anything else you say comes from the Evil One.

38 "You have heard that it was said, "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.' ²²

39 But now I tell you: do not take revenge on someone who wrongs you. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, let him slap your left cheek too.

40 And if someone takes you to court to sue you for your shirt, let him have your coat as well.

41 And if one of the occupation troops forces you to carry his pack one mile, carry it two miles.

42 When someone asks you for something, give it to him; when someone wants to borrow something, lend it to him.

43 "You have heard that it was said, "Love your friends, hate your enemies.' ²³

44 But now I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

45 so that you may become the children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun to shine on bad and good people alike, and gives rain to those who do good and to those who do evil. ²⁴

46 Why should God reward you if you love only the people who love you? Even the tax collectors do that!

47 And if you speak only to your friends, have you done anything out of the ordinary? Even the pagans do that!

48 You must be perfect - just as your Father in heaven is perfect. ²⁵

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.

Cross References

• 1. 5.4Isaiah 61.2.
• 2. 5.5Psalms 37.11.
• 3. 5.6Isaiah 55.1, 2+2Ben Sira 24.21.
• 4. 5.8Psalms 24.3, 4+22 Esdras 7.98.
• 5. 5.10 1 Peter 3.14.
• 6. 5.11 1 Peter 4.14.
• 7. 5.122 Chronicles 36.16; +2Si 2.8; +1Ac 7.52.
• 8. 5.13Mark 9.50;Luke 14.34, 35.
• 9. 5.14John 8.12; 9.5.
• 10. 5.15Mark 4.21;Luke 8.16; 11.33.
• 11. 5.16 1 Peter 2.12.
• 12. 5.18Luke 16.17.
• 13. 5.21Exodus 20.13;Deuteronomy 5.17.
• 14. 5.27Exodus 20.14;Deuteronomy 5.18.
• 15. 5.29Matthew 18.9;Mark 9.47.
• 16. 5.30Matthew 18.8;Mark 9.43.
• 17. 5.31Deuteronomy 24.1-4;Matthew 19.7;Mark 10.4.
• 18. 5.32Matthew 19.9;Mark 10.11, 12;Luke 16.18;1 Corinthians 7.10, 11.
• 19. 5.33 aLeviticus 19.12; bNumbers 30.2;Deuteronomy 23.21.
• 20. 5.34 aJames 5.12; bIsaiah 66.1;Matthew 23.22.
• 21. 5.35 aIsaiah 66.1; bPsalms 48.2.
• 22. 5.38Exodus 21.24;Leviticus 24.20;Deuteronomy 19.21.
• 23. +25.43Ben Sira 12.4-7.
• 24. +25.45Ben Sira 4.10.
• 25. 5.48Leviticus 19.2;Deuteronomy 18.13.

Footnotes

• [a]. the end of all things; [or] all its teachings come true.
• [b]. if you are angry; [some manuscripts have] if without cause you are angry.