Mateo 5

1 Y viendo la multitud, subió en el monte; y sentándose, le acercaron a él sus discípulos

2 Y abriendo su boca, les enseñaba, diciendo

3 Bienaventurados los pobres en espíritu; porque de ellos es el Reino de los cielos

4 Bienaventurados los que lloran (enlutados), porque ellos recibirán consolación

5 Bienaventurados los mansos; porque ellos recibirán la tierra por heredad

6 Bienaventurados los que tienen hambre y sed de justicia (o rectitud), porque ellos serán saciados

7 Bienaventurados los misericordiosos; porque ellos alcanzarán misericordia

8 Bienaventurados los de limpio corazón; porque ellos verán a Dios

9 Bienaventurados los pacificadores; porque ellos serán llamados hijos de Dios

10 Bienaventurados los que padecen persecución por causa de la justicia (o rectitud), porque de ellos es el Reino de los cielos

11 Bienaventurados sois cuando os vituperen y os persigan, y se dijere toda clase de mal de vosotros por mi causa, mintiendo

12 Gozaos y alegraos; porque vuestro galardón es grande en los cielos; que así persiguieron a los profetas que estuvieron antes de vosotros

13 Vosotros sois la sal de la tierra; y si la sal perdiere su sabor ¿con qué será salada? No vale más para nada, sino para ser echada fuera y hollada por los hombres

14 Vosotros sois la luz del mundo; una ciudad asentada sobre un monte no se puede esconder

15 Ni se enciende la lámpara y se pone debajo de un almud, sino en el candelero, y alumbra a todos los que están en la casa

16 Así alumbre vuestra luz delante de los hombres, para que vean vuestras obras buenas, y glorifiquen a vuestro Padre que está en los cielos

17 No penséis que he venido para desatar la ley o los profetas; no he venido para desatarla, sino para cumplirla

18 Porque de cierto os digo, que hasta que perezca el cielo y la tierra, ni una jota ni una tilde perecerá de la Ley, hasta que todas las cosas sean cumplidas

19 De manera que cualquiera que desatare uno de estos mandamientos muy pequeños, y así enseñare a los hombres, muy pequeño será llamado en el Reino de los cielos; mas cualquiera que los hiciere y los enseñare, éste será llamado grande en el Reino de los cielos

20 Porque os digo, que si vuestra justicia (rectitud) no fuere mayor que la de los escribas y de los fariseos, no entraréis en el Reino de los cielos

21 Oísteis que fue dicho a los antiguos: No cometerás homicidio; y cualquiera que cometiere homicidio, será culpado del juicio

22 Mas yo os digo, que cualquiera que se enojare descontroladamente con su hermano, será culpado del juicio; y cualquiera que dijere a su hermano: Raca, será culpado del concejo; y cualquiera que dijere: Fatuo, será culpado del infierno

23 Por tanto, si trajeres tu presente al altar, y allí te acordares de que tu hermano tiene algo contra ti

24 deja allí tu presente delante del altar, y ve, vuelve primero en amistad con tu hermano, y entonces ven y ofrece tu presente

25 Concíliate con tu adversario presto, entre tanto que estás con él en el camino; para que no acontezca que el adversario te entregue al juez, y el juez te entregue al alguacil, y seas echado en prisión

26 De cierto te digo, que no saldrás de allí, hasta que pagues el último cuadrante

27 Oísteis que fue dicho a los antiguos: No adulterarás

28 Mas yo os digo, que cualquiera que mira a la mujer para codiciarla, ya adulteró con ella en su corazón

29 Por tanto, si tu ojo derecho te fuere ocasión de caer, sácalo, y échalo de ti; que mejor te es que se pierda uno de tus miembros, y no que todo tu cuerpo sea echado al infierno

30 Y si tu mano derecha te fuere ocasión de caer, córtala, y échala de ti; que mejor te es que se pierda uno de tus miembros, y no que todo tu cuerpo sea echado al infierno

31 También fue dicho: Cualquiera que repudiare a su mujer, déle carta de divorcio

32 Mas yo os digo, que el que repudiare a su mujer, fuera de causa de fornicación, hace que ella adultere; y el que se casare con la repudiada, comete adulterio

33 Además habéis oído que fue dicho a los antiguos: No te perjurarás; mas pagarás al Señor tus juramentos

34 Mas yo os digo: No juréis en ninguna manera; ni por el cielo, porque es el trono de Dios

35 ni por la tierra, porque es el estrado de sus pies; ni por Jerusalén, porque es la ciudad del gran Rey

36 Ni por tu cabeza jurarás, porque no puedes hacer un cabello blanco o negro

37 Mas sea vuestro hablar: Sí, sí; no, no; porque lo que es más de esto, de mal procede

38 Oísteis que fue dicho: Ojo por ojo, y diente por diente

39 Mas yo os digo: No resistáis con mal; antes a cualquiera que te hiriere en tu mejilla diestra, vuélvele también la otra

40 y al que quisiere ponerte a pleito y tomarte tu ropa, déjale también la capa

41 y a cualquiera que te cargare por una milla, ve con él dos

42 Al que te pidiere, dale; y al que quisiere tomar de ti prestado, no se lo rehuses

43 Oísteis que fue dicho: Amarás a tu prójimo, y aborrecerás a tu enemigo

44 Mas yo os digo: Amad a vuestros enemigos, bendecid a los que os maldicen, haced bien a los que os aborrecen, y orad por los que os calumnian y os persiguen

45 para que seáis hijos de vuestro Padre que está en los cielos; que hace que su sol salga sobre malos y buenos, y llueva sobre justos e injustos

46 Porque si amareis a los que os aman, ¿qué salario tendréis? ¿No hacen también lo mismo los publicanos

47 Y si abrazareis a vuestros hermanos solamente, ¿qué hacéis de más? ¿No hacen también así los publicanos

48 Sed, pues, vosotros perfectos, como vuestro Padre que está en los cielos es perfecto

Mateo 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.