Matthew 6:27
Read Matthew 6:27 Using Other Translations
What does Matthew 6:27 mean?
Which of you by taking thought
As Christ argued before, from the unnecessariness of anxious
thoughts and cares, about the provisions of life; so here, from
the unprofitableness of them; it being impossible for a man, with
all his care and thought, to
add one cubit unto his stature,
or "to his age"; so the word is rendered, ( John
9:21-23 ) ( 11:11 ) to the days of his life, he is so solicitous
about; for a cubit may as well be applied to a man's age, as an
"hand's breadth" is to his days, ( Psalms 39:5 ) . Nor is
it so reasonable to think, that Christ should be speaking of
making such an addition to a man's height; though that, to be
sure, is an impossible thing: since the far greater part of
Christ's hearers must be come to their full growth, and could not
hope to have any addition made to their height; though they might
hope to add to their days; much less such a monstrous one as that
of a cubit, and which is a strong reason against the other sense
of the word, and for this: for our Lord is speaking of something
very small, which men cannot do; as appears from what Luke says,
( Luke
12:26 ) "If ye then be not able to do that which is least,
why take ye thought for the rest?" Whereas, to add a cubit to a
man's height, is a great deal:
``the stature of a middling man (says F6 Bartenora) is three cubits.''And to add one more, makes a large addition to his stature; but to apply this to a man's age, is a small matter, and yet is what men cannot do: the sense of the words is this, that no man, by all the care and thought he can make use of, is ever able to add one cubit, or the least measure to his days; he cannot lengthen out his life one year, one month, one day, one hour; no, not one moment.
F6 In Misn. Erubim, c. 4. sect. 5. & Negaim, c. 13. sect. 11.
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