Mattityahu 5

1 When Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach saw the multitudes, he ALAH HAHAR (went up the mountain, SHEMOT 19:3) and when he sat down, his talmidim came to him.

2 Then Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach began to speak, and gave them this torah (teaching), saying,

3 Ashrey ANIYEI HARUACH (Blessed, Happy are the poor in spirit, YESHAYAH 66:2) for theirs is the Malchut HaShomayim.

4 Ashrey are the AVELIM (the ones mourning, YESHAYAH 61:2), for they will be comforted.

5 Ashrey are the ANAVIM (humble, YESHAYAH 29:19; ZEFANYAH 2:3), for YIRESHU ARETZ (they will inherit the land, TEHILLIM 37:11).

6 Ashrey are the ones hungering and thirsting for Tzidkat Hashem (Tzedek Olamim, Everlasting Righteousness, DANIEL 9:24), for they will be satisfied.

7 Ashrey are the merciful, for they will be shown rachamim (mercy).

8 Ashrey are those of LEV TAHOR (pure heart, TEHILLIM 51:12 [10]), for they will see Hashem.

9 Ashrey are the peacemakers, for they will be called bnei haElohim (sons of G-d).

10 Ashrey are the ones being persecuted because of Tzidkat Hashem (righteousness, DANIEL 9:24), for theirs is the Malchut HaShomayim.

11 Ashrey are you when they reproach you and persecute you and speak all kinds of lashon horah against you, speaking sheker (falsehood, lies) because of me [Moshiach].

12 Have simcha (joy) and lev sameach (glad heart), for your sachar (reward) is great in Shomayim, for thus they persecuted the Neviim before you.

13 You are the melach haaretz (salt of the earth), but if the salt becomes tasteless, in what way will it become salty again? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled by men.

14 You are the Ohr HaOlam (the Light of the World). A city lying on a mountaintop cannot be nistar (hidden).

15 No one, after lighting a menorah, places it under a measuring basket, but on the shulchan (table), and it gives ohr (light) to kol anshei habais (all in the house).

16 In like manner, let your light so shine before Bnei Adam, that they may see your maasim tovim (good works) and give kavod (glory) to your Av shbaShomayim (Father in Heaven).

17 Do not think that I came to abolish the Torah or the Neviim. I did not come to abolish but to complete.

18 For, omein, truly I say to you, until Shomayim and haaretz pass away, not one yod, not one tag (ornamental flourish), will pass from the Torah until everything is accomplished.

19 Therefore, whoever annuls one of the least of these mitzvot (divine commandments given by Hashem to Moshe Rebbenu) and so teaches Bnei Adam, shall be called katon (least) in the Malchut HaShomayim; but whoever practices and teaches them, this one will be called gadol (great) in the Malchut HaShomayim.

20 For I say unto you that unless the Tzedek (Righteousness) of you exceeds that of the Sofrim and Perushim, you will certainly not enter the Malchut HaShomayim.

21 You have heard that it was said to the ancients, LO TIRTZACH (Do not murder, SHEMOT 20:13; DEVARIM 5:17), and every rotzeach (murderer) shall be liable before the Bet Din (Court).

22 But I say to you, that everyone who harbors kaas (anger) against his Ach [b’Moshiach], his chaver, shall be subject to mishpat (judgment); and whoever shall say to his Ach [b’Moshiach], Reyka! (Good for nothing!) will be subject to the Sanhedrin; and whoever shall say Shoteh! (Fool) shall be subject to Eish Gehinnom (Fire of Hell).

23 Therefore, if you bring your korban (sacrifice) to the Mizbeach (altar), and there you remember that your Ach [b’Moshiach] has something against you,

24 leave your korban there before the Mizbeach, and go and first be reconciled to your Ach [b’Moshiach]; and then come offer your korban.

25 Come to terms quickly with your ish riv (opponent in a lawsuit), while you are a fellow-traveler on the derech eretz, lest the ish riv might deliver you to the shofet (judge), and the shofet might deliver you to the shoter (law official), and the shoter might deliver you to the beit hasohar (prison house).

26 For, omein, truly I say to you, you may never come out from there until you repay the last peruta (small coin).

27 You have heard that it was said, LO TINAF (Do not commit adultery, SHEMOT 20:14).

28 But I say to you that everyone looking upon a woman with taavah (lust) for her has already committed niuf (adultery) with her in his heart.

29 And if your right eye causes you to commit chet (sin), tear it out and throw it from you, for it is better for you that one of your evarim (members) be lost and not your whole basar (body, flesh) be thrown into Gehinnom.

30 And if your right hand causes you to commit chet, cut it off and throw it from you, for it is better for you that one of your evarim (members) be lost and not that your whole basar may go into Gehinnom.

31 It was also said, Whoever divorces his wife, let him give to her a “get,” a SEFER KERITUT (bill of divorce, DEVARIM 24:1).

32 But I say to you that everyone divorcing his wife, except for the DVAR (indecent thing, DEVARIM 24:1) of zenut (fornication), makes her become a noefet (adulteress), and whoever marries a gerusha (divorcee) commits niuf (adultery).

33 Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients, You shall not break your nederim (vows), but you shall repay your vows to Hashem.[T.N.See VAYIKRA 19:12; BAMIDBAR 30:3; DEVARIM 23:22]

34 But I say to you, Do not swear shevuot (oaths) at all, neither by Shomayim, for it is the kes malchut of Hashem (throne of G-d),

35 nor by haaretz, for it is the hadom (footstool) of his feet, nor by Yerushalayim, for it is the kiryat melech rav (city of the great king, TEHILLIM 48:3[2]).

36 Neither are you to swear by your rosh, for you are not able to make one hair turn white or black.

37 But let your word be ken, ken (yes, yes) or lo, lo (no, no), but anything beyond this is lashon horah.

38 You have heard that it was said, AYIN TACHAT AYIN, SHEN TACHAT SHEN (An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth SHEMOT 21:24).

39 But I say to you, Do not set yourself against the rasha (evil person), but whoever hits you on your right cheek, turn to him also the other cheek.

40 And the one wishing to sue you and take your tunic, give to him also your kaftan.

41 And whoever will force you to go one mile, go with him two.

42 And the one asking you to give and the one wishing to borrow from you, from these do not turn away.

43 You have heard that it was said, VAHAVTAH LREIACHAH (You shall love your neighbor, VAYIKRA 19:18) and you shall hate your oyev (enemy).

44 But I say to you, Love your enemies, and offer tefillos (prayers) for the ones bringing redifah (persecution) upon you.

45 Do this so that you may become banim of your Av shbaShomayim, for His shemesh (sun) He makes to rise on the ra’im (evil ones) and the tovim (good ones), and He sends His geshem (rain) upon the tzaddikim (righteous ones) and the resha’im (unrighteous ones).

46 For if you have ahavah (love) for the ones who have ahavah for you, what sachar (reward) do you have? Even the mochesim (tax collectors) do that, don’t they?

47 And if you give Drishat Shalom (greetings) only to your Achim [b’Moshiach], what extraordinary thing are you doing? Don’t even the Goyim do the same?

48 Therefore, be shlemim (complete), even as is your Av shbaShomayim.

Mattityahu 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.