Matthew 5:27

27 Ye have heard that it was said to old men, Thou shalt not do lechery.

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 Be thou consenting to thine adversary soon, while thou art in the way with him, lest peradventure thine adversary take thee to the doomsman, and the doomsman take thee to the minister [lest peradventure thine adversary take thee to the judge, and the judge take thee to the minister], and thou be sent into prison.

26 Truly I say to thee, Thou shalt not go out from thence [Thou shalt not go thence], till thou yield the last farthing.

27 Ye have heard that it was said to old men, Thou shalt not do lechery.

28 But I say to you, that every man that seeth a woman [for] to covet her, hath now done lechery by her in his heart [now he hath done lechery with her in his heart].

29 That if thy right eye cause thee to stumble [That if thy right eye offend thee], pull it out, and cast it from thee; for it speedeth to thee, that one of thy members perish, than that all thy body go into hell.