Parallel passage: Luke 6:35 , which is more full, but hardly so original in form. That ye may be the children ( ὅπως γένησθε υἱοί ) ; sons (Revised Version); cf. Luke 6:9 , note. The meaning of the clause is not certain. It may be: read more
Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy - The command to love our neighbor was a law of God, Leviticus 19:18. That we must therefore hate our enemy was an inference drawn from it by the Jews. They supposed that if we loved the one, we must of course hate the other. They were total strangers to that great, special law of religion which requires us to love both. A neighbor is literally one that lives near to us; then, one who is near to us by acts... read more
Love your enemies - There are two kinds of love, involving the same general feeling, or springing from the same fountain of good-will to all mankind, but differing so far as to admit of separation in idea. The one is that feeling by which we approve of the conduct of another, commonly called the love of complacency; the other, that by which we wish well to the person of another, though we cannot approve his conduct. This is the love of benevolence, and this love we are to bear toward our... read more
That ye may be the children of your Father - In Greek, the sons of your Father. The word “son” has a variety of significations. See the notes at Matthew 1:1. Christians are called the “sons” or “children” of God in several of these senses: as his offspring; as adopted; as his disciples; as imitators of Him. In this passage the word is applied to them because, in doing good to enemies, they resemble God. He makes His sun to rise upon the evil and good, and sends rain, without distinction, on the... read more
Matthew 5:43. Ye have heard that it hath been said In this, as is in the former instances, our Lord, intending to comprehend not only the law itself, but the explications of it given by the Jewish doctors, and said to be derived by tradition from the mouth of Moses, does not say, Ye know, but, Ye have heard, that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy God enjoined the former part of this precept, Leviticus 19:18, and the scribes added the latter, abusing,... read more
40. Legal obedience is not enough (Matthew 5:21-48; Luke 6:27-36; Luke 12:57-59)After his explanation concerning right and wrong attitudes to the law, Jesus gives a number of examples. He introduces these examples with statements such as ‘You have heard that it was said in the past’. This is not the same as ‘It is written’. Jesus is not quoting from the Old Testament but from the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees. He is not contradicting the law but the interpretations of the law that the... read more
THE LAW OF LOVE. it hath been said = it was said. Quoted from Leviticus 19:18 . thine enemy = thy foe. Personal, political, or religious. read more
bless them . . . hate you . This clause is omitted by all the critical Greek texts. See App-94 . pray. Greek. proseuchomai. App-134 . for = on behalf of. Greek. huper. read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 5:44
Parallel passage: Luke 6:27 , Luke 6:28 . But I say unto you, Love your enemies. Of all kinds, whether personal or opponents of you as Christians. Bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you . Rightly omitted by the Revised Version as interpolated from Luke, (For the thought, cf. 1 Corinthians 4:12 ; Romans 12:14 .) And pray. In fullest contrast to the continual ill-wishing of the enemy. "They who can pray for their enemies can accomplish the rest" (Weiss, 'Life,'... read more