Matthew 5:31-46

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 5:36

Neither shalt thou swear by thy head ,.... This also was a common form of swearing among the Jews: take a few instances. "If anyone is bound to his friend by an oath, and says to him, vow unto me בחיי ראשך , "by the life of thy head"; R. Meir says F21 Misn. Sanhedrim, c. 3. sect 2. , he may retract it; but the wise men say, he cannot.' Again F23 T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 3. 1. , a certain Rabbi said to Elijah, "I heard "Bath Kol" (or the voice from heaven) mourning like a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 5:37

But let your communication be yea, yea ,.... That is, let your speech, in your common conversation, and daily business of life, when ye answer to anything in the affirmative, be "yea"; and when ye answer to anything in the negative, "nay": and for the stronger asseveration of the matter, when it is necessary, double these words; but let no oaths be joined unto them: this is enough; a righteous man's yea, is yea, and his no, is no; his word is sufficient. Hence it appears, that our Lord is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 5:38

Ye have heard that it hath been said ,.... That is, to, or by them of old time, as is expressed in some of the foregoing instances, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth , Exodus 21:24 . This is "lex talionis", the "law of retaliation"; which, whether it is to be understood literally, or not, is a matter of question. The Baithuseans, or Sadducees, among the Jews, took it in a literal sense, and so does Josephus, who says F2 Antiq. Jud. l. 4. c. 8. sect. 35. , he that shall... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 5:39

But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil ,.... This is not to be understood of any sort of evil, not of the evil of sin, of bad actions, and false doctrines, which are to be opposed; nor of the evil one, Satan, who is to be resisted; but of an evil man, an injurious one, who has done us an injury. We must not render evil for evil, or repay him in the same way; see James 5:6 . Not but that a man may lawfully defend himself, and endeavour to secure himself from injuries; and may appear to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 5:40

And if any man will sue thee at the law ,.... Or "will contend with thee", or as the Syriac renders it, דנדון עמך , "will strive", or "litigate with thee"; not contest the matter, or try the cause in an open court of judicature, a sense our version inclines to; but will wrangle and quarrel in a private way, in order to take away thy coat , by force and violence, let him have thy cloak also ; do not forbid, or hinder him from taking it; see Luke 6:29 . The "coat", is the same... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 5:41

And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile ,.... The word αγγαρευσει , rendered "compel", is generally said to be of Persic original; the "Angari", among the Persians, were the king's messengers, or those who rode post, and were maintained at the king's expenses; and had power to take horses, and other carriages, and even men, into their service, by force, when they had occasion for them: hence the word is used to force, or compel persons to do this or the other thing; the word אנגריא ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 5:42

Give to him that asketh thee ,.... To every man, Luke 6:30 whether Jew or Gentile; friend or foe; believer or unbeliever; a good, or a bad man; worthy or unworthy; deserving or not, that asketh alms, whether food or money; give it freely, readily, cheerfully, according to your abilities, and as the necessity of the object requires: for such rules are always supposed, and to be observed; and though all are to be relieved, yet the circumstances of persons, and their relation to men, are to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 5:43

Ye have heard that it hath been said ,.... By, or to them of old time. This law has been delivered to them, thou shalt love thy neighbour , with this appendage to it, or false gloss upon it, and hate thine enemy ; for the first of these only is the law of Moses, Leviticus 19:18 , the other is the addition, or wrong interpretation of the Scribes and Pharisees: wherefore the Jew F15 R. Isaac Chizuk Emunah, par. 2. c. 11. p. 402. has no reason to charge Christ, or the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 5:44

But I say unto you, love your enemies ,.... That is, as the Apostle Paul may be thought to interpret the words of Christ, Romans 12:20 . "If thine enemy hunger, feed him: if he thirst, give him drink": unless our Lord should be supposed rather to regard the internal affection of the mind; since outward expressions of love, by words and works, are urged in the following exhortations: the actions of a man may be hated, and just indignation be expressed against them, and yet his person be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 5:45

That ye may be the children of your father ,.... Not that any became the children of God, by doing things in imitation of him: for as in nature no man becomes the son of another by imitating him, or by doing the things he does but either by birth, or by adoption; so in grace no man becomes a child of God by the works he does, as a follower of God, but by adopting grace; and which is discovered in regeneration. Christ's meaning is, that they might appear, and be known to be the children of... read more

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