Verse 14
Bless them which persecute you; i.e. pray for them, and wish well to them. This is borrowed from Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:28; see the like in 1 Peter 3:9. This is commended to us by the example of Christ himself, Isaiah 53:12; Luke 23:34; 1 Peter 2:23; of Stephen, Acts 7:60; of Paul, and the primitive Christians, 1 Corinthians 4:12.
Bless, and curse not: his doubling the exhortation shows the difficulty of the duty; it is contrary to corrupt nature: and it denotes the constancy of it; we must persevere therein. When he saith, curse not, he means, wish no evil to your enemies.
Objection. The prophets and apostles went contrary to this: see 2 Kings 2:24; Psalms 69:22,Psalms 69:23; Acts 8:20; Acts 13:10,Acts 13:11; Acts 23:3.
Answer. These did it by a special vocation and instinct of the Spirit.
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