The reception of injuries. The Law inculcated that the injured should obtain from those who did the wrong exact compensation. Our Lord inculcates giving up of all in-sistance upon one's rights as an injured person, and entire submission to injuries, even as far as proffering the opportunity for fresh wrongs. read more
Non-resistance. The difficulty with this, as with similar passages in the teachings of our Lord, is to see how to carry out the precept in the fulness of the intention of the great Teacher. Are we to take it quite literally? If so, Count Tolstoi is right, and we have not yet begun to be Christian. Are we to take it 'metaphorically,' or even as a hyperbolical expression? Then we shall be in great danger of watering it down to suit our own convenience. Plainly our Lord meant something very... read more
The Christian type of fulfilling of the Law: Christ's fifth illustration. The precept or permission of the Law here instanced was not a precept or permission of revenge, but of equal justice. It was intended to operate, not to the encouragement, but to the discouragement, of revenge; and rather simply as the equitable admeasurer of just punishment and restraint of the more natural instinct of revenge. Christ, however, thus early forewarns his disciples of what his eye saw so clearly, his... read more
Retaliation. Of this we have here two sorts, viz. the retaliation of kind and that of kindness. These are not necessarily inconsistent. For Christ came not to destroy but to fulfil the Law. Properly understood, "Eye for eye and tooth for tooth" is the co-relative of "Do unto others as you would they should do unto you." We propose to view the lea talionis — I. AS A DIRECTION TO THE MAGISTRATE . 1 . The spirit of its teaching to him is to minister judgment in equity. ... read more
The two remaining examples of the current teaching of the Law are very closely connected together, and, in fact, our Lord's corrections of them are intermingled in Luke 6:27-36 . Yet the subjects are really distinct. In the first ( Luke 6:38-42 ) our Lord speaks of the reception of injuries, in the second ( Luke 6:43-48 ) of the treatment of those who do them. Godet's remarks (in his summary of Luke 6:27-45 ) on the use made by St. Luke of these examples are especially instructive.... read more
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee, etc. The first clause comes here only; the second is found also in Luke 6:29 (for the principle, of. 1 Corinthians 6:7 ). We may notice that, while our Lord most perfectly observed the spirit of this command, he did not slavishly follow the letter of it (cf. John 18:22 , John 18:23 ). Nor did St. Paul (cf. Acts 16:35 ; Acts 22:25 ; Acts 23:1-35 . 3; Acts 25:9 , Acts 25:10 ). We must remember... read more
The parallel passage, Luke 6:29 , gives the taking of the garments in the converse order. And if any man will sue thee ; Revised Version, and if any man would go to law with thee. Notice that "will," "would" ( τῷ θέλοντι ), implies that the trial has not yet even begun. Do this even before it. And take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also . Coat ( χιτών ), equivalent to tunic, "shirt-like under-garment" (Meyer). Cloke ( ἱμάτιον ), equivalent to over-cloak,... read more
An eye for an eye ... - This command is found in Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20, and Deuteronomy 19:21. In these places it was given as a rule to regulate the decisions of judges. They were to take eye for eye, and tooth for tooth, and to inflict burning for burning. As a judicial rule it is not unjust. Christ finds no fault with the rule as applied to magistrates, and does not take upon himself to repeal it. But instead of confining it to magistrates, the Jews had extended it to private... read more
Matthew 5:38-42 . Ye have heard, &c. Our Lord proceeds to enforce such meekness and love toward their enemies, on those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, as were utterly unknown to the scribes and Pharisees. And this subject he pursues to the end of the chapter. It hath been said, viz., in the law, Deuteronomy 19:21, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth Though this statute was only intended as a direction to judges, with regard to the penalties to be inflicted in... read more
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The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 5:21-48
( a ) Our Lord is still concerned with the relation of himself and his followers to the religion of the day, of which the Old Testament ( Matthew 5:17 ), and more especially the Law ( Matthew 5:18 ), was the accepted standard. But after having spoken of the need of careful attention to ( Matthew 5:17 , Matthew 5:18 ), and observance of ( Matthew 5:19 ), even the least commands of the Law, he goes on to point out the far-reaching character of these commands, whether they are such... read more