Righteousness and the Scriptures 5:17-48In His discussion of righteousness (character and conduct that conforms to the will of God), Jesus went back to the revelation of God’s will, namely, God’s Word, the Old Testament. read more
God’s will concerning retaliation 5:38-42 read more
Jesus first expounded God’s intention regarding retaliation. Essentially He said: When evil people do you wrong, do not resist them. "Resist" (Gr. anthistemi) means to defend oneself, not to take aggressive action against someone, as the following verses illustrate. When evil people do bad things to us, Jesus’ disciples should accept the injustice without taking revenge. [Note: Stott, p. 105.] Implicit in this view are Old Testament promises that God will take care of the righteous. Therefore... read more
Jesus gave four illustrations to clarify what He meant. In the first (Matthew 5:39 b), a disciple suffers an unjustified physical attack on his or her person. What is that one to do? He or she should not injure the aggressor in return but should absorb the injury and the insult. He should even be ready to accept the same attack again. In Jesus’ illustration the disciple gets slapped on the right cheek. Under normal conditions this would come from the back of a right-handed person’s right hand.... read more
The Sermon on the MountJohn 5:1 to John 7:29. The Sermon on the Mount: see Luke 6:20. This sermon is so similar to the sermon reported by St. Luke (Luke 6:20), that it is best to regard them as identically the same. It is true that it has been plausibly suggested that our Lord during His preaching tours often repeated nearly the same sermon to different audiences, and that St. Matthew has given us the sermon as delivered at one place and St. Luke as delivered at another, but the resemblances... read more
(39) Resist not evil.—The Greek, as before in Matthew 5:37, may be either masculine or neuter, and followed as it is by “whosoever,” the former seems preferable; only here it is not “the evil one,” with the emphasis of pre-eminence, but, as in 1 Corinthians 5:13, the human evil-doer. Of that mightier “evil one” we are emphatically told that it is our duty to resist him (James 4:7).Shall smite.—The word was used of blows with the hand or with a stick, and for such blows fines from a shekel... read more
The Beatitudes Illustrated By Events in the Passion Matthew 5:0 1. Christ condemned. Pilate washes his hands and declares Christ innocent. 'Blessed are the pure in heart.' 2. Christ takes up the cross. 'Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake.' 3. Christ falls under the weight of the cross. 'Blessed are they that mourn.' 4. Christ meekly allows another to share His cross. 'Blessed are the meek.' 5. Christ comforts the women. 'Blessed are the merciful.' 6. Christ stripped... read more
Chapter 7The Gospel of the Kingdom("Sermon on the Mount") - Matthew 5:1-48; Matthew 6:1-34; Matthew 7:1-29IT may seem almost heresy to object to the time-honoured title "Sermon on the Mount"; yet, so small has the word "sermon" become, on account of its application to those productions of which there is material for a dozen in single sentences of this great discourse, that there is danger of belittling it by the use of a title which suggests even the remotest relationship to these ephemeral... read more
5. The Proclamation of the King concerning His Kingdom. Chapters 5-7 1. The Characteristics of the heirs of the Kingdom.(Matthew 5:1-16 .) 2. The Confirmation of the Law and its Expansion.( Matthew 5:17-48 .) CHAPTER 5 In the closing of the last chapter we saw our Lord Jesus Christ surrounded by a great multitude of people, which followed Him and who were attracted by the King’s presence, before whom the various diseases had to flee. If we turn to the eighth chapter we find the... read more
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Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 5:39
39. But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right check, turn to him the other also—Our Lord's own meek, yet dignified bearing, when smitten rudely on the cheek (John 18:22; John 18:23), and not literally presenting the other, is the best comment on these words. It is the preparedness, after one indignity, not to invite but to submit meekly to another, without retaliation, which this strong language is meant to convey. read more