Matthew
5: 33-48
Lesson 9
5: 33-48
Lesson 9
Matthew 5:33-48
Jesus teaches 33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: 34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: 35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. 38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. 43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. |
Margin notes:
"Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths." (5:33) - "You shall not perjure yourself but shall honor the oaths you make to the Lord." This commandment to honor our vows to God is part of the Ten Commandments/Mosaic Law (Leviticus 19:12, Numbers 30:2, Deuteronomy 23:23). "Swear not at all." (5:34) - In fact, don't swear an oath to God at all. Similar advice can also be found in and James 5:12. "Let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay." (5:37) - "Let your word be simply yes or no." You can keep your word without swearing an oath. "More than these cometh of evil." (5:37) - "Anything more than this comes from the evil one." "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth." (5:38) - Jesus is quoting the Mosaic Law (Exodus 21:24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21). An "eye for an eye" became part of Jewish civil law. "Whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain." (5:41) - "Whoever forces you to go a mile, go with him two." In biblical times, Roman soldiers could compel civilians to carry their equipment for a mile, but no further. This gave the soldier a short break without disrupting the civilian's entire day. "Give to him that asketh thee." (5:42) - From Deuteronomy 15:8. Jesus reinforces this message in Luke 6:30. "Thou shalt love thy neighbour." (5:43) - Another piece of the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 19:18). "Love your enemies." (5:44) - Jesus repeats this teaching in Luke 6:27 and shows us by example in 1 Peter 2:23. "Bless them that curse you." (5:44) - "Pray for those who persecute you." "Do good to them that hate you." (5:44) - It is easy to "do good" for loved ones. But Jesus has a higher standard. He asks believers to "do good" to those who hate them. See Romans 12:20. "Pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." (5:44) - Pray for those who persecute you, like the first Christian martyr Stephen did in Acts 7:59-60 and Jesus in Luke 23:34. "Do not even the publicans the same?" (5:46) - "Don't tax collectors do the same thing?" Tax collectors were despised by Jews because they worked for the Roman occupiers (Matthew 18:17; 21:31). It's easy to love people who love us, even the publicans did that. It's harder to love your enemies. "If ye salute your brethren only." (5:47) - "If you only greet your friends." "Be ye therefore perfect." (5:48) - To be perfect is to be complete or mature in godliness. |