The Lord now proceeds to prove His condemning statement by expounding a few of the commandments of the Law according to their full spiritual significance:

v. 21. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill: and, Whosoever shall kill, shall be in danger of the judgment.

They were accustomed to hear this in the regular synagogue services, where the reading of the Law was never omitted. It was said both to them of old time, Exo 20:13; Deu 5:17; Gen 9:5-6, and by them of old time, in the precepts delivered by tradition from father to son as well as by the teachers of the people, 2Ch 17:7-9, but the addition, fixing the penalty, was made in the interpretation of the rabbis. But by this explanation the meaning of “kill” was restricted to actual murder, and the commandment of God became a mere external legal enactment. The end of the transgression was penalized, but the beginning, in desires, in thoughts, in words, was not restrained. “Behold, that is the beautiful holiness of the Pharisees, which can cleanse itself, and remain pious, so long as it does not kill with the hand, though the heart be filled with anger, hatred, and envy, the tongue also with cursing and blaspheming.”

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

Mat 5:21. It was said by them of old time To them, &c. and so wherever it occurs. It was said to them of former timeBut I say to you. So our Lord introduces his several improvements of the law under the different articles hereafter specified. Christ here distinguishes his doctrines from those which, in former times, had been publicly taught and enforced by theauthority of law; for as there is a gradual increase of knowledge in every man, who faithfully practises what he knows already; so, by divine appointment, it has proved in the course of the world. What is commonly called natural religion was the general rule of life till Moses, who gave the revealed law which bears his name, and was the standard of duty till the coming of Christ, whose instructions are the completion of all that appertains to moral rectitude: upon which account the season of his dispensation is called the last days, as the ages preceding it are here named the former time (though frequently the term is applied to the latter days of the Christian dispensation); and it is with this view that our Lord, when he was going to extend the boundaries of the law, takes distinct notice how far they were advanced already. The Greek for them of former time is , which may be well rendered beginners, or novices, and so rightly opposed to the apostles, who were in a state of proficiency. See Heylin. The Lord Jesus Christ instances in the commandments of the second table, how the Jews had corrupted the word of God by their traditions; and he proposes here these commandments in the same sense as they were understood by the Pharisees, and sometimes with the glosses they put upon them; and from these it is that he endeavours to vindicate and rescue them. He begins with the sixth commandment. It seems the doctors gave it as their opinion, that this law, Thou shalt not kill, prohibited nothing but actual murder, committed with a man’s own hand; and therefore, if he hired another to kill a man, or turned a wild beast upon him, that slew him,according to them it was not murder, punishable by the law, though they acknowledged it might deserve the judgment of God. The doctrine of Christ’s disciples was to be more sublime, exhibiting the intention and spirit of the law, which forbids our being angry with another, our affronting him, and judging evil concerning his spiritual estate without good reason; for the limitation added to the first member of the sentence, Mat 5:22 must be understood throughout the whole. It may be proper to observe, that by the judgment, is meant that court of judicature among the Jews, which consisted of twenty-three judges, who had power of life and death; so that the meaning of the words, He shall be in danger of, or liable to be punished by the judgment, is, “He shall be guilty of death.” Deu 16:18; Deu 21:2. But it is to be noted here, that though the Lord Jesus Christ made use of the same expressions as were used by the Jews to denote temporal punishments, yet his words are to be figuratively understood, and applied to the future punishments of the wicked, of which he distinguishes the different degrees according to the different crimes. See Grotius, and Beausobre and Lenfant.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Mat 5:21 . There now follow on to the end of the chapter six neither five (Hilgenfeld) nor seven (Kstlin) antithetic examples of the fulfilling of the law of Jesus, not merely derived from the Decalogue, or from its second table (Keim), but from the Pentateuch generally; not, however, of an antinomian kind, consequently not in opposition to the divine law itself (Chrysostom and many Fathers, Maldonatus, Neander, Bleek, Socinians and Arminians), but opposed, indeed, to all the manifold limitations and one-sided apprehensions and applications of the same, as it was represented and followed out in life by the common traditional Judaism, and specially by the Pharisees , without insight into the deeper unity and the purely moral absolute meaning. Comp. also Hofmann, Schriftbew . I. p. 599 f.; Harless, d. Ehescheidungsfrage , 1861, p. 7 f.; Weiss, Keim. That use of the law produced a false legalism , without sincerity and virtue, in opposition to which Jesus wishes to develope and assert the true and full righteous morality out of the divine law.

] from the law which is read before you (Joh 12:34 ; Rom 2:13 ; Gal 4:21 ; Act 15:21 ), and from the instruction which you have received regarding its exposition.

] may grammatically be taken not only as a dative (Chrysostom, Theophylact, Euth. Zigabenus, Luther, Erasmus, Grotius, Wetstein, Bengel, and many others; also Tholuck, Neander, de Wette, Ritschl, Bleek, Weizscker), but also as an ablative: by the ancients (see Khner, II. 1, p. 368 f.; Winer, p. 206 [E. T. 277]); so Beza, Piscator, Schoettgen, Raphel, and many; also Paulus, Kuinoel, Fritzsche, Olshausen, Baumgarten, Ewald, Lechler, Keim. On the first rendering, which most obviously suggests itself (Rom 9:12 ; Rom 9:26 ; Gal 3:16 ; Rev 6:11 ; Rev 9:4 ), the ancients are the Jewish generations of earlier times (before Christ), to which Moses and his followers (Mat 23:2 f.), the scribes, spoke (de Wette, Ritschl), not simply the Israelites in the time of Moses, to whom the latter spoke (Neander, Bleek); on the latter view it is Moses (who would not have to be excluded, as Keim maintains), and his ancient expositors learned in the Scripture; for there follow their sayings, which are partly without , partly accompanied with , additions proceeding from the scribes. The decision between these two views is given not merely by the constant usage of the N. T., which joins with the dative, but also by the antithesis , in which corresponds to the logical subject of , and to ; the latter consequently cannot itself be the subject. Luther therefore rightly renders: that it is said to them of old time . [406] Pointless objections are made by Keim, II. p. 248, who even finds in this view something opposed to the sense; because the people of the present day have not yet heard of that which was enjoined on them of old time , but of what has been enjoined upon themselves. On the other hand, it is to be recollected that it was precisely a peculiarity of the Jewish method of instruction, and still is so, to refer the present generation to those of old time, to inculcate upon the former the which had been common in ancient times, and had been already given to their forefathers. Thus the people of the present time have certainly heard in the synagogues what was said to them of old time . Comp., moreover, Diodorus Siculus xxii. 20 : , , . . .

] Exo 20:12 . The prohibition refers to the act , though not by itself, but as the effect of anger, of hostility, and so on; for there is also a putting to death which is permitted, nay, even commanded. The Pharisaic explanation and application of the legal saying was confined to the literal prohibition of the act; the fulfiller of the law lays open the whole disposition that deserves punishment, which, as the ethical condition of the act, was aimed at by the prohibition of the latter. The following words contain a traditional addition , although one not alien to the law, by the scribes, who interpreted that prohibition externally.

, according to Mat 5:22 , opposed to the Sanhedrin, is the local court , found, according to Deu 16:18 , in every city of Palestine, to which it belonged to take cognizance of and to punish even murder ( execution by the sword ), 2Ch 19:5 ; Josephus, Antt . iv. 8. 14. According to the Rabbins, it consisted of twenty-three members; according to Josephus, of seven. See generally, Tholuck, Keil, Arch . II. p. 250 ff. To the higher court of justice, the Sanhedrin , Mat 5:22 , it belonged to take cognizance also of crimes punishable by stoning .

[406] Instead of , Lachmann and Tischendorf have, after B D E K V, the form . Both forms are found in Plato (see Heindorf, ad Gorg . p. 46), to whom, however, Schneider, ad Pol. V. p. 450 A, everywhere assigns the latter as the proper one. The first is the more common in the later Greek, and therefore to be preferred in the N. T. See in general, Lobeck, ad Phryn . p. 447. Comp. on Rom 9:12 ; Gal 3:16 .

Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary

DISCOURSE: 1300
CHRISTS EXPOSITION OF THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT

Mat 5:21-22. Ye have heard that it was said by [Note: It should rather be to. See Whitby on the place.] them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: but I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raea, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

GENERAL statements, and general invectives, rarely carry any conviction to the mind: they must be supported by an induction of particulars, before they can produce any material effect. Assertions without proofs will be taken for calumny; but, when supported by fact, they will bear down all opposition. The assertions of our blessed Lord, indeed, needed no confirmation; because he knew what was in man; and because his miracles were a sufficient attestation to his word. Yet even He condescended to substantiate his accusations by appeals to fact.
He had intimated that the Scribes and Pharisees both did and taught many things contrary to his revealed will: and he had declared, that unless we have a better righteousness than theirs, we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. To evince the truth of his charge, and of the declaration founded upon it, he shews, that they had grossly perverted the sixth commandment: which on that account he proceeds to explain.
Let us consider,

I.

His exposition of this commandment

The commandment, Thou shalt not kill, was one of those proclaimed from Mount Sinai, and written by the finger of God himself on tables of stone [Note: Exo 20:13.]. An order was afterwards given, that the crime of murder should be invariably punished with the death of the offender [Note: Num 35:30-31.]. These two were by the Pharisees joined together, as though they had been one and the same commandment: Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill, shall be in danger of the judgment. The effect of this union was, that, first, the import of the commandment was thereby limited to actual murder; and, next, the sanction, with which it was enforced, was limited to a punishment inflicted by the civil magistrate. Hence all other violations of the commandment were either overlooked, as no offences at all, or were considered as of very light moment: and though Gods future judgment might not be expressly denied, it was at least kept very much out of sight, by this method of interpreting the word of God.

To rectify these errors, our Lord gave his exposition of the commandment. He explained,

1.

Its import

[It had been thought to extend only to actual murder; but he declared, that it prohibited all causeless anger in the heart, and all outward expression of it with the lips.

In determining the sinfulness of anger, two things are to be considered, namely, the object, and the occasion of our anger. The only legitimate object of it is sin. The sinner himself should be regarded with love and pity; and his sin only should move our anger. Thus it was with our blessed Lord when he exercised anger; He looked round about on the Pharisees with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts [Note: Mar 3:5.]. The occasion too must be just: our anger must not be causeless, or disproportionate to the offence, or of too long continuance. Where our anger is faulty in none of these respects, we observe the true medium; We are angry, and sin not [Note: Eph 4:26.]: but where any one of these barriers is broken down, there the anger becomes a violation of the sixth commandment.

Similar distinctions must be made respecting the outward expressions of anger. Raca was a term which indicated a contempt of the person to whom it was applied: it means, Thou empty worthless fellow. Thou fool, was an expression that implied a great degree of indignation and abhorrence, Thou reprobate villain. Such expressions therefore as these must of necessity be considered as violations of the commandment, because they manifest a total want of love and pity towards the person so addressed. But it is not every reproachful word that is sinful. St. Paul said, O foolish Galatians: are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh [Note: Gal 3:1; Gal 3:3.]? St. James makes use of a similar expression; Wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Our blessed Lord spake occasionally with far greater severity; O fools, and blind; ye hypocrites; ye serpents and generation of vipers. But in these things he spake as a prophet, bearing special authority; and consequently, unless specially authorized like him, we are not at liberty in these respects to follow his example. The rule for us is plain; we may, like the Apostles, designate the characters of men by appropriate epithets; but we must never use any expression which implies a hatred or contempt of the person to whom it is addressed. If we do not strictly adhere to this rule, we violate the commandment.

Thus you see the import of the commandment. Let us next consider our Lords explanation of,]

2.

Its sanctions

[We have observed, that the Pharisees, in their comments on this commandment, insisted almost exclusively on the temporal punishment annexed to the violation of it. Our Lord shewed them, that the principal judgments would be felt in the eternal world; and that not only the direct act of murder, but all those other evils which he had represented as breaches of the commandment, would there meet with deserved punishment. This he illustrated by a reference to the different kinds of punishment which were inflicted in their courts of justice. There were courts, established in different parts of the land, consisting of twenty-three members, who had power to try causes, and to inflict capital punishment on the guilty; and the persons condemned by them, were beheaded. There was also a great court or council, called the Sanhedrim, consisting of seventy-two members, who took cognizance of the greatest crimes; and the persons condemned by them were stoned. But there were some offences for which people were condemned to be burnt alive [Note: Lev 20:14; Lev 21:9.]: and these, it is thought, were executed in the valley of Hinnom. In that valley the people formerly had burned their children in sacrifice to Moloch; but, when the people were turned from that wicked idolatry, one method adopted for keeping them from returning to it was, to defile the place as much as possible, and to render it detestable in the eyes of the people. For this purpose, all the filth of the city was carried there to be consumed; and fires were kept there on purpose to consume it; and it is probable, that that spot was selected as the fittest place of execution for all who were sentenced to be burnt alive. Now it is plain, that, of these three kinds of death, the last is far the most terrible: stoning was a more lingering death than beheading, and burning was still worse than stoning. A similar kind of gradation there will be in the punishments inflicted in the eternal world. Death, eternal death, will be the portion of all who die in their sins: but some will have a lighter, and others a heavier, weight of misery to sustain, in proportion to their respective degrees of guilt. Those who are angry with their brother without a cause, will be in danger of the judgment, that is, of that lighter degree of misery, which may be compared to beheading. Those who suffer their anger to break out into contemptuous expressions, and say to their brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council, and sustain a heavier punishment, answerable to stoning. And if any person shall entertain such rancour in his heart as to say to his brother, Thou fool, he shall be in danger of hell fire, that is, of that heaviest of all punishments, answerable to the being burnt alive in the valley of Hinnom: hell fire being usually expressed, in the New Testament, by a word importing, The fire in the land of Hinnom [Note: See Doddridges note on the text.].

Thus our Lord shews what are to be regarded as violations of this commandment, and that every violation of it shall receive a recompence proportionable to its enormity.]
Having seen his exposition of the commandment, let us consider,

II.

The general instruction which it conveys to us

With the right exposition of the commandments every truth of the Gospel is intimately connected.

We may learn from this especially,
1.

The spirituality of the law

[The law is not a mere letter, which imports nothing beyond the literal import of the words, but extends to all the thoughts and dispositions of the heart. It prohibits all tendencies towards the sin forbidden, and enjoins every virtue that is opposed to it. St. Paul speaks of this as a tiling known and acknowledged; We know that the law is spiritual [Note: Rom 7:14.]. In his unconverted state, indeed, he did not know it: he had the same view of the commandments as other Pharisees had, and thought he had never violated them, at least not so as to be condemned by them: but when God shewed him the meaning of those words, Thou shalt not covet, he saw that the commandment was, as David had long before represented it, exceeding broad [Note: Psa 119:96.]: he saw that there was not an inclination of the mind, or an affection of the heart, which was not under its cognizance and controul; and, consequently, that he had violated it in ten thousand instances. This is the account which he himself gives us of his own experience: I was alive without the law once; but, when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died [Note: Rom 7:7; Rom 7:9.]; that is, Before I understood the law, I thought I had kept it, and should be saved by it; but when I saw its spirituality and extent, I was sensible that I was a condemned sinner, and could never be justified by my obedience to it.

It is remarkable, that God has taught us this very lesson from the commandment before us. Moses was the meekest man upon earth: yet on one occasion he transgressed against this commandment, and spake unadvisedly with his lips: Ye rebels, shall we fetch you water out of this rock? and then, in his anger, he struck the rock twice. Now for this single transgression God excluded him from the earthly Canaan [Note: Compare Num 20:10-12. with Psa 106:32-33.]. And what was the import of this dispensation? It was intended to teach us, that the law is violated as much by an angry word or temper, as by murder itself; that one single violation of it is sufficient to exclude us from the land of promise; and that, though it is of excellent use to conduct us through the wilderness, it can never bring us into Canaan: that is the work of Joshua, and of Joshua alone. Let us then learn this important lesson from the commandment before us; and be convinced, that there is no justification for us by the works of the law.]

2.

The evil and danger of bad tempers

[It is thought in general a sufficient excuse for passion, to say, that we are naturally quick and hasty; and, if a man do not long retain his anger, this hastiness of spirit is not considered, either by himself or others, as any great blemish in his character. But God does not judge so, when he tells us, that anger in the heart exposes us to his heavy displeasure, and that the saying to our brother Raca puts us in danger of hell fire. Surely we must have very little considered the effects of anger, if we can think so light of the criminality attaching to it. See what murderous purposes issued from it in the heart of David [Note: 1Sa 25:32-33.]! and what infernal acts were executed in consequence of it by the incensed sons of Jacob [Note: Gen 34:13; Gen 34:25-31. with 49:57.]! Or let us look nearer home, and see how often it terminates in blows, in duels, and in death. Who will say, that the feet of an angry man are not swift to shed blood? If nothing but the declarations of God himself will satisfy us, let us attend to them: He that hateth his brother, is a murderer; and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him [Note: 1Jn 3:15.]: and again, If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this mans religion is vain [Note: Jam 1:26.].

Hear ye then, ye dealers in proud wrath; hear what God himself speaks concerning you! Think it not a light matter to be angry with your wife, and children, and servants, on every occasion; and to be of such an irritable temper, that the smallest thing in the world suffices to put you in a passion. Whatever professions you may make of regard for religion, God tells you not to deceive yourselves; for that no railer or reviler shall enter into his kingdom [Note: 1Co 6:10.]: and such a disgrace does he consider you to his religion, that he bids his own people not so much as to eat with you [Note: 1Co 5:10.].

You will say, It is only with the lower class of people that I am angry; to my equals I am courteous enough. What then, is not one man your brother, as well as another? Go and murder a poor man; and see whether the laws of the land will make any distinction: and, if they will not, much less will God, with whom there is no respect of persons. If you indulge anger in your heart, and express it with your lips, hell fire will be your portion, whatever be your own rank, and whether the objects of your anger be poor or rich.
If you would be Christians indeed, your habitual conduct must be agreeable to that precept; Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christs sake hath forgiven you [Note: Eph 4:31-32.].]

3.

The greatness of the Gospel salvation

[Let any one judge himself by our Lords exposition of this commandment, and see how often he has been in danger of the judgment, and the council; yea, and of hell-fire itself. Yet here is only one commandment; and that too considered only in a very partial way. What then must be the amount of our guilt, when tried by all the commandments? And if such be the guilt of every individual amongst us, what must be the guilt of the whole world? Yet this was the guilt which was laid upon the Lord Jesus Christ, and was expiated by his all-atoning sacrifice! How mighty then must He be on whom such help was laid [Note: Psa 89:19.]! and how precious must that blood be which could wash away such loads of guilt! We do not in general consider this as we ought: if we did, we could not but be filled with wonder at the stupendous plan which the Father laid, the Son executed, the Spirit revealed.

It is the full view of this subject that animates the heavenly hosts to sing, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing: therefore, blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever [Note: Rev 5:12-13.]. And were we also to meditate more on these things, we should oftener catch the fire, and sing with enraptured hearts the song of Moses and the Lamb [Note: Rev 15:3.].]

Fuente: Charles Simeon’s Horae Homileticae (Old and New Testaments)

Chapter 19

Divine Education Christian Spirituality Self-denial Inevitable Christ’s Teaching Is Spiritual

Prayer

Almighty God, surely thy word is sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the dividing asunder of the joints and marrow. Thine eye of judgment is as a great fire, from the light of which nothing can be hidden. Thou triest the reins and searchest the hearts of the children of men. Thou wilt not be satisfied by the offering of the hand, thou dost demand the loyalty of our undivided love. Thou dost make great charges upon us who can answer thy call, for thou demandest the whole heart? Surely we are surrounded by infinite temptations, the earth claims us, sense and time urge their importunate appeals, the necessity of the passing hour claims to be answered instantly yet thou dost thunder down from thy heavens upon us the demand for our united heart. Surely thou dost also send grace, so that thou supportest the soul on which thou dost lay this great obligation; thou givest more grace, thy commands are equalled by thy mercy; if thou dost call for much, thou dost give the needful strength; if the burden be heavy, thou dost give us power to sustain it every whit. Enable us to look into our hearts and to see the condition of our spirit, and awaken within us the cry, Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew within me a right spirit.

Save us from imagining that by fulfilling the letter we have fulfilled the law, and that by our outward observances we prove that we have entered into the inner sanctuary of thy kingdom. Show us how possible it is to read thy Book in the letter without understanding it in the spirit, and how easy it is to wash the hands, and how all but impossible to cleanse the heart. Herein is thy gospel sweet to us, the very word we need, the one voice that touches with its sacred music, our wonder and our desire. The blood of Jesus Christ thy Son cleanseth from all sin: thou hast made provision for the cleansing of every heart; we bless thee for its fulness, we thank thee that every one of us can avail himself of thy grace; we bless thee that there is no guilt too great for thy cleansing. Thou canst come over the mountain of our transgression though it be high as the heaven, and thou canst melt it so that it fall away, and thou canst meet us in reconciliation, and in all the warmth and joy of eternal affection.

We praise thee that we may read thy word to our understanding, to the profit of our heart, to the sanctification and obedience of our will, and so as to realize all the comfort and strength which thou dost design to give unto the life of men. Let a light shine upon thy word whilst we read it, so that we may see its inner beauty, its heavenly grace, and let thy Spirit work in our heart that we may give great and glad welcome to all the messages of Heaven.

We have done the things we ought not to have done, there is not a finger upon our hands that has not sinned against thee, and thou knowest, in numbering the hairs of our head, that our sins are more in number than they. Our way has been broadened out for the society of the evil, and our souls have been shut up so as to exclude the light of the good. We will not seek for words in self-defence, nor shall we try to build up a high wall to shut out the judgments of God. We will fall down before thee, and, in tearfulness and contrition and penitence, each will say, “God be merciful to me a sinner, and repeat thy miracle in my cleansing and redemption.”

Help us to live the remainder of our days before thee in all reverence, quietness, love, and usefulness. Enable us to remember the brevity of the day, the sudden coming of the night, and to be obedient with all diligence and ardour whilst we can. Wherein thou has prospered us in basket and in store, let these goodnesses lead us to repentance, let all these proofs of thy outward regard for our life lead us to consider how much thou hast done for our redemption and sanctification, and thus may we grope our way little by little from that which is outward and perishable to that which is internal and indestructible.

According to our necessity do thou now come to us. Touch every one of us with a beam of light from heaven, speak a word especially to each heart; whilst the great general truth is being proclaimed in universal terms, may a tender accent fall upon every ear, as a special token of thy peculiar care and love. May the old forget their age in the gladness of high communion with heaven, may the youthful imagination be touched into a religious wonder whilst the great truths of heaven are being proclaimed with fulness and unction. May the slave of time and the serf of the earth pause in his toil to hear of the kingdom wherein the service is rest. Heal us wherein we are sick, give us light wherein the darkness is too thick to be penetrated by our own vision, and lead us evermore, one step at a time, not where we want to go, but where it is best for us to be.

The Lord’s angels be our servants, the Lord’s light be our morning, and the infinite gospel of the blood of Christ be our hope and joy in the time of torment and despair. Amen.

Mat 5:21-32 .

21. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time (after the return from Babylon, when synagogues began to be established), Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill, shall be in danger of (liable to) the judgment:

22. But I (the personal pronoun is emphatic) say unto you, that whosoevor is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca (any term of personal contempt), shall be in danger of the council; but whosoever shall say, Thou fool! shall be in danger of hell fire.

23. Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar (if thou shouldst be offering), and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee;

24. Leave there thy gift before the altar (reconciliation is better than liturgical propriety), and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

25. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whilst thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

26. Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

27. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery.

28. But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

29. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee; for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

30. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

31. It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement;

32. But I say unto you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery; and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

This shows us the principle upon which the education of the world was being conducted by the Divine Teacher. Perhaps the education could not have begun otherwise than very roughly. The mind is not prepared for the higher form of truths, and the more spiritual application of them at the beginning. We all need to be trained. In our higher training we must go, as in our lower tuition, a step at a time. Do not be too hasty in your movement. Easy come, easy go, is a proverb which applies in many directions. Always read over again the last lesson before you begin the next, if you wish to be really accurate and profound scholars. You know how you train your child. First you lay down some broad and general commandment. He is not to break things, he is not to endanger himself, he is not to touch fire, he is to keep away from the water, he is not to use his little fists, and so in some broad and general way you indicate what the child is not to do. If you spoke to the child in any other terms and in any other tone, your education might be of a very superior order, but it would be utterly lost, so far as the child’s appreciation and obedience are concerned. You must begin where the child can begin, you must humble yourself and take upon you the form of a servant, and become obedient unto death, the death of your intellectual pride, even the death of the cross, and must break up your words into very little tones and syllables in order to suit your youthful auditor. It would become you, perhaps, by reason of the elevation and range of your own intellectual acquirements, to adopt a very high tone to the child: but you must come down out of your intellectual sky and talk the plain and common language of the earth if you would make any good impression upon the child’s mind and heart.

So at the beginning it was, perhaps, enough to say, “Thou shalt not kill.” But there came a time in the training and advancement of the world when a keener tone was to enter into the divine teaching. That keener tone we hear in the words that are now before us. Christ has brought us a long way from the broad and rough commandment, Thou shalt not kill. He asks us to pass a line and enter into a kingdom in which we are not to think unkindly or unjustly of one another. He discovers for us that the principle is the same in evil speaking as in murder. With those sharp eyes of his, to which the darkness and the light are both alike, he says that in the unjust thought is the principle of manslaughter. It would, therefore, have been but poor work on his part to come down and repeat the old broad general morality; he must bring in a new standard, he must set up a new kingdom, he must flood the world with a purer light. Herein he sets up his throne of judgment amongst us to-day, and he calls us up one by one to be measured and weighed. Let us hasten to obey his call.

What have you to say? He will ply the charge of slaying men what is your answer? An instantaneous, frank, unreserved denial. So far, so good. Have you ever thought one unjust thought respecting your neighbour? Where your glibness now? If you have, then you are still in the old school, and you have not entered into the Christian kingdom at all. Where then are the Christians? Judged by that high and pure standard, my mournful answer to the inquiry is, I cannot tell. There are no Christians. Jesus says to us, in effect, “If you come to me, simply saving that your hands are clear of human blood, you belong to the old school, you are faithful scholars of them of old time; but the first condition of entrance into my school, or the first proof of being in that school, is that a man be not angry with his brother without a cause. There must be no evil thinking, evil speaking, evil judgment, uncharitable criticism.” Who then can stand the test of that fire? “What do ye more than others? You do not kill, you do not steal, you do not commit adultery, you do not make yourselves amenable to the law of the land what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans the same? “So he definitely chides us, and we have no answer.

Still he would lead us on little by little; he would not deny us a place in his kingdom if we can honestly say, “Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief. I am still in the body, and I feel all the passion and urgency of my lower nature. Sometimes a cruel thought does arise in my heart, and sometimes I give too generous a welcome to uncharitable criticism of my brother, but afterwards I hate myself for having entertained so vile a guest. God be merciful to me a sinner.” If such be our speech, then it pleaseth the great Christ, the Man of the shepherdly heart, to give us a position in his school and teaching.

Let us beware of these vain distinctions of ours. A man does not kill, and therefore he claims to be a Christian. Jesus Christ says to him, “That is an insufficient and untenable claim altogether. A thousand men who never go to church can say the same thing. You must adopt a higher tone, or you know nothing of the spirit of the Cross and the love of God.” Thus our preachers must urge upon us the ideal side of things, and we must not pardon them if they do other. They must not come down to us and tell us that not killing is equal to loving. Though they condemn themselves with every breath they breathe, and thrust sharp swords into their own hearts with every syllable they utter, yet this must be done, the ideal must be lifted up and magnified that we may see how far short we fall or come of being true Christ-ones. We call ourselves respectable persons; so we are, with the publicans’ respectability. There is not a man here to-day, probably, who cannot walk up and down the thoroughfares of the city and defy the magistrate to touch him. That is not Christianity, that is respectable paganism that is not the religion of the sanctuary of Christ, that is ceremonialism, high paganism, outward cleanliness. Christianity is a condition of the heart.

How is it with us when that question, keen as a sting of fire, is put to us, namely, What about your inner life, your heart? You do not kill, but you think evil of your neighbour; you do not slay a man with the sword, but you whisper unkind words about your friend. You do not violate the open laws of decency, but yours is an uncharitable judgment; you have not passed a counterfeit coin, but you would take away a reputation and wound a heart. You would not openly tell a lie, you say you scorn to tell a lie; yet if two constructions can be put upon any human action, you elect the worse of the two. If that is true of you or me, by so much we are not in the kingdom of Christ at all. We may be expositors and critics and respectable pagans, but we are not in the Christian kingdom at all.

Terrible is the talk of Christ’s as a great burning judgment, and it keeps us at bay like a fire. What wonder if sometimes our hearts are so dejected as to think that no progress is being made with Christian civilization at all. When a man seventy years of age-can talk just as he did at thirty, as uncharitably and unfeelingly and hopelessly about his kind; when the very first thought that occurs to his mind is one of ungenerous criticism, how can he have been in the school of Christ? Charity thinketh no evil, charity suffereth long and is kind, charity believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things, charity never faileth, and without charity no man can be a follower of Christ.

Jesus Christ is very urgent about these human relations of ours; therefore he says, “If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.” We are not to remember whether we have anything against our brother; that would be easily done, our memory needs no spur on that side, we so soon forget our own delinquencies. Where did my last word of fire drop? What heart did I wound in my last speech? On what right did I trample in my last transaction? Whom did I strike down in order to accomplish my last purpose? Let me examine myself thus, and I shall be a long time in getting to the altar. At the altar, whited, painted hypocrite? Leave the altar and go away to discharge your plain human duties, bind up hearts you have broken, comfort those you have thrown into dejection, and apologise on both knees to the woman, the child, the man you have injured, and then come and take up your hymn-book and lay your offering on the altar purer than snow.

I do not wonder that Jesus Christ does not make much progress in the world, and I do not wonder that any old trickster in words and conjurer in doctrines can get more followers than Christ. He keeps men away from him by these judgments of fire. His doctrine is a continual rebuke, the very holiness of his speech creates a torment in the heart that is not equal to obedience. But wherein he is severe he makes good work; he builds slowly, but he means that no wind shall ever throw down the towers which he rears. He collects his members very gradually, and by a gate most narrow and strait does he bring men to him, but they never leave him. He is not building a beautiful house of smoke which the wind will blow away; he is building a Church, and he has calculated the strength of the swing of the gates of hell, and having built his masonry up with a slow hand, he says, “There the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

He now passes on to give directions concerning the crucifixion of the flesh and the senses, and he lays down this great principle and I include the whole teaching under it namely, that under the stress of fierce temptation either the body has to be denied or the soul has to be injured. He says in effect, “I put the case before you thus: temptation will come, and one or other must fall, the body or the soul.” The body says, “I will have my way, I will enjoy myself, I will throw off restraint, I will do what I please, every appetite shall be gratified.” And the soul sits as far back as it can, in the foul house, and mourns like an exile. I see it, I see its drooping countenance, its eyelids heavy and red, I hear its great sob, I see its infinite dejection. The great principle is that denial has to come into your life somewhere. You deny the body or you deny the soul. Deny the body and the soul comes to the front and floods your life with sacred light, with heaven’s pure splendour. Gratify the body, and the soul retires, and its hot tears fall in the hearing of God. Self-slaughter takes place somewhere; it is for us to say where it shall take place. It can take place in the cutting off of a hand, or in the thrusting of a dagger into the very fountain of life, and it lies within the power of the human will to say where the wound shall be inflicted.

There is a bloated man who never said “No” to an appetite. You see it in his face. That is not the face of his childhood developed into noble age, that is another face: he is made now in the image and likeness of the devil. His very eye has a twist in it, his very speech has lost its music. He does not want to come into a pure home, he does not want to look upon the unsullied flowers, he does not care to listen to the birds singing their sweet song in the spring light. His affections are otherwhere. All the urgency of his life moves amid other directions, he is less a man than he ever was, unhappily.

Here is a man who has crucified the flesh, the affections, and the lusts thereof; he has cut off his right hand, plucked out his right eye, struck himself everywhere with heavy blows, but his soul throws over his maimed condition a sacred light, a beautiful expression. The form is rugged, the countenance is marred, but through it there is a soft shining light which tells that the soul is growing angelward and Godward, and every day sweetens his nature and prepares it for higher society.

In looking at all these injunctions, let me urge you to beware of nibbling criticism and exposition. It would be easily possible for us to spend many mornings over the discussion of the paragraph which is now before us. I question whether it would be profitable to do so. In reading Holy Scripture seize the principle, get hold of the genius, the divine meaning, and in proportion as you are critical about the mere letter are you in danger of losing the divine inspiration. Suppose, to make the meaning clearer, I should undertake to explain to you the meaning of the word sky. I begin by telling you that it is a word of one syllable, I point out that that one syllable consists of three letters, I call your attention to the fact that it opens with the nineteenth letter of the English alphabet, and that it closes with the last letter but one in that alphabet. What do you know about the meaning of the word sky? You know nothing of it. Let me tell you that the word sky is not to be looked at or spelled or taken to pieces by rough vivisection of mere letters, but lift up your eyes when the morning is spreading itself above you in all its beauty and freshness, and one look into the great arch will do more for your understanding of the term sky than all the mere conjuring with the three letters that the most skilful literalist could ever do.

So it is possible for you to take to pieces every one of those words in this long paragraph, and yet to know at the end nothing about the meaning of Christ’s doctrine. His doctrine is one of inward purity, of spiritual rectitude, of absolute and loving sympathy with God. There be those, no doubt, who are most anxious to know what was meant by Raca, and Fool, and Hell-fire. To take these words to pieces might appear instructive, but so far as the doctrine of Christ is concerned it might easily be destructive. Raca, for example, is a forgotten word. Words come and go. To us it means nothing, but as used by those in the olden time it meant insolence, contempt the man who called another “Raca,” despised him, spat upon him, humbled the manhood made in the image and likeness of God. We have no such word amongst us now, but we have the contemptuous feeling, we have the upgathering of our conventional respectability and our drawing aside from the unworthy, the meanly dressed, the unfavoured, the great unwashed. The great teaching of Christ is that contempt of humanity is punished by being thrown into Gehenna, the valley given up to fire.

In discussing the temptation of our Lord, we inferred the character of the tempter from the kind of temptations which he urged. We might apply the same principle to the teaching of Christ, and infer the character of Christ from the kind of teaching which he submitted to the world. Mark the undivided responsibility which he assumes “I say unto you.” The personal pronoun is there emphatic, it takes into itself all the meaning. In the first instance you have a plural term, “It hath been said by them of old time, but” now comes the singular term “I say unto you.” There is no division of responsibility, there is no hiding of himself behind multitudinous precedents, there is no mere focalization of the wisdom of the dead ages. Here is personal responsibility, clear, definite, undivided, incommunicable. It required some courage on the part of a mere peasant to stand up and say to a great multitude of people, “I put myself above all that ever taught you in the ages gone.” Yet mark how what he said was in fulfilment of truth and not in destruction of the ancient law. Christ did not say, “You may kill if you please,” he accepted the teaching, “Thou shalt not kill,” and he carried it on a step further. He said, “Out of the heart killing comes; make the tree good and the fruit will be good. It is no use for the hand to be able to uplift itself and show that it is without one drop of blood upon it the question is, How many murders has the heart committed?” This is the true doctrine of development, this is the true fulfilment of the law.

Mark the intense spirituality of all Christ’s teaching. He says, “How is it with the heart, how is it with the spirit, what would you do if you could, how far is your respectability a mere deference to the clay god of custom, how far is your outward cleanliness a mere expression of deference to the usages of the time?” A man is what his heart is, “A man is no stronger than his weakest point,” says the strategist, and the moralist adds, “A man is no better than in his feeblest morality.” We are to be judged by the heart and not by the hand. Many will say to me in that day, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name done many wonderful works?” Then will I profess unto them, “I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” If we are humble in heart, contrite, penitential, self-renouncing, always wishing and desiring to be better, Christ will accept this purpose as an accomplished fact, and astound us by the revelation of his rewards.

Understand what kind of teacher we have now come upon. This is terrible preaching which we read in our text to day. It is a judgment upon the preacher if it be not a vindication. He must keep up to his own standard. Having challenged the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, he must show a better Having demanded purity of heart, he must show it, or endeavour to show it. Having scorned as a final consummation all the moralities that every one before him taught, he must be faithful to the new and larger doctrine. If not, he opens his heart to all the assaults of even the least ingenious of his foes. He did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth, his robe was seamless, no man could charge him with violating his own doctrine he was the only preacher that lived his sermons, in him alone was perfect, absolute consistency. What he looks for from us is a humble, daily, loving endeavour to follow him. That is all we can claim, and we claim it with most bated breath.

Fuente: The People’s Bible by Joseph Parker

21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

Ver. 21. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old ] Antiquity is venerable: and of witnesses, Aristotle witnesseth, that the more ancient they are, the more to be credited, as less corrupt. New things are vain things, saith the Greek proverb. And the historian condemneth his countrymen, as despisers of old customs, and carried after new. a But as old age is a crown, if it be found in the way of righteousness, Pro 16:31 , and not otherwise; so may it be said of these Kadmonim or the old Rabbis, later than Ezra, whom our Saviour here confuteth. Much might have been attributed to their authority, had they not rested upon the bare letter of the law, and wrested it sometimes to another meaning. Antiquity disjoined from verity is but filthy hoariness; and deserveth no more reverence than an old lecher, which is so much the more odious, because old. And as manna, the longer it was kept against the command of God the more it stank; so do errors and enormities. Laban pretendeth antiquity for his God, in his oath to Jacob: The God of Abraham, saith he, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge between us, Gen 31:53 . But Jacob swore by the fear of his father Isaac. He riseth not higher than his father, and yet doubts not but he worshipped God aright. . (Ignat.) It is no good rule to say, We’ll be of the same religion with our forefathers, unless we can approve it right by the Holy Scriptures. Plus valet malum inolitum quam bonum insolitum: and that, Tyrannus, trium literatum mos, too often carries it against truth. The image that fell down from Jupiter (for which there was so much ado at Ephesus, , Act 19:35 ) is said by the town clerk to be such as could not be spoken against with any reason. And why? because it was wonderfully ancient (as Pliny telleth us). For whereas the temple of Diana had been seven different times rebuilt, this image was never changed; b and thence grew the so great superstition, by the covetousness of the priests. As likewise the Ancilia among the Romans; and Pessinuntium among the Asians. But what saith a noble writer, Antiquity must have no more authority than what it can maintain. Did not our predecessors hold the torrid zone uninhabitable? did they not confine the world in the ark of Europe, Asia, and Africa, till Noah’s dove, Columbus, discovered land? &c.

Thou shalt not kill: and whosoever killeth shall be in danger of judgment ] That is, it shall be questioned whether it be fit he be put to death or not. Thus as Eve dallied with the command, saying, Ye shall not eat thereof, lest ye die (when God had said, Ye shall surely die whensoever ye eat), and so fell into the devil’s danger; in like sort, these Jewish doctors had corrupted the very letter of the law, and made doubtful and questionable what God had plainly and peremptorily pronounced to be present death. Before the Flood, indeed, some do guess and gather out of Gen 9:5-6 that the punishment of murder, and such like heinous offences, was only excommunication from the holy assemblies, and exclusion out of their fathers’ families, as Cain was cast out from the presence of the Lord; that is, from his father’s house, where God was sincerely served. Sure it is, that no sooner was the world repaired, than this law was established, “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed;” and this reason is rendered, “for in the image of God made he him,” Gen 9:6 . That image (it is true) is by the Fall defaced and abolished; yet are there some relics thereof still abiding, which God will not have destroyed. If any object, Why then should the murderer be destroyed, since he also is made in the image of God? the answer is easy, because the murderer hath destroyed the image of God in his neighbour, and turned himself into the image of the devil. Besides, God hath indispensably and peremptorily commanded it: He that sheddeth the blood of any person, hasteneth to the grave, let no man hinder him, Pro 28:17 . Say he escape the stroke of human justice, yet the barbarians could say (as of Paul, whom they took for a murderer) that divine vengeance will not suffer him to live, Act 28:4 ; “Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days,” Psa 55:23 . Usually either God executeth them with his own immediate hand, as it might be easy to instance in many bloody persecutors and others; or he maketh them their own deathsmen, as Pilate; or setteth some others to work to do it for them. As (among other examples of God’s dealings in this kind) A. D. 1586, Walsh, Bishop of Ossory, in Ireland, a man of honest life, with his two servants, were stabbed to death by one Dulland, an Irish old soldier, while he gravely admonished him of his foul adulteries; and the wicked murderer escaped away, who had now committed 45 murders with his own hand. At length revenge pursuing him, he was by another bloody fellow, Donald Spaman, shortly after slain himself, and his head presented to the Lord Deputy. Neither can I here omit (that which I had almost forgotten) the just hand of God upon that villanous parricide, Alphonsus Diazius, the Spaniard, who (after he had, like another Cain, 1Jn 3:12 , killed his own natural brother, John Diazius, merely because he had renounced Popery and became a professor of the reformed religion, and was not only not punished, but highly commended of the Romanists for his heroic achievements) desperately hanged himself at Trent, upon the neck of his own mule, being haunted and hunted by the furies of his own conscience. Senarclaeus de morte Ioan. Diazii, A.D. 1551. Seipsum desperabundus Tridenti de collo mulae suae suspendit.

a . Rhet. lib. i. . Thucydides. Athenienses suos , non sine probro appellitat. Cor Princorum fuit sicut porta porticus templi, at cor posterorum sicut forameniacus. Talmud Erublin. Papists boast much of antiquity, as once the Gibeonites did of old shoes and mouldy bread.

b Virgineum fuit simulachrum longe antiquissimum, nunquam mutatum, septies restituto templo.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

21 48. ] Six examples of the true FULFILMENT of the law by Jesus . FIRST EXAMPLE. The law of murder . (For a very full discussion of the various points of Jewish and Christian law and morality occurring in this part of the sermon, consult throughout Tholuck’s elaborate commentary, 3rd edn.)

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

21. ] viz. by the reading of the law in the synagogues, and the exposition of the Scribes.

] has been rendered, as in E. V., ‘ by the ancients;’ in which case, Moses and his traditional expounders are classed together; or, ‘ to the ancients,’ which last interpretation seems to me to be certainly the right one. Both constructions are found (see reff.); but every instance of the former is either (as ch. Mat 6:1 ) resolvable into the latter, or ambiguous, and none can be produced with , whereas all the latter have this very word , which is never followed in the N.T. or LXX by any other substantive but that denoting the persons to whom the words are spoken. The omission of , Mat 5:27 ; Mat 5:31 ; Mat 5:38 ; Mat 5:43 , also favours the rendering to , which was the interpretation of the Greek fathers. Chrysostom expands it thus: ; . , , , , , Hom. xvi. 5, p. 210. Meyer (Exo 2 ) has well observed that corresponds to , and the to the understood subject of . He has not, however, apprehended the deeper truth which underlies the omission of the subject of ., that it was the same person who said both. It will be noticed that our Lord does not here speak against the abuse of the law by tradition, but that every instance here given is either from the law itself , or such traditional teaching as was in accordance with it (e.g. the latter part of this verse is only a formal expansion of the former). The contrasts here are not between the law misunderstood and the law rightly understood , but between the law and its ancient exposition , which in their letter, and as given, were , and the same as spiritualized , , by Christ: not between two lawgivers , Moses and Christ, but between and ; between (the idea is Chrysostom’s) the children, by the same husband, of the bondwoman and of the freewoman . The above remarks comprise a brief answer to the important but somewhat misapprehended question, whether our Lord impugned the Mosaic law itself, or only its inadequate interpretation by the Jewish teachers? See this treated at great length by Tholuck, Bergp. pp. 153 165, edn. 3. There is no inconsistency in the above view with the assertion in Mat 5:19 : the just and holy and true law was necessarily restricted in meaning and degraded in position, until He came, whose office it was to fulfil and glorify it.

] viz. the courts in every city, ordered Deu 16:18 , and explained by Josephus Antt. iv. 8. 14 to consist of seven men, and to have the power of life and death. But in the next verse (see note) is the court of judgment in the Messiah’s kingdom.

Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament

Mat 5:21-26 . First illustration of Christ’s ethical attitude , taken from the Sixth Commandment. In connection with this and the following exemplifications of Christ’s ethical method, the interpreter is embarrassed by the long-continued strifes of the theological schools, which have brought back the spirit of legalism, from which the great Teacher sought to deliver His disciples. It will be best to ignore these strifes and go steadily on our way.

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

Mat 5:21 . . The common people knew the law by hearing it read in the synagogue, not by reading it themselves. The aorist expresses what they were accustomed to hear, an instance of the “gnomic” use. Tholuck thinks there may be an allusion to the tradition of the scribes, called Shema . might mean: in ancient times, to the ancients, or by the ancients. The second is in accord with N. T. usage, and is adopted by Meyer, Weiss and Holtzmann (H. C.). How far back does Christ go in thought? To Moses or to Ezra? The expression is vague, and might cover the whole past, and perhaps is intended to do so. There is no reason priori why the criticism should be restricted to the interpretation of the law by the scribes. Christ’s position as fulfiller entitled Him to point out the defects of the law itself, and we must be prepared to find Him doing so, and there is reason to believe that in the sequel He actually does (so Wendt, L. J. , ii., 332). . This is a correct statement, not only of the Pharisaic interpretation of the law, but of the law itself. As a law for the life of a nation, it could forbid and punish only the outward act. But just here lay its defect as a summary of human duty. It restrained the end not the beginning of transgression (Euthy. Zig.). = , with dative of the tribunal here.

Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat 5:21-26

21″You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. 23Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. 25Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.”

Mat 5:21 “You have heard that the ancients were told” This could be understood as “to the ancients” or “by the ancients.” The first part of this verse is from the Ten Commandments, but the second part is harder to identify and may be a quote from the rabbinical schools (Shammai, the conservative, or Hillel, the liberal). This implied a rejection of Pharisaic scribal interpretation while at the same time asserting the inspiration of the OT.

“murder” This is a quote from the Septuagint (LXX) of Exo 20:13 or Deu 5:12. It is a future active indicative used as an imperative. The KJV has ” kill,” but this rendering is too broad in scope. The NKJV has “murder.” A more accurate translation would be “nonlegal premeditated murder.” In the OT there was a legal premeditated murder-the “Blood Avenger” (cf. Deuteronomy 19; Numbers 35; Joshua 20).

SPECIAL TOPIC: MURDER (Exo 20:13)

Mat 5:22 “But I say to you” Jesus’ teaching was radically different from the rabbis of His day, whose authority was found in quoting previous Jewish teachers as their authority (cf. Mat 7:28-29; Mar 1:22). Jesus’ authority lay in Himself. He is the true revealer of the meaning of the Old Testament. Jesus is Lord of Scripture. The “I” is emphatic-“I myself and no other” or “myself (as the Son of God who knows the mind of God.)”

“everyone who is angry” This is a present middle participle. This was the Greek term for a settled, nurtured, non-forgiving, long term anger. This person continued to be intensely angry.

“with his brother” The KJV adds “without cause.” This is a Greek manuscript variation. The addition is not in the early Greek manuscripts P67, *, B, or the Vulgate. However, it is in the uncial manuscripts c, D, K, L, W, the Diatesseron, and the early Syrian and Coptic translations. The UBS4 gives the shorter text a B rating (almost certain). The addition weakens the strong thrust of the passage.

It might be helpful at this point to explain the superscripts: the * means the oldest copy of the manuscript type that is available; the c means the later correctors of copyists. This is often represented by 1, 2, 3, etc, if there is a series of correctors; the number after P refers to the papyrus manuscript. Uncial Greek manuscripts are designated by capital letters while papyrus manuscripts are designated by numbers. For additional information, see Textual Criticism .

NASB”You fool”

NKJV”Raca”

NRSV”if you insult”

TEV”You good-for-nothing”

NJB”Fool”

Raca was Aramaic for “an empty-headed person incapable of life.” This section is not dealing with what specific titles one can or cannot call another person, but with a supposed believer’s attitude toward others, especially covenant brothers.

The Greek term, mros, translated “fool,” was meant to reflect the Aramaic term raca. However, Jesus’ word play was not to the Greek word mros, but the primarily Hebrew word mreh, BDB 598, which meant ” rebel against God” (cf. Num 20:10; Deu 21:18; Deu 21:20; see F. F. Bruce, Answers to Questions, p. 42). Jesus called the Pharisees by this very term in Mat 23:17. Not only our actions, but our motives, attitudes, and purposes determine sin against our fellow human. Murder, as far as God is concerned, can be a thought! Hatred of our brother or sister clearly shows that we do not know God (cf. 1Jn 2:9-11; 1Jn 3:15; 1Jn 4:20). Socially speaking, a hateful thought is better than a death, but remember that this section of Scripture is meant to shatter all self-righteousness and pride in one’s own goodness. It is possible that this three-fold expression was a sarcastic play on scribal interpretation methods.

SPECIAL TOPIC: TERMS FOR FOOLISH PEOPLE

NASB”fiery hell”

NKJV, NJB”hell fire”

NRSV”the hell of fire”

TEV”fire of hell”

This is the Greek contraction Gehenna. See Special Topic below, II. D.

SPECIAL TOPIC: Where Are the Dead?

Mat 5:23 This is a third class conditional sentence, which means probable action.

“presenting your offering at the altar” This strongly implies that Matthew wrote before the destruction of the Temple by the Roman general Titus in A.D. 70. Lifestyle love precedes religious acts! Relationships take precedence over ritual. People are the top priority with God. Only people are eternal.

Mat 5:24 “be reconciled to your brother” This is an aorist passive imperative. Personal relationships are more significant than (1) periodic ritual (Mat 5:24) or (2) judicial decisions (Mat 5:25).

Mat 5:26 “Truly” See Special Topic at Mat 5:18.

“until you have paid the last cent” “Cent” is the smallest Roman coin, quadrans (see Special Topic at Mat 17:24). Judgment extracts the full penalty. Mercy and love forgive all!

Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley

heard. In the public reading of the Law.

it was said. Opposite to “I say”. Compare Mat 19:8, Mat 19:9, where the “I” is not emphatic (as it is here). See Exo 20:13. Deu 5:17. App-117.

by them = or to them.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

21-48.] Six examples of the true FULFILMENT of the law by Jesus. FIRST EXAMPLE. The law of murder. (For a very full discussion of the various points of Jewish and Christian law and morality occurring in this part of the sermon, consult throughout Tholucks elaborate commentary, 3rd edn.)

Fuente: The Greek Testament

Mat 5:21. , ye have heard) From public readings, to which you have given your assent. In the New Testament the teachers are referred to their reading of the law, the people to their hearing of it. See Joh 12:34; Rom 2:13; Rom 2:18.- , that it has been said) An impersonal form of speech, to which is elegantly opposed, I say. Moses said it truly; the interpreters of Moses said it with altered meaning: the hearers did not distinguish the meaning of Moses from that of his interpreters. The name of Moses occurs, but with a less forcible contrast, in ch. Mat 19:8-9, sc. Moses permitted, but [I] say unto you, where I is not expressed in the original, for there is no contention between Moses and Christ: the Jews had departed from both Moses and Christ. The language of Christ does not exceed the law of Moses (see ch. Mat 7:12); for concupiscence, proscribed in Mat 5:28, is also prohibited by the law: see Rom 7:7. He however restores the truths which the Scribes had taken from the law, and clears away the falsehoods which they had added; see Mat 5:43. The phrase, But I say, is an antithetic formula, by which Christ, as if Moses had never existed (for the servant gives place to his Lord), orders all things simply, not in the guise of a Legislator or Interpreter, but as the Son declaring the will of His Father: see ch. Mat 7:21, and cf. ch. Mat 3:17. The law is perfect: whatever the Saviour prohibits or commands in this passage, the law had previously prohibited or commanded: it judges the secrets of the heart (see Rom 7:14); but on account of the hard heart of the people, it more frequently expresses outward acts. Therefore the Lord says, But I say unto you, not, Moses however said unto you. The Jews were in many things otherwise circumstanced in the time of the Pharisees than in the time of Moses.- , to them of old time[197]) sc. the fathers in the time of Moses. The Scribes wished to appear to be in conformity with the ancient and primitive rule. Antiquity should be maintained, but it should be genuine antiquity.[198]-, to you) This word is antithetic[199] to , from whence it is evident, that (antiquis) is not in the ablative, but in the dative case; and the construction is more easy if we render the passage thus, it was said TO them of old time, than thus, it was said BY them of old time.- , thou shalt not kill) Our Lord begins with the clearest precept.- , to the judgment) The Hebrew , rendered , was the inferior tribunal existing in the several towns, and consisted of twenty-three judges, who had the power of life and death. The dative, , signifies, as far as belongs to[200] the judgment, or municipal tribunal: in like manner, in the next verse signifies as far as belongs to the Sanhedrim: for , criminal, is here used absolutely.

[197] E. V. by them of old time.-(I. B.)

[198] In fact, it was not in the time of Moses, and to the ancients [to them of old time], that the rather lax interpretation of the law was set forth, but in the time of the Scribes and Pharisees, and to the men of that age. The Scribes themselves were the persons who crusted over with the plea of antiquity their own innovations, as generally happens in religious controversies, or when morals are being corrupted.-Vers. Germ.

[199] See Explanation of technical terms in Appendix.-(I. B.)

[200] In the original, quod ad judicium attinet, where in the phrase, quod attinet, generally rendered with respect to, as regards, etc., attinet seems to have its own more peculiar and precise force of pertains;-and to signify, is the province of, comes under the jurisdiction of;-a meaning which appears to coincide with Bengels observations on the next verse.-(I. B.)

Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament

Mat 5:21-26

7. TEACHINGS AGAINST MURDER

Mat 5:21-26

21 Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill.-Here Jesus alludes to the teaching of the scribes in which they recited passages of the law, and put a corrupt interpretation on it; they had heard in the synagogues the interpretation that the leaders of that day put on the sixth commandment of the Decalogue. Murder was prohibited by this commandment, “Thou shalt not kill.” (Exo 20:13.) The law when first given to the Jews was followed without any interpretation, but later the scribes and other teachers added their comments to it and it was difficult to get the meaning of the law from the traditions of the Jews. This commandment was simple and clear; it condemned murder, but the teachers had so interpreted it as to let some on certain occasions escape the penalty of the law. They said that those who should kill should “be in danger of the judgment.” That is, they should be “liable” to be brought before the tribunal. This is not what the law said, that they should be “in danger of the judgment,” but that the penalty for murder was death. (Exo 21:12.) The Jews had made two points with respect to this commandment: first, that it forbade murder for the intentional taking of human life; second, that it taught that the murderer made himself obnoxious to society and would be in danger of the condemnation of the Sanhedrin.

22 But I say unto you, that every one who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment.-Jesus sets over against the interpretation of the Jews the true meaning of the law; he gives a deep spiritual meaning to the commandment that the Jews had not seen. Murder is the overt act of a murderous spirit, which accompanies anger; Jesus goes back to the very roots of murder and shows that the true teaching of the law as set forth now by the principles of his kingdom forbids even the thoughts of murder. Every one who “is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment”; many ancient authorities insert “without cause” in this verse, but it is not in the original. The one who has murderous thoughts “shall be in danger of the judgment”; he shall be considered a murderer, who has murderous thoughts in his heart.

Again “whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council.” “Raca” is derived from the Hebrew “rak,” which means to be empty or vain; it is an Aramaean term of contempt or reproach; it means a worthless fellow, empty-headed, and was an expression of anger; it was a step further than merely thinking murderous thoughts, it was expressing in words murderous intentions. The one who went thus far was in danger of “the council.” To be “in danger of the judgment” was to be in danger of a sentence from the lower courts, but to be “in danger of the council” was to be in danger of a sentence by the Sanhedrin.

Whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of the hell of fire.-“Fool” is a term which expresses more than want of wisdom; it means stupid fool, vile apostate; impious wretch; it expresses a stronger degree of reproach and contempt than Raca, and hence an intenser passion and hate which led to its utterance. This word embodies a bitter judgment of one’s spiritual state and decrees him to certain destruction. The one who sustains this attitude toward his fellow is “in danger of the hell of fire.” Literally this means “the Gehenna of fire.” Jesus here makes three grades of crime, rising each above the preceding one; these three corresponding grades of punishment as penalties are also expressed. The sin of murder lies in anger itself; anger, though only a passion of the soul, which has not yet resulted in the overt act of taking life, is really a breach of the commandment, “thou shalt not kill.” The second grade of the sin- saying to his brother, Raca-adds to anger contempt. This attitude ignores his brother’s rights of common humanity and assumes that he has no rights which so great a man as the one who condemns him is bound to respect. The third grade, that of calling him a fool, adds the element of extreme wickedness, holding him to be abandoned of God, outlawed, and a reprobate among men. These are the three grades of crime recognized by Jesus.

The three grades of punishment are denoted by the terms “judgment,” “council,” and “hell of fire.” “Judgment” refers to the lower tribunals which were established in the towns of Palestine; the next higher court was “the council,” the Jewish Sanhedrin. The third grade of penalty should be interpreted in harmony with the two preceding ones. The penalty of the “judgment” was death for murder, which was inflicted with the sword; while the penalty of death sentenced by the Sanhedrin was inflicted by stoning; while the third grade of penalty inflicted by the civil law for the crime of murder was inflicted by exposing the dead body to the detestable valley described by “Gehenna”; this penalty made a death odious and revolting in the extreme.

23 If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar.-Jesus has just taught the danger of anger; “therefore” if one is even making an offering, so soon as one sees the danger and guilt of all anger or wrong feelings, he is to stop at that moment, it matters not what he is doing, even if at the sacred altar, he is to stop and get rid of that state of feeling. To bring a sacrifice to the altar was the Jewish method of public worship. So important is it that one must get rid of anger, which is the root of murder, that the public worship can wait, must wait, until the state of feeling against a brother has been adjusted.

24 Leave there thy gift before the altar.-The worship must stop; reconciliation to a brother takes the right of way; this should be done at once, even if it requires the interruption of sacrifice it should be done with all earnestness. “First be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.” Remove the offense and make friendly overtures to him and change the attitude from that of anger to that of love, before proceeding with the worship. It is dangerous to let anger harbor in the heart. This throws a new light on the commandment, “Thou shalt not kill”; this interpretation of Jesus would prevent all murder.

25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art with him in the way.-“Agree with him” literally means “be well disposed toward him,” which suggests that one must secure the good will of another by showing good will to that one. “Adversary” means an accuser in a lawsuit; anger and hatred often find expression in suits today. Emphasis is put on agreeing with the adversary “quickly”; the judicious teachings of Jesus here would settle all difficulties. If one will agree quickly, anger will not have time to take deeper roots in the heart. “While thou art with him in the way,” that is, while on the road to the court or judge it is better to settle the matter before it is brought before the judge or court, for then it will be too late and anger can develop into hatred. According to the Roman law, the plaintiff could carry the accused with him before the judge; the defendant might settle the matter on any terms while they were on the way, but after the tribunal was reached the thing must go according to law; the law must take its course after the matter as been brought to the court.

Lest haply the adversary deliver thee to the judge.-The judge was the one whose duty was to hear the matter. The judge, if he thought the cause a worthy one, would deliver the accused over “to the officer.” The officer was the same as our sheriff, and could deliver the accused to prison; the judge passed the sentence; the officer executed the sentence by committing the accused to prison. It is far better to agree with the adversary than to suffer the punishment in prison; one in prison would suffer the consequences of the adversary’s anger which might have been avoided, had one become reconciled to his brother and thus desoroyed the anger by kind and loving reconciliation to him.

26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence.-When the time of punishment comes, it will be too late for reconciliation. After the sentence of the court has been passed, and after commitment to prison, there is no opportunity for reconciliation. There is an illusion here to imprisonment for debt; if it were not paid, the accused must remain in prison until the time expires for the indebtedness. The disciples of Jesus are taught how to keep from suffering from the anger of others and also how to inhibit their own anger.

[ If a man never becomes angry without a just cause, he will not murder or do violence to his fellow man. Human laws and penalties can only affect a commission of the evil deed. God’s law goes behind the deed and removes all ground or occasion for excuse for the evil deed. It removes the ground or occasion for an evil deed in the heart of one; it removes the spirit that prompts the evil deed in the inflicter of the wrong. The command to cherish no evil thoughts or angry feelings in the heart, to settle all difficulty and differences with your fellow man quickly and promptly, to return good for evil, comes to a man in his quiet unexcited moments, and he sees that if these directions are followed good will follow evil, and he will conquer difficulties and change enemies into friends and promote his happiness and popularity among men.]

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

Chapter 12

Seven Vital Lessons

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. 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: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is Gods throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 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. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 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; 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. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Mat 5:21-48

When I say that something is vital, I mean that it is vital. Here are seven things we must learn. We must each personally learn them, or we cannot live before God. These things are vital. In the passage before us we have a picture of Christianity as it ought to be. No child of God can read these verses without painful feelings of inadequacy, unworthiness, and deep conviction. None of us measures up to the standard that is here set before us. In these twenty-eight verses our Lord Jesus Christ shows us that grace experienced in the heart makes people gracious. These verses deserve our closest attention. A proper understanding of the lessons they contain lies at the very root of all true Christianity.

Gods Law

First, our Lord here teaches us the spirituality of Gods holy law. In Mat 5:17-18 he declared that he came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it; and fulfill it he did. What a blessed thing it is to know that Christ is both our law-surety, and our law-fulfiller. As such he has become the Lord our Righteousness, and is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth (Rom 10:4).

Here he explains that his gospel does nothing to lower the standard of Gods law, but only magnifies and honors the law. To the Jews of his day and to the religious of our day the law of God is nothing more than a standard of moral conduct, a regulatory rule of life and behavior. So our Lord selected three of the commandments regarding murder, adultery, and taking Gods name in vain and expounded them to show us that the law requires more than outward conformity. The law of God requires inward, spiritual perfection, perfection in heart, in thought, and in mind, as well as outward perfection.

Murder and Faith

Thou shalt not kill (Mat 5:21-22) requires more than not committing murder. It forbids all unjustified anger, all malice, ill-will, and cruel, mean-spirited speech. Many who would cringe at the thought of wringing a chickens neck are mass murders at heart, for they slay thousands with their angry words. Worse by indescribable measure is unbelief. Unbelief, rebellion, and sin are nothing less than the outworking of mans heart enmity against God, nothing less than the murder of God himself in the heart of man.

The word Raca was used by the Jews to imply utter abhorrence and contempt. To say to another, Raca, was to call him a graceless wretch. The word Fool, as our Lord uses it here, was even worse. The word is sometimes used to refer to someone who lacks understanding (Luk 24:25; 1Co 15:36; Gal 3:1; Jas 2:20). That is not a good thing to say. But, as our Lord uses it here, the word Fool implies one who is in a state of reprobation, predestinated to everlasting misery, a child of hell (Mat 23:33; Jud 1:4). The Son of God, the great Searcher of hearts, who knows the heart, who knows them that are his and knows all things, did say to some of his day that they were of the generation of vipers, and who could not escape the damnation of hell. But no mere mortal has the right or ability to make such judgment. We ought never to imagine that we know the state of a mans soul before God, much less declare that we do.

Gods Altar

If thou bring thy gift to the altarfirst be reconciled to thy brother (Mat 5:23-24). Here our Savior teaches us that grace does what law can never do. Grace actually causes people to love each other. The law requires that we love one another, but it can never produce love. In fact, as the Pharisees attested by their conduct, those who claim to live by the law commonly manifest the judgmental hatred our Lord has just condemned. Those who give up all hopes of law righteousness and trust Christ alone for righteousness are taught by the grace they experience to love one another (Gal 5:22-23).

In this gospel age we have no carnal, material altar. But we have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle (Heb 13:10). Christ is our Altar. We have no other and will bow before no other. As we bring our gifts and sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving to our God by Christ Jesus and recall some offence we have given to a brother, believers (men and women who walk in the Spirit and so fulfil the law of Christ) seek to be reconciled to the one they have offended. There is a true, sweet union in Christ. All who are in Christ are one with Christ and one with one another. When we come to him in adoration, love, and worship, we come with all our brethren (Heb 12:22-24). As Robert Hawker put it, His members come to him as the Head and bring with us, by faith, the whole body in our arms to the Lord (Joh 17:21. 1Co 12:25-27).

Still, I think the context points our thoughts in another, higher, more profitable direction. Our Savior is, in this entire chapter, showing us the demands of Gods holy law and our complete inability to meet those demands. Is he not here telling us that we cannot come to God except upon that one Altar he has made (Exo 20:24-26; Exo 25:22), which is Christ? The Brother we have offended above all others is God our Savior. He is that Brother with whom we have been angry without a cause. Unbelief is despising him, saying to him Raca, thou fool (1Co 1:18-25; 1Jn 5:10). There is no coming to God until we are reconciled to him in and by Christ, reconciled to Christ as our only God and Savior, our only atonement for sin, our only righteousness, and our only redemption. Once we are reconciled to Christ our Brother, once we trust him alone for acceptance with God, we may and can and do come to God upon the merits of Christ, and he accepts us, and our gifts, by the merits of his dear Son (1Pe 2:5).

Agree with thine adversary quickly (Mat 5:25-26). These are sweet verses, writes Hawker, if referred to that lawsuit we all have, by reason of sin and transgression, with God. Yes, our adversary, the devil, seeks to destroy us (1Pe 5:8); and many are in league with him as adversaries to our souls. It is good to try to quiet them and live peaceably, as much as is possible, with such men (Rom 12:18). But it is utterly impossible for us to agree with such adversaries or persuade them to agree with us. Our Lord must, therefore, be speaking of something else and of someone else.

An adversary is not always one who is intent upon hurting or ruining us. In Exo 23:22 the Lord our God declares, I will be an adversary to thine adversaries. In Lam 2:4 he is represented as an adversary to us in the day of our sorrow. As an adversary, the Lord God has a controversy and a lawsuit with his people by reason of sin. Here our blessed Savior and Advocate, the Lord Jesus, tells us to make up the breach quickly while we are in the way. That is to say, Be reconciled to God quickly by Christ, who is himself the Way, the only way of reconciliation. Christ is our peace. It is written, This man shall be the peace (Mic 5:5). God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself (2Co 5:19). There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1). But to those who live and die in enmity against God, Christ will soon come as the Judge. Into his hands the ungodly shall be delivered (Joh 5:22). Christ the great Judge shall send his angels to execute his wrath against his enemies (Mat 13:41-42). And the prison into which they shall be cast forever is the place of everlasting darkness, torment, and separation from God called Hell and the lake of fire (2Pe 2:4; Rev 20:15).

Adultery and Faith

Thou shalt not commit adultery (Mat 5:27-33) requires much more than marital fidelity. Adultery and fornication are horrible crimes against God and against man. One of the saddest indications of Gods judgment upon our society is the freedom of conscience, with which men and women commit licentious deeds of immorality. These are abominable evils that ought never be named among Gods saints. But the God with whom we have to do looks beyond actions to thoughts, attitudes, and looks! Multitudes who march in protest against pornography run a constant porno shop in their own evil minds. Yet, should I ask, Who is not guilty? No one could, with honesty, claim innocence, neither the reader nor the writer of these lines.

The law of God looks beyond words and deeds. It looks to the depths of our hearts, and requires perfection there, in the inward parts, in the very core of our being. All the actions of the body are but the outworkings of the heart. It matters not whether our continually evil imagination break out in actual deeds. Before Gods holy, piercing eyes, the imagination is the deed and renders us guilty before his holy law. In other words, every human being is by nature guilty before God (Rom 3:19). The silliest thing on earth is the notion of fallen men that exemption from certain acts of evil constitutes righteousness before God. All are not alike evil in their deeds. God providentially restrains many, as he did Abimelech (Gen 20:6), from performing much of the evil that is in their hearts. But at heart, in the core and essence of our being, all are alike, sinful before God. The debased harlot and the devoted housewife, the murderer and the minister, the obedient child and the rebel are all alike at heart. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one (Rom 3:12).

In the law God gave to Israel provision was made for a man to divorce his wife in specific circumstances (Deuteronomy 24). The Lord Jesus tells us that this provision was made because of the hardness of mans heart, but from the beginning it was not so (Mar 10:5-7). We who believe are married to Christ and he to us. Painful as it is to acknowledge, we are constantly an adulterous, fornicating wife, ever sinning against our utterly devoted Husband. Yet, such is his love for and devotion to us that he will never put us away, but ever calls for us to return to him; and graciously forces us to do so (Isa 54:5; Jer 3:1; Hos 2:19-20). How we ought to love, adore, and praise him, for he hateth putting away (Mal 2:14-16); and he will never allow us to leave him (Hos 2:7; Jer 32:38-40). May he give us grace to willingly part with that which we consider dearest and most needful to us (even the right eye and right hand), by which we are tempted to abandon him.

Gods Name and Faith

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord Thy God in vain (Mat 5:33-37) requires much more than not using Gods name in an oath. It forbids all vain, light thoughts and words about God and his work. It compels simple honestly. Honest men do not have to take an oath before people who know them.

Our Lord is not here forbidding us to take a lawful oath, as one might be required to do in a court of law. He is forbidding the rash use of Gods name in common speech, which reveals a lack of reverence for and contempt of God. Believers reverence God upon his throne and, reverencing him as God, walk before him and their fellow mortals upon the earth in honesty. If I believe God, I have no reason to be dishonest before men; and if I am honest before God, I am honest before men. As John Gill stated, A righteous mans yea, is yea, and his no, is no; his word is sufficient. The common use of an oath to reinforce a simple yes or no cometh of evil. Such oaths arise from an evil and dishonest heart.

Law is Spiritual

The second thing taught by our Savior in this passage is the fact that the law of God is spiritual. The law is spiritual (Rom 7:14). The Lord looketh upon the heart (1Sa 16:7). He requires truth in the inward parts (Psa 51:6). God did not punish Adam for eating an apple, but for the rebellion and treason of his heart. Sin is not an outward problem, but an inward problem, a heart problem.

Mans Ignorance

Third, our Lords words in this portion of Holy Scripture demonstrate the complete ignorance of man regarding spiritual things (2Co 2:11-14). The natural man, no matter how devotedly religious, is completely ignorant of Gods character, his own character, and the requirements of Gods holy law. Most professing Christians, I fear, know no more about Gods law and true holiness than the spiritually ignorant Scribes and Pharisees of our Lords day. They know the letter of the law, and try to live by it. Because they are not outwardly immoral, they presume, like the rich young ruler, that they have kept Gods law (Mat 19:20), and see nothing terribly obnoxious and sinful about themselves. That is the reason for mans natural pride, self-righteousness, and easy contentment with an outward form of godliness.

That person who knows the proper place of the law and the glory of Gods free grace, the person who can rest in Christ alone for all that the law requires and all that justice demands, knows the gospel. But that person who mixes law and grace, in any measure whatsoever, as a matter of acceptance before God has not yet learned the gospel.

There are no two things in the world more completely opposed to one another than law and grace. They are as opposite as light and darkness. They can no more agree than fire and water. Like oil and water, law and grace simply will not mix. The Scriptures are explicitly clear (Rom 11:5-6).

Yet, there is an amazingly well-established opinion in the distorted minds of men that law and grace will mix! Though law and grace are diametrically opposed to one another, the depraved human mind is so void of spiritual understanding and so thoroughly turned away from God that the most difficult thing for man to do is to discriminate between law and grace. Man insists on mixing that which God has positively put asunder. Because of his foolish ignorance, man wants to find some legal standing before God. This is the thing which Paul opposes throughout all of his epistles. He expends every effort to destroy every remnant of legalism among Gods people.

Ye are not under the law, but under grace…We are not under the law, but under grace?…Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God…For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit…For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth (Rom 6:14-15; Rom 7:4; Rom 8:3-4; Rom 10:4). Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster (Gal 3:24-25). But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient (1Ti 1:8-9).

Do those assertions mean that Paul was opposed to the law; or that he thought the law was an evil thing? Certainly not. In his seventh chapter of Romans the apostle shows us the believers attitude toward Gods holy law. The true believer recognizes the purpose of the law, delights in the law, and reverences the law. It is his desire to live in perfect compliance with the law. And recognizing the laws perfection, he refuses to seek acceptance with God on the basis of legal obedience. The only way sinners can honor, fulfil, and establish the law is by faith in Christ (Rom 3:31).

A Needed Savior

Fourth, our Saviors object in these verses is to teach us the absolute necessity of a divine, sin-atoning Savior. God requires perfect righteousness, a righteousness we can never produce (Mat 5:20). He requires complete satisfaction for sin, a satisfaction we can never give. But, blessed be his name, all that God requires, God provides in the Lord Jesus Christ (2Co 5:21).

God requires eye for eye and tooth for tooth (Mat 5:38-42). And his righteous and just requirements have been perfectly met in Christ as our Surety, who, having fulfilled all the laws requirements for us, died under the penalty of the law, suffering all the fury of Gods holy wrath to the full satisfaction of justice, when he was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Thus, Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth (Rom 10:4).

Constant Watchfulness

We know that we can never meet Gods demands. We trust Christ alone as our Savior (1Co 1:30). But that does not make us indifferent to sin. The fifth thing our Lord teaches us throughout this passage is the importance of constant watchfulness and diligence over our lives (Eph 4:17-32). It is your responsibility and mine to put on Christ Jesus and be renewed in the inward man day by day, to make no provision for the flesh, and walk not as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their minds. Let men call us straight-laced, puritanical, and peculiar if they please; but if we want to walk with God and glorify Christ, we must labor to crucify the flesh and mortify our members. We must walk in the Spirit, ever looking to Christ alone for righteousness and acceptance with our God, so that we do not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.

Grace and Love

Sixth, in Mat 5:38-47 the Lord Jesus teaches us the blessedness of grace and love. J.C. Ryle wrote, He that would know how he ought to feel and act towards his fellow-man, should often study these verses. We must always be ready to make up quarrels and disagreements. Our Savior forbids everything like retaliation, revenge, malice, and an unforgiving spirit (Mat 5:38-42). Our God and Savior shows us that we who claim to be his disciples are to practice indiscriminate, universal love toward our brethren (Mat 5:43-47). We are to put away malice. When cursed, we are to bless. When we receive evil, we are to return good. We are not to love in word only, but in deed. We are to deny ourselves and take the trouble to be kind and courteous. We are to put up with much and bear much, rather than hurt another, or give offence. Unfailing courtesy, kindness, tenderness, and thoughtful consideration of others are things that all men can understand, even if they cannot understand our doctrine. Rudeness, roughness, bluntness, and incivility are not spiritual graces, but reflect the absence of spiritual grace. (Eph 4:32 to Eph 5:1).

Our Lord uses two very weighty arguments to enforce these principles of grace and love. First, it is the character of God to be merciful and kind (Mat 5:45). If God is my Father, I will reflect his character. Second, it is the character of worldlings to be selfish, self-serving, and self-centered. If that is my character, I am yet of the world! (Mat 5:46-47).

In a word, our Lord tells us to walk in love, to love our neighbor as ourselves, even to love our enemies. That is what the law requires and what grace teaches. And that which he requires he has done, and done for us. And that which he has done for us as our Surety and Substitute, we have done in him perfectly. None but Christ ever truly loved his neighbor as himself. None but Christ ever loved his enemies, or could love his enemies (Rom 5:5-8). Try as we may, want to as we may, we simply cannot love our neighbor as ourselves and love our enemies. Thanks be unto our God, we have a Substitute who has fulfilled the law for us, in and by whom we fulfill the law.

Perfection Demanded

The seventh lesson in the passage is one that needs to be constantly brought before our minds. God demands perfection. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect (Mat 5:48).

Throughout this chapter our Lord has been teaching us that God demands perfection. In this last verse he states it plainly. By all means, let us ever strive to live in perfection, in perfect holiness and obedience to the will of God and for the glory of God. We cannot settle for less than absolute perfection. We cannot attain it here. But we must strive to attain it. Let us ever seek total commitment to Christ, total conformity to Christ, and total communion with Christ. But we must never imagine that we can attain perfection in this world, or ever make the slightest progress toward doing so.

There is no such thing as partial holiness, partial righteousness, or partial perfection. All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. If we would be perfect, we must trust Christ. There is no perfection in this world except that which he is and he gives. Men may call sincerity perfection, improved behavior righteousness, and religious devotion holiness, but God never will. That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. (Luk 16:5).

Yet, as the members of the body possess all that belongs to the head, so the members of Christs body are perfect in him. And when our Savior says, Be ye perfect, his meaning is, Be ye perfect in me. And all who know him gladly acknowledge, In the Lord have I righteousness (Isa 45:24). We glory in him who of God is made unto us Wisdom, and Righteousness, and Sanctification, and Redemption (1Co 1:30), rejoicing in the perfection that is ours in him (Col 1:28), and anxiously looking for that day when he shall present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy (Jud 1:24).

Fuente: Discovering Christ In Selected Books of the Bible

The King corrects Traditional Law

It was needful for the Lord Jesus to clear away human traditions to make room for his own spiritual teaching.

Mat 5:21. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and, whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment.

Antiquity is often pleaded as an authority; but our King makes short work of “them of old time.” He begins with one of their alterations of his Father’s law. They added to the sacred oracles. The first part of the saying which our Lord quoted was divine; but it was dragged down to a low level by the addition about the human court, and the murderer’s liability to appear there. It thus became rather a proverb among men than an inspired utterance from the mouth of God. Its meaning, as God spake it, had a far wider range than when the offence was restrained to actual killing, such as could be brought before a human judgment-seat. To narrow a command is measurably to annul it. We may not do this even with antiquity for our warrant. Better the whole truth newly stated than an old falsehood in ancient language.

Mat 5:22. But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Baca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Murder lies within anger; for we wish harm to the object of our wrath, or even wish that he did not exist, and this is to kill him in desire. Anger “without a cause “is forbidden by the command which says “Thou shalt not kill”; for unjust anger is killing in intent. Such anger without cause brings us under higher judgment than that of Jewish police-courts. God takes cognizance of the emotions from which acts of hate may spring, and calls us to account as much for the angry feeling as for the murderous deed. Words also come under the same condemnation: a man shall be judged for what he “shall say to Ms brother.” To call a man Raca, or a worthless fellow, is to kill him in his reputation; and to say to him, “Thou fool”, is to kill him as to the noblest characteristics of a man. Hence all this comes under such censure as men distribute in their councils; yea, under what is far worse, the punishment awarded by the highest court of the universe, which dooms men to “hell fire?’ Thus our Lord and King restores the law of God to its true force, and warns us that it denounces not only the overt act of killing, but every thought, feeling, and word which would tend to injure a brother, or annihilate him by contempt.

What a sweeping law is this! My conscience might have been easy as to the command “Thou shalt not kill; “but if anger without just cause be murder, how shall I answer for it? “Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation!”

Mat 5:23-24. Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave there thy gift before, the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

The Pharisee would urge as a cover for his malice that he brought a sacrifice to make atonement; but our Lord will have forgiveness rendered to our brother first, and then the offering presented. We ought to worship God thoughtfully; and if in the course of that thought we remember that our brother hath ought against us, we must stop. If we have wronged another, we are to pause, cease from the worship, and hasten to seek reconciliation. “We easily remember if we have ought against our brother, but now the memory is to be turned the other way. Only when we have remembered our wrongdoing, and made reconciliation, can we hope for acceptance with the Lord. The rule is-first peace with man, and then acceptance with God. The holy must be traversed to reach the Holiest of all. Peace being made with our brother, then let us conclude our service towards our Father, and we shall do so with lighter heart and truer zeal.

I would anxiously desire to be at peace with all men before I attempt to worship God, lest I present to God the sacrifice of fools.

Mat 5:25-26. Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

In all disagreements be eager for peace. Leave off strife before you begin.

In law-suits, seek speedy and peaceful settlements. Often, in our Lord’s days, this was the most gainful way, and usually it is so now. Better lose your rights than get into the hands of those who will only fleece you in the name of justice, and hold you fast so long as a semblance of a demand can stand against you, or another penny can be extracted from you. In a country where “justice” meant robbery, it was wisdom to be robbed, and to make no complaint. Even in our own country, a lean settlement is better than a fat law-suit. Many go into the court to get wool, but come out closely shorn. Carry on no angry suits in courts, but make peace with the utmost promptitude.

Mat 5:27-28. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but 1 say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

In this case our King again sets aside the glosses of men upon the commands of God, and makes the law to be seen in its vast spiritual breadth. Whereas tradition had confined the prohibition to an overt act of un-chastity, the King shows that it forbade the unclean desires of the heart. Here the divine law is shown to refer, not only to the act of criminal conversation, but even to the desire, imagination, or passion which would suggest such an infamy. What a King is ours, who stretches his sceptre over the realm of our inward lusts! How sovereignly he puts it: “But I say unto you”! Who but a divine being has authority to speak in this fashion? His word is law. So it ought to be, seeing he touches vice at the fountain-head, and forbids uncleanness in the heart. If sin were not allowed in the mind, it would never be made manifest in the body: this, therefore, is a very effectual way of dealing with the evil. But how searching, how condemning! Irregular looks, unchaste desires, and strong passions are of the very essence of adultery; and who can claim a lifelong freedom from them? Yet these are the things which defile a man. Lord, purge them out of my nature, and make me pure within.

Mat 5:29. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

That which is the cause of sin is to be given up as well as the sin itself. It is not sinful to have an eye, or to cultivate keen perception; but if the eye of speculative knowledge leads us to offend by intellectual sin, it becomes the cause of evil, and must be mortified. Anything, however harmless, which leads me to do, or think, or feel wrongly, I am to get rid of as much as if it were in itself an evil. Though to have done with it would involve deprivation, yet must it be dispensed with, since even a serious loss in one direction is far better than the losing of the whole man. Better a blind saint than a quick-sighted sinner. If abstaining from alcohol caused weakness of body, it would be better to be weak, than to be strong and fall into drunkenness. Since vain speculations and reasonings land men in unbelief, we will have none of them. To “be cast into hell” is too great a risk to run, merely to indulge the evil eye of lust or curiosity.

Mat 5:30. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

The cause of offence may be rather active as the hand than intellectual as the eye; but we had better be hindered in our work than drawn aside into temptation. The most dexterous hand must not be spared if it encourages us in doing evil. It is not because a certain thing may make us clever and successful, that therefore we are to allow it: if it should prove to be the frequent cause of our falling into sin, we must have done with it, and place ourselves at a disadvantage for our life-work, rather than ruin our whole being by sin. Holiness is to be our first object: everything else must take a very secondary place. Eight eyes and right hands are no longer right if they lead us wrong. Even hands and eyes must go, that we may not offend our God by them. Yet, let no man read this literally, and therefore mutilate his body, as some foolish fanatics have done. The real meaning is clear enough.

Lord, I love thee better than my eyes and hands: let me never demur for a moment to the giving up of all for thee!

Mat 5:31-32. It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: but I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away Ms wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

This time our King quotes and condemns a permissive enactment of the Jewish State. Men were wont to bid their wives “begone “, and a hasty word was thought sufficient as an act of divorce. Moses insisted upon “a writing of divorcement”, that angry passions might have time to cool, and that the separation, if it must come, might be performed with deliberation and legal formality. The requirement of a writing was to a certain degree a check upon an evil habit, which was so engrained in the people that to refuse it altogether would have been useless, and would only have created another crime. The law of Moses went as far as it could practically be enforced; it was because of the hardness of their hearts that divorce was tolerated: it was never approved. But our Lord is more heroic in his legislation. He forbids divorce except for the one crime of infidelity to the marriage-vow. She who commits adultery does by that act and deed in effect sunder the marriage-bond, and it ought then to be formally recognized by the State as being sundered; but for nothing else should a man be divorced from his wife. Marriage is for life, and cannot be loosed, except by the one great crime which severs its bond, whichever of the two is guilty of it. Our Lord would never have tolerated the wicked laws of certain of the American States, which allow married men and women to separate on the merest pretext. A woman divorced for any cause but adultery, and marrying again, is committing adultery before God, whatever the laws of man may call it. This is very plain and positive; and thus a sanctity is given to marriage which human legislation ought not to violate. Let us not be among those who take up novel ideas of wedlock, and seek to deform the marriage laws under the pretence of reforming them. Our Lord knows better than our modern social reformers. “We had better let the laws of God alone, for we shall never discover any better.

Mat 5:33-37. 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: but I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

False swearing was forbidden of old; but every kind of swearing is forbidden now by the word of our Lord Jesus. He mentions several forms of oath, and forbids them all, and then prescribes simple forms of affirmation or denial, as all that his followers should employ. Notwithstanding much that may be advanced to the contrary, there is no evading the plain sense of this passage, that every sort of oath, however solemn or true, is forbidden to a follower of Jesus. Whether in court of law, or out of it, the rule is, “Swear not at all.” Yet, in this Christian country we have swearing everywhere, and especially among law-makers. Our legislators begin their official existence by swearing. By those who obey the law of the Saviour’s kingdom, all swearing is set aside, that the simple word of affirmation or denial, calmly repeated, may remain as a sufficient bond of truth. A bad man cannot be believed on his oath, and a good man speaks the truth without an oath: to what purpose is the superfluous custom of legal swearing preserved? Christians should not yield to an evil custom, however great the pressure put upon them; but they should abide by the plain and unmistakable command of their Lord and King.

Mat 5:38. Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.

The law of an eye for an eye, as administered in the proper courts of law, was founded in justice, and worked far more equitably than the more modern system of fines; for that method allows rich men to offend with comparative impunity. But when the lex talionis came to be the rule of daily life, it fostered revenge, and our Saviour would not tolerate it as a principle carried out by individuals. Good law in court may be very bad custom in common society. He spoke against what had become a proverb, and was heard and said among the people: “Ye have heard that it hath been said”

Our loving King would have private dealings ruled by the spirit of love, and not by the rule of law.

Mat 5:39. 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.

Non-resistance and forbearance are to be the rule among Christians. They are to endure personal ill-usage without coming to blows. They are to be as the anvil when bad men are the hammers, and thus they are to overcome by patient forgiveness. The rule of the judgment-seat is not for common life; but the rule of the cross and the all-enduring Sufferer is for us all. Yet how many regard all this as fanatical, Utopian, and even cowardly. The Lord, our King, would have us bear and forbear, and conquer by mighty patience. Can we do it? How are we the servants of Christ if we have not his spirit?

Mat 5:40. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also

Let him have all he asks, and more. Better lose a suit of cloth than be drawn into a suit in law. The courts of our Lord’s day were vicious; and his disciples were advised to suffer wrong sooner than appeal to them. Our own courts often furnish the surest method of solving a difficulty by authority, and we have known them resorted to with the view of preventing strife. Yet even in a country where justice can be had, we are not to resort to law for every personal wrong. We should rather endure to be put upon than be for ever crying out, “I’ll bring an action.”

At times this very rule of self-sacrifice may require us to take steps in the way of legal appeal, to stop injuries which would fall heavily upon others; but we ought often to forego our own advantage, yea, always when the main motive would be a proud desire for self-vindication.

Lord, give me a patient spirit, so that I may not seek to avenge myself, even when I might righteously do so!

Mat 5:41. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.

Governments in those days demanded forced service through their petty officers. Christians were to be of a yielding temper, and bear a double exaction rather than provoke ill words and anger. We ought not. to evade taxation, but stand ready to render to Csar his due. “Yield” is our watchword. To stand up against force is not exactly our part; we may leave that to others. How few believe the long-suffering, non-resistant doctrines of our King!

Mat 5:42. Give to him that asketh thee, and from Mm that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Be generous. A miser is no follower of Jesus. Discretion is to be used in our giving, lest we encourage idleness and beggary; but the general rule is, “Give to him that asketh thee.” Sometimes a loan may be more useful than a gift; do not refuse it to those who will make right use of it. These precepts are not meant for fools; they are set before us as our general rule; but each rule is balanced by other Scriptural commands, and there is the teaching of a philanthropic common-sense to guide us. Our spirit is to bo one of readiness to help the needy by gift or loan, and we are not exceedingly likely to err by excess in this direction: hence the baldness of the command.

Mat 5:43. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

In this case a command of Scripture had a human antithesis fitted on to it by depraved minds; and this human addition was mischievous. This is a common method-to append to the teaching of Scripture a something which seems to grow out of it, or to be a natural inference from it: which something may be false and wicked.

This is a sad crime against the Word of the Lord. The Holy Spirit will only father his own words. He owns the precept, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour”, but he hates the parasitical growth of “hate thine enemy.” This last sentence is destructive of that out of which it appears legitimately to grow; since those who are here styled enemies are, in fact, neighbours. Love is now the universal law; and our King, who has commanded it, is himself the Pattern of it. He will not see it narrowed down, and placed in a setting of hate. May grace prevent any of us from falling into this error!

Mat 5:44-45. 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; 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’

Ours it is to persist in loving, even if men persist in enmity. “We are to render blessing for cursing, prayers for persecutions. Even in the cases of cruel enemies, we are to “do good to them, and pray for them.” We are no longer enemies to any, but friends to all. We do not merely cease to hate, and then abide in a cold neutrality; but we love where hatred seemed inevitable. We bless where our old nature bids us curse, and we are active in doing good to those who deserve to receive evil from us. Where this is practically carried out, men wonder, respect, and admire the followers of Jesus. The theory may be ridiculed, but the practice is reverenced, and is counted so surprising, that men attribute it to some Godlike quality in Christians, and own that they are the children of the Father who is in heaven. Indeed, he is a child of God, who can bless the unthankful and the evil; for in daily providence the Lord is doing this on a great scale, and none but his children will imitate him. To do good for the sake of the good done, and not because of the character of the person benefited, is a noble imitation of God. If the Lord only sent the fertilizing shower upon the land of the saintly, drought would deprive whole leagues of land of all hope of a harvest. We also must do good to the evil, or we shall have a narrow sphere, our hearts will grow contracted, and our Sonship towards the good God will be rendered doubtful.

Mat 5:46. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

Any common sort of man will love those who love him; even tax-gatherers and the scum of the earth can rise to this poor, starveling virtue. Saints cannot be content with such a grovelling style of things. “Love for love is manlike”; but “love for hate” is Christlike. Shall we not desire to act up to our high calling?

Mat 5:47. And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

On a journey, or in the streets, or in the house, we are not to confine our friendly greetings to those who are near and dear to us. Courtesy should be wide, and none the less sincere because general. We should speak kindly to all, and treat every man as a brother. Anyone will shake hands with an old friend; but we are to be cordially courteous towards every being in the form of man. If not, we shall reach no higher level than mere outcasts. Even a dog will salute a dog.

Mat 5:48. Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

Or, “Ye shall le perfect.” We should reach after completeness in love-fulness of love to all around us. Love is the bond of perfectness; and, if we have perfect love, it will form in us a perfect character. Here is that which we aim at-perfection like that of God; here is the manner of obtaining it-namely, by abounding in love; and this suggests the question of how far we have proceeded in this heavenly direction, and also the reason why we should persevere in it even to the end, because as children we ought to resemble our Father. Scriptural perfection is attainable: it lies rather in proportion than in degree. A man’s character may be perfect, and entire, wanting nothing; and yet such a man will be the very first to admit that the grace which is in him is at best in its infancy, and though perfect as a child in all its parts, it has not yet attained to the perfection of full-grown manhood.

What a mark is set before us by our Perfect King, who, speaking from his mountain-throne, saith, “Be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”! Lord, give what thou dost command; then both the grace and the glory will be thine alone.

Fuente: Spurgeon’s The Gospel of the Kingdom

it: Mat 5:27, Mat 5:33, Mat 5:43, 2Sa 20:18, Job 8:8-10

by them: or, to them

Thou: Gen 9:5, Gen 9:6, Exo 20:13, Deu 5:17

and: Exo 21:12-14, Num 35:12, Num 35:16-21, Num 35:30-34, Deu 21:7-9, 1Ki 2:5, 1Ki 2:6, 1Ki 2:31, 1Ki 2:32

Reciprocal: Neh 8:8 – and gave the sense Mal 2:9 – but Mat 5:22 – be Mat 19:18 – Thou shalt do Rom 7:9 – without Jam 2:11 – Do not commit 1Jo 3:15 – hateth

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

THE SIN OF ANGER

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: but I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Mat 5:21-22

What is the difference between the judgment and the council? Why is it worse to say, Thou fool, than to say, Raca? What is the meaning of the words in danger of?

When it is said that a man is in danger of the judgment, or of the council, or of the fire of Gehenna, it means that for something he has said or done they have a legal claim upon him; he is in their power; and unless something intervene to release him, the law must take its course. So here, in danger of hell means not such a state that hell may some day be your portion, but that the very fact of your giving way to anger and angry words puts you, so to speak, in the power of the kingdom of Satan.

The Pharisees thought much of acts; God looks at the thought of the heart. It is not enough to avoid committing murder. The cherished hate, the angry word, are in Gods sight twin brothers of the crime of murder. In this we shall find the explanation of the three forms in which anger shows itself, and the threefold punishment that attends it.

I. Angry with his brother.Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of, i.e. shall be at the mercy of the judgment. The judgment here means the district court where criminal cases were tried. The local courts are decribed in Deu 16:18, and had the power to inflict capital punishment. To judge another falsely, as anger always does, is to subject oneself in Gods sight to a doom, as if the local court had already passed sentence of death.

II. Raca.And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council. The council, of course, is the great Sanhedrim before which our Lord Himself was brought and sentenced to death. It was what we should call an Ecclesiastical Court, and its office was to try cases in which the charge was a charge, not of immorality or injustice, but of irreligion or heresy. Now the word Raca means detestable one, accursed one, and seems to have had a special application to those found guilty by the Sanhedrim of heresy, blasphemy, or profanity. The Jews would have said Raca to our Lord when the high priest passed sentence, He is guilty of death. Here exactly in accordance with the former case, and in accordance with the principle of Divine retribution, He who says Raca in anger to his brother is himself Raca in the sight of God; judged, as it were, and found guilty by the court whose functions he had usurped; branded before God as the detestable and the abominable, who is cut off from Gods people.

III. Thou fool.Lastly, Whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire, and in the power of the wicked one. Thou fool hardly represents the original, which, according to the commentators, means rather reprobate, forsaken of God. If this is so, the same principle which we have seen at work hitherto is apparent here. He who consigns another to reprobation or damnation is himself in Gods sight what he calls another. What an awful commentary on that text, By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. Awful, indeed, when we remember that the commonest form of oath which defiles the lips of men is just that which, if our Lords words are true, reflects back on him who uses it the doom he invokes on another. Whosoever shall say, Thou damned one! is under sentence of damnation at Gods hands.

Canon Aubrey L. Moore.

Illustrations

(1) We have some remarkable instances of a triumph over a passionate nature recorded of great people. Columbus, a man of natural heat and impetuosity, had schooled himself, we are told by his biographers, to a courteous and gentle gravity. Queen Elizabeth, though on more than one occasion her passionate nature broke its bounds, yet made it her object to curb herself in this respect; and the great compiler of the Heidelberg Catechism, being a modest though very passionate man, made it a rule never to answer an objection immediately. These and many other instances go to prove that the natural temptation to this form of anger may be resisted till calmness and gentleness seem almost natural. We all know that the Society of Friends are remarkable for their quietness and meekness, and the story is told of one who, being asked how he learned to control his passion, answered, that when he was young he noticed that angry men always spoke loud and fast, and he determined, if he could help it, never to let his voice rise above a certain pitch. The voice is generally the first sign to show a loss of self-command. When a man is becoming more and more overcome with drink, he chatters and loses all caution; when a man is in a passion, he knows not what he says; but still, out of the abundance of the angry heart, the mouth speaks its angry words, and by those words the speaker is condemned.

(2) We have some wonderful instances on record of those who have successfully struggled against this sin. It is a harder struggle than the struggle with passionateness. But the harder the struggle, the nobler the victory in the eyes of men, and the more precious in the sight of God. Archbishop Secker, who had as his special cross a very irritable temper, guarded himself by making it a rule always to speak in a slow and measured tone. Dr. Channing, again, among his papers has left us notes of the battle that resulted in his beautiful serenity. When I feel irritable, let me be silent, he writes in his private memoranda. I wish to be cool and collected amidst insult and provocation. George Washington, Sir Robert Peel, and even Mahomet, are quoted as signal instances of a triumph over a natural irritability.

(SECOND OUTLINE)

THE OLD LAW REVISED

In this particular portion of the Sermon on the Mount, our Lord is undertaking a revision of the old law. One of the commandments that He takes in this way is the sixth, referring as it does, of course, to the law of murder. Under the old Jewish law only sins of act were taken into consideration at all. These words of our Lord mean something like this: In the new law He implies you are to think of malicious anger in your heart as under the old law men were accustomed to think of ordinary homicidea case, that is, that could be dealt with by the local court. When this malice of heart expresses itself in words of dislike and contempt, that is to be regarded by Christians as of the same moral guilt as more flagrant kinds of sin, and would be dealt with by the central court. But a stronger expression, combining insult with contempt and anger, is a sin which may bring a man into eternal punishment.

I. The awful loftiness of the Christian standard.Our Lord takes no notice of sins of act at all, for in the citizens of the New Country, the New Kingdomsuch is His meaningsins of act are to be, as it were, altogether out of the question. He deliberately raises the sins of thought and feeling to the level previously occupied by sins of act. He counts words yet graver sins, and deliberate expressions of hatred and contempt He counts as a sin that may destroy the: soul.

II. Hell fire.We ought not to let this text pass without reminding ourselves that there is such a place as hell. That doctrine is out of fashion just now. The lost ones there are not there because God has rejected them, but because they have rejected Him.

III. Sins of contempt.The sins of this commandment are sins of contempt as much as, and even more, perhaps, than sins of anger, and this is brought out by the two instances of the breaking of this commandment our Blessed Lord gives us.

IV. Thou fool.There are two classes of individuals of whom we are not to say? Thou fool(a) of ourselves. Self-contempt is the parent of more vice and more mischief than one likes to think of, just as it is possible that self-respect is one of the most powerful of weapons for good. Let us be proud of our Christian calling, let us value our Christian status. (b) We are not to say Thou fool to our neighbourto our neighbour that is younger than ourselves. Take heed, says our Blessed Lord, that ye despise not one of these little ones. Christ speaks here to fathers and mothers and teachers and guardians, to elder brothers and elder sisters. We are not to say Thou fool to our neighbour that is older than we, nor to our neighbour on a different social status from ourselves. Grades of society based on anything but character will be unknown in heaven.

V. Despising God.Note the great reason why. Because to say Thou fool, to despise ourselves or our neighbour, is to despise God. We are all of us made in the image of God. We are, each one of us, temples of the living God. To despise that temple, or to degrade it by sin, is to despise and dishonour Him who dwells therein.

The Rev. J. G. Bartlet.

Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary

5:21

In half a dozen places in this chapter Jesus quotes some things that were said in old time which means the time that was regulated by the law of Moses. He does not discredit the authority of the Sinaite lawgiver, but shows how some changes or additions will be made in the teaching for the kingdom of heaven. He being the Son of God and the one who will be the king on the throne of David when the church is set up, it was appropriate that he begin showing some of the contrasts between the two. Those contrasts will generally consist in making a more spiritual application of the ancient laws, and/or in tightening their requirements so as to make them more rigid.

One of such items was the law of trial for murder, that such a crime would lay a man under charges to be heard by the judgment. This is from the Greek word KRISIS and I shall give the definition of two lexicons: “The college of judges (a tribunal of seven men in the several cities of Palestine; as distinguished from the Sanhedrin, which had its seat at Jerusalem . . . Mat 5:21-22).” Thayer. “A judgment seat, tribunal, put for a court of justice, judges, i. e. the smaller tribunals established in the cities of Palestine, subordinate to the Sanhedrin; see Deu 16:18; 2Ch 19:5. According to the Rabbins they consisted of 23 judges; but Josephus expressly says the number was seven.”–Robinson. Even as serious a crime as murder was considered as only being in danger of facing this secondary court of justice.

Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

[Ye have heard.] That is, ye have received it by tradition. If they have heard [that is, learned by tradition], they speak to them. They learned by hearing; that is, by tradition; a saying very frequent in Maimonides.

[That it was said by them of old time.] That is, “it is an old tradition.” For the particular passages of the law which are here cited by our Saviour are not produced as the bare words of Moses, but was clothed in the Glosses of the Scribes; which most plainly appears above the rest, Mat 5:43, and sufficiently in this first allegation, where those words, “Whosoever shall kill shall be guilty of the judgment,” do hold out the false paint of tradition, and, as we observe in the following verses, such as misrepresents the law, and makes it of none effect. If it be asked, why Christ makes mention of “those of old time?” it may be answered, that the memory of the ancienter Fathers of the Traditions was venerable among the people. Reverend was the name of the first good men; and the first wise men. Therefore Christ chose to confute their doctrines and Glosses, that he might more clearly prove the vanity of traditions, when he reproved their most famous men. But the sense which we have produced is plain, and without any difficulty; as if he should say, “It is an old tradition which hath obtained for many ages.”

Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels

THESE verses deserve the closest attention of all readers of the Bible. A right understanding of the doctrines they contain lies at the very root of Christianity. The Lord Jesus here explains more fully the meaning of His words, “I came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill.” He teaches us that His Gospel magnifies the law, and exalts its authority. He shows us that the law, as expounded by Him, was a far more spiritual and heart-searching rule than most of the Jews supposed. And He proves this by selecting three commandments out of the ten as examples of what He means.

He expounds the sixth commandment. Many thought that they kept this part of God’s law, so long as they did not commit actual murder. The Lord Jesus shows, that its requirements go much further than this. It condemns all angry and passionate language, and especially when used without a cause. Let us mark this well. We may be perfectly innocent of taking life away, and yet be guilty of breaking the sixth commandment.

He expounds the seventh commandment. Many supposed that they kept this part of God’s law, if they did not actually commit adultery. The Lord Jesus teaches, that we may break it in our thoughts, hearts, and imaginations, even when our outward conduct is moral and correct. The God with whom we have to do looks far beyond actions. With him even a glance of the eye may be a sin.

He expounds the third commandment. Many fancied that they kept this part of God’s law, so long as they did not swear falsely, and performed their oaths. The Lord Jesus forbids all vain and light swearing altogether. All swearing by created things, even when God’s name is not brought forward;-all calling upon God to witness, excepting on the most solemn occasions, is a great sin.

Now all this is very instructive. It ought to raise very serious reflections in our minds. It calls us loudly to use great searching of heart. And what does it teach?

It teaches us the exceeding holiness of God. He is a most pure and perfect Being, who sees faults and imperfections, where man’s eyes often see none. He reads our inward motives. He notes our words and thoughts, as well as our actions. “He requireth truth in the inward parts.” Oh! that men would consider this part of God’s character more than they do! There would be no room for pride, and self-righteousness, and carelessness, if they only saw God “as He is.”

It teaches us the exceeding ignorance of man in spiritual things. There are thousands and ten thousands of professing Christians, it may be feared, who know no more of the requirements of God’s law than the most ignorant Jews. They know the letter of the ten commandments well enough. They fancy, like the young ruler, “all these have I kept from my youth up.” They never dream that it is possible to break the sixth and seventh commandments, if they do not break them by outward act or deed. And so they live on satisfied with themselves, and quite content with their little bit of religion. Happy indeed are they who really understand God’s law!

It teaches us our exceeding need of the Lord Jesus Christ’s atoning blood to save us. What man or woman upon earth can ever stand before such a God as this, and plead “not guilty”? Who is there that has ever grown to years of discretion, and not broken the commandments thousands of times? “There is none righteous, no! not one.” Without a mighty Mediator we should every one be condemned in the judgment. Ignorance of the real meaning of the law is one plain reason why so many do not value the Gospel, and content themselves with a little formal Christianity. They do not see the strictness and holiness of God’s Ten commandments. If they did, they would never rest till they were safe in Christ.

In the last place, this passage teaches us the exceeding importance of avoiding all occasions of sin. If we really desire to be holy, we must “take heed to our ways, that we offend not in our tongues.”-We must be ready to make up quarrels and disagreements, lest they gradually lead on to greater evils. “The beginning of strife is like the letting out of water.”-We must labor to crucify our flesh and mortify our members, to make any sacrifice and endure any bodily inconvenience rather than sin.-We must keep our lips as it were with a bridle, and exercise an hourly strictness over our words.-Let men call us precise, if they will, for so doing. Let them say, if they please, that we are “too particular.” We need not be moved. We are merely doing as our Lord Jesus Christ bids us, and, if this is the case, we have no cause to be ashamed.

Fuente: Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels

Mat 5:21. Ye have heard, when the law was read in public, etc.

It was said to (not by) them of old time, the ancients. As the passage is from the law, the indefinite phrase, it was said, cannot be referred to a false teacher or author of tradition.

Thou shalt not kill. From the Decalogue, the sixth commandment (Exo 20:13), the first of the second table; the fifth belongs rather to the first table, containing duties to God.

Whosoever shall kill, commit actual murder, shall be in danger of the judgment, i.e., subject to trial by an earthly court, probably the one in the place he lived. The interpretation of the scribes; correct, but not complete.

Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament

Here our blessed Saviour begins to expound the spiritual sense and meaning of the law, and to vindicate it from the corrupt grosses of the Pharisees:

Where observe, Christ doth not deliver a new law, but expounds the old; doth not injoin new duties, but inforces the old ones. The law of God was always perfect, requiring the sons of men to love God with all their hearts, and their neighbor as themselves.

In this exposition of the law, Christ begins with the sixth commandment, Thou shalt not kill; where he shews, that besides the actual taking away of life, a person may violate that command.

1. By rash anger.

2. By disgraceful and reviling words.

Thence learn, that every evil motion of our hearts consented to against our neighbour, all unjust anger towards him, all terms of contempt put upon him, are forbidden by the law of God, no less than the gross act of murder itself.

Learn, 2. That wrath and anger, without just cause, hath its degrees; and according to the degrees of the sin, will the degrees of punishment be proportionable in the next world.

Learn, 3. That self-murder is here forbidden, and in no case lawful, man having no more power over his own life than over another’s; though life be ever so miserable and painful, yet must we wait God’s time for our dismission and release.

Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament

Mat 5:21-22. Ye have heard Namely, from the scribes reciting the law, that it was said by them of old time, or to the ancients, as , might be properly rendered. Thou shalt not kill Words which they interpreted barely of the outward act of murder; and whosoever shall kill Or be guilty of that act, shall be in danger of, or, obnoxious to the judgment To understand this, it is necessary to observe, that the Jews had, in every city, a common court of twenty-three men, which, before the Roman government was established in Judea, had the power of life and death, so far as its jurisdiction extended, and could punish criminals with strangling or beheading. This was called the judgment, and the meaning of the clause is, that such a criminal should be capitally punished in the common courts of judicature. But I say unto you Which of the prophets ever spake thus? Their language was, Thus saith the Lord. Who hath authority to use this language, but the one Lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy? Whosoever is angry with his brother With any child of man, for we are all brethren; without a cause Or further than that cause warrants; shall be in danger of the judgment Shall be liable to a worse punishment from God than any that your common courts of judicature can inflict. It must be observed, that the word , here rendered without cause, and which might properly be translated rashly, or inconsiderately, is wanting in some old versions and manuscripts, and, it seems, ought not to be inserted, being utterly foreign to the whole scope and tenor of our Lords discourse. For if he had only forbidden the being angry without a cause, there was no manner of need of that solemn declaration, I say unto you; for the scribes and Pharisees themselves said as much as this. Even they taught men ought not to be angry without a cause. So that this righteousness does not exceed theirs. But Christ teaches that we ought not, for any cause, to be so angry as to call any man raca, or fool. We ought not, for any cause, to be angry at the person of the sinner, but at his sin only. Happy world, were this plain and necessary distinction thoroughly understood, remembered, and practised. Wesley. Raca, means a silly man, or an empty, worthless fellow. , vain man, used Jas 2:20, seems to be a translation of it; for, as Jerome observes, it is derived from the Hebrew, rick, which signifies vain, or empty. Shall be in danger of the council In the Greek, ; a word which the Jews adopted into their language, and giving it a Hebrew termination, sanhedrim, appropriated it to their supreme council, whose business was to judge in the most important affairs; for instance, in all matters relative to religion, as when any person pretended to be a prophet, or attempted to make innovations in the established worship. This court could, while the republic lasted, inflict the heaviest punishments; particularly stoning, or burning, with melted lead poured down the throat of the criminal, after he was half strangled. Macknight. Whosoever shall say, Thou fool Or, Thou graceless, wicked villain: so the word fool generally signifies in Scripture: for as religion is the highest wisdom, vice must be accounted the extremest folly: the meaning here is, Whosoever shall break out into open revilings and reproaches against any man, shall be in danger of hell fire , shall be obnoxious to a gehenna of fire, that is, by a common figure of speech, obnoxious to the fire of the valley of Hinnom, obnoxious to a degree of future punishment, which may fitly be represented by that fire. Of the valley of Hinnom, called also Tophet, see notes on Lev 18:21; 2Ki 23:10; Isa 30:33. It was the scene of the detestable worship of Moloch, that horrid idol of the Ammonites, to which the Israelites burned their children alive as sacrifices. In later times, continual fires were kept in this valley for burning the unburied carcasses and filth of the city, that, being thus polluted, it might be unfit for the like religious abominations. The Jews, from the perpetuity of these fires, and to express the utmost detestation of the sacrifices which were offered to Moloch in this valley, made use of its name to signify hell. Hence our translators have given Tophet, or gehenna, its metaphorical meaning in the present passage, whereas it ought rather to have had its literal signification. For our Lord, intending to show his hearers that the punishment of causeless anger, contemptuous speeches, and abusive names, shall, in the life to come, bear a proportion to the guilt that is in these sins; and finding no name in the language of men by which those different degrees of punishment could properly be expressed, he illustrated them by the punishments which the Jews were acquainted with.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Mat 5:21-48. The fulfilled Law in Relation to the Teaching of the Scribes.

Mat 5:21-26. Murder and Malice.Ye (have) heard: i.e. in the synagogues. The addition to the sixth commandment represents the tradition of the elders; the judgement means legal proceedings. Jesus shows that the commandment involves more than the act of murder; it embraces also feelings and words. Anger, let alone murder, is a crime, and involves judgment at Gods hands. Without cause is rightly omitted: it weakens the sharp antithesis of Jesus words. In the Raca sentence Jesus returns to current Jewish teaching. As to Mat 5:21 He opposed His own teaching (Mat 5:22 a), so to this (Mat 5:22 b) He opposes Mat 5:22 c. Your teachers say that abusive language such as Raca is punishable by the local court (there was a sanhedrin or council of thirteen persons in every place with a population of over 120), but I say that abusive language such as Baca (the equivalent of thou fool) is punishable by the fire of Gehenna (Mar 9:43*).

Mat 5:23-26 further illustrates the foregoing principle. A sacrifice is not acceptable to God so long as the offerer is not reconciled to anyone whom he has wronged Mat 5:23 f.). The literal and metaphorical in Mat 5:25 f. are inextricably combined. On the face of them the words mean: If you are in debt to anyone, come to a settlement with him while you can, before he takes the matter into court, which will mean imprisonment. But something further is implied in 26: The Day of judgment is at hand when the creditor will be able to claim Divine justice.adversary: the injured party.

Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible

5:21 {5} Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

(5) The true meaning of the first commandment.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

God’s will concerning murder 5:21-26

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

In each of these six cases Jesus first related the popular understanding of the Old Testament, the view advocated by the religious teachers of His day. In this verse He introduced it by saying, "You have heard that the ancients were told" (NASB). This was an expression that the rabbis of Jesus’ day used when they referred to the teachings of the Old Testament. [Note: D. Daube, The New Testament and Rabbinic Judaism, p. 55.]

Jesus quoted the sixth commandment and combined it with Lev 19:17. The "court" in view was the civil court in Israel.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)