_CHRIST BEGINNETH HIS SERMON ON THE MOUNT: DECLARING WHO ARE BLESSED, WHO ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD, THE CITY ON AN HILL, THE CANDLE: THAT HE CAME TO FULFIL THE LAW. WHAT IT IS TO KILL, TO COMMIT ADULTERY, TO SWEAR: EXHORTETH TO SUFFER WRONG, TO LOVE EVEN OUR ENEMIES, AND TO... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SEEING THE MULTITUDES— _And seeing such a multitude:_ Heylin: who supposes this verse to be immediately connected with the last of the preceding chapter. It does not appear in what part of Galilee this mountain was situated; and if the cure of the leper which Christ performed at his descending f... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE OPENED HIS MOUTH— This phrase denotes speaking in a solemn and authoritative manner, intimating the importance of what is going to be delivered, and is not always used as a pleonasm. Comp. Judges 11:35. Job 3:1; Job 33:2.Matthew 13:35.Acts 8:35; Acts 10:34. In order to enter into the beauty o... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT— _Happy,_ &c. Doddridge: and so throughout the beatitudes: I use the word _happy_ rather than _blessed,_ says he, as more exactly answering to the original word Μακαριοι, as the word _blessed_ does to the Greek word ευλογημενοι : and I the rather choose to render it th... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED ARE THEY THAT MOURN— "Either for their own sins, or for other men's, and who are steadily and habitually serious; _they shall be comforted,_ most solidly and deeply in this world, and eternally in heaven. What they now _sow in tears,_ they shall _reap in joy."_ See 1 Corinthians 5:2 and Beng... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED ARE THE MEEK— That is, the men of mild and forgiving tempers, who hold all their passions and affections even; _they shall inherit the earth;_ they shall enjoy the protection of civil government, with all the blessings of the present life, the greatest and best of which flow from _meekness i... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED ARE THEY WHICH DO HUNGER, &C.— Our Saviour uses the ideas of _hunger_ and _thirst_ metaphorically, to express vehement desire. By _righteousness_ seems to be meant that holiness which the Gospel teaches and recommends, in opposition to the righteousness of Scribes and Pharisees. So that the... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED ARE THE MERCIFUL— Those who feel for the sorrows of others as their own, and with tender sympathy hasten to relieve them. Dr. Heylin remarks excellently upon this beatitude, nearly in the following words; that the frailty of human nature renders men continually liable to abuse, and perverts... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART— Dr. Blair supposes that this may refer to the expectation which the Jews had of possessing themselves of beautiful captives in the wars by which they fancied the Messiah's kingdom would be established. The large seraglios of eastern princes and great men, which, by a v... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED ARE THE PEACE-MAKERS— _Blessed are the peaceable, for they shall become the children of God._ With respect to the term _peaceable_ or _peace-makers_ [ειρηνοποιοι], it is to be noted, that in Scripture το ποιειν, to _make,_ or _do,_ signifies a _habit of mind,_ with its consequent actions. So... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED ARE THEY WHICH ARE PERSECUTED, &C.— One might imagine that a person of the amiable temper and behaviour described in the last-mentioned beatitude would be the darling of mankind; but our Lord well knew it would not be so, as long as Satan was the prince of this world; he therefore warns them... [ Continue Reading ]
BLESSED ARE YE WHEN MEN SHALL REVILE, &C.— Macknight understands this as a distinct beatitude from that in the 10th verse, supposing the former to refer to liberty and external ease; the present to reputation: and accordingly he paraphrases it nearly in the following words: "Fame, or the applause of... [ Continue Reading ]
YE ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH— This relates to all the disciples who were then present, Luke 14:34 and also to all Christians in general (1 Thessalonians 5:5.Philippians 2:15.); but more especially to the apostles. See on Matthew 5:16. _Salt_ is the emblem of wisdom,anditservesalsoto preserve things... [ Continue Reading ]
YE ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD— Jesus compares his disciples to the sun, representingtheefficacyoftheirministry(accompanied by his divine Spirit), to fill the world with the gladsome light of truth; a thing as necessary in the moral world, as light in the natural: _ye are the light of the world._ Thi... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER DO MEN LIGHT A CANDLE, &C.— This seems to be a proverbial expression. See the application that Christ makes of it on another occasion; Mark 4:21.Luke 8:16; Luke 11:33. They formerly used _lamps_ only, instead of candles, and the candlestick was the foot on which they were set up. The meaning... [ Continue Reading ]
THINK NOT THAT I AM COME TO DESTROY, &C.— Because the doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ concerning happiness was contrary to that which the Jews were accustomed to hear, and which their preachers pretended to derive from the prophets, whose descriptions of the glory of the Messiah's kingdom they und... [ Continue Reading ]
IT WAS SAID BY THEM OF OLD TIME— _To them,_ &c. and so wherever it occurs. _It was said to them of former time—But 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... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT I SAY UNTO YOU— Which of the _prophets_ ever spake thus? _Their_ language is, _Thus saith the Lord._ Who hath the authority to use this language?—he who is able to save and destroy. The Lord Jesus Christ does not mean here that anger, or every scornful or reviling word deserves the same punishme... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE, IF THOU BRING THY GIFT— Farther, to quench the first and smallest sparks of enmity, and prevent all occasion of angry resentments, our Lord adds what follows from this to the 26th verse; for so far his advice extends, with regard to the sixth commandment. Our Lord insisted particularly on... [ Continue Reading ]
AGREE WITH THINE ADVERSARY— Our blessed Saviour here enforces the exhortation in the preceding verses, from the consideration of what was reckoned prudent in ordinary law-suits. In such cases, wise and honest men always advise the party that has done the wrong to make up matters with his adversary w... [ Continue Reading ]
YE HAVE HEARD, &C.— What has been hitherto said refers to _meekness;_ what now follows, to _purity of heart._ Dr. Lightfoot, to explain the opinion of the Jewish doctors, respecting the duty of this seventh commandment, cites the Targum upon Exodus 20 by which it appears, that they were very loose m... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF THY RIGHT EYE OFFEND THEE, &C.— The word rendered _offend thee,_ σκανδαλιζει, signifies to be a stumbling-block in a person's way, or the occasion of his fall; and so implies much more than merely to displease; a remark which deserves attending to, because the sense of many texts depends upon... [ Continue Reading ]
IT HATH BEEN SAID, &C.— The doctors of the school of _Sammai_ affirmed, that in the law concerning divorce, Deuteronomy 24:1 the words _some uncleanness_ were to be understood of _adultery_ only; whereas they of the school of Hillel interpreted them of _any manner of dislike whatever._ Hence the Pha... [ Continue Reading ]
AGAIN, YE HAVE HEARD, &C.— As to oaths, the doctors affirmed, that they were obligatory, according to the nature of the things by which a man swears. See ch. Matthew 23:16. Hence they allowed the use of such oaths in common conversation as they said were not obligatory; pretending that there was no... [ Continue Reading ]
YE HAVE HEARD, &C.— With respect to men's resisting and revenging such injuries as are done them, Jesus assured his disciples, that although, for the preservation of society, Moses had ordained the judges to give _eye for eye_, and _tooth for tooth,_ if the injured party demanded it; yet the doctors... [ Continue Reading ]
YE HAVE HEARD, &C.— It may be proper to note here, in this last quotation, the manner of our Lord's quoting the doctrines which he chose to speak of. He does not say, _Ye know that it was said,_ &c. as he would have done if nothing but the _written law_ had been in his eye; but he says, _Ye have hea... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH DESPITEFULLY USE YOU, &C.— _Who falsely accuse_ or _traduce you, and persecute you._ Dr. Doddridge renders it, _Who insult you and persecute you._ The particulars mentioned in this verse, are certainly the highest expressions of enmity; for what can be worse than cursing and calumny, insults a... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT YE MAY BE THE CHILDREN, &C.— Our blessed Saviour enforces the doctrine of loving our enemies, so far as to do them good, from the noblest of all considerations, that it renders men like God, who is good even to the evil and unthankful. "Being thus benevolent towards all, the bad as well as the... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PUBLICANS— These were the _Roman tax-gatherers,_ some of whom were Jews: these were more extremely odious to their countrymen than those who were heathens. The other Jews would have no communication with them; Luke 3:12.Mark 2:16. Luke 7:35. They looked upon the profession as scandalous; and the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF YE SALUTE— The original word ασπασησθε denotes all outward signs of friendship, such as embracing, wishing well, &c. It is the word used by the apostles in their salutations, Romans 16 &c. The meaning of it seems to be the same with that of the word _to bless,_ Matthew 5:44. See ch. Matthew 1... [ Continue Reading ]
BE YE THEREFORE PERFECT, &C.— Father Hardouin observes, that this might be rendered, agreeably to the Greek, _You shall therefore be perfect,_ so as to contain a promise, and not an exhortation. The perfection of the divine goodness is proposed to our imitation, as it is _promiscuous,_ extending to... [ Continue Reading ]