(1) And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, (1) Christ teaches that the greatest joy and happiness is not in the conveniences and pleasures of this life, but is laid up in heaven for those who willingly rest in the good will and pleasure of God, and endeavour to profit all men, although t... [ Continue Reading ]
Blessed [are] the (a) poor in (b) spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (a) Under the name of poverty are meant all the miseries, that are joined with poverty. (b) Whose minds and spirits are brought under control, and tamed, and obey God.... [ Continue Reading ]
Blessed [are] the (c) pure in heart: for they shall see God. (c) Fitly is this word "pure" joined with the heart, for as a bright and shining resemblance or image may be seen plainly in a clear and pure looking glass, even so does the face (as it were) of the everlasting God, shine forth, and clear... [ Continue Reading ]
Ye (2) are the salt of the (d) earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be (e) salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. (2) The ministers of the word especially (unless they will be the most cowardly of all) must lea... [ Continue Reading ]
Ye are the (f) light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. (f) You shine and give light by being made partakers of the true light.... [ Continue Reading ]
(3) Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but (g) to fulfil. (3) Christ did not come to bring any new way of righteousness and salvation into the world, but indeed to fulfil that which was shadowed by the figures of the Law, by delivering men throug... [ Continue Reading ]
(4) Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the (h) least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (4) He begins with the true expounding of the Law... [ Continue Reading ]
(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.... [ Continue Reading ]
But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be (i) in danger (k) of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the (l) council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of (m) hell (n) fire. (i) He speaks of... [ Continue Reading ]
(6) Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the (o) altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; (6) The covetous Pharisees taught that God was appeased by the sacrifices appointed in the law, which they themselves devoured. But Christ on the contrary side denies that God acce... [ Continue Reading ]
(p) 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. (p) Remove all cause for enmity.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast (q) paid the uttermost farthing. (q) You will be dealt with in this manner, to the utmost extremity.... [ Continue Reading ]
(7) Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: (7) He is taken for an adulterer before God, whoever he is, that covets a woman: and therefore we must keep our eyes chaste, and all the members we have, yea and we must avoid all opportunities that might move u... [ Continue Reading ]
And if thy (r) right eye (s) 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. (r) He names the right eye and the right hand, because the parts of the right side of our bod... [ Continue Reading ]
(8) 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: (8) The meaning of the third commandment against the perverse opinion and judgment of the scribes, who excused by oaths or indirect forms of swearing.... [ Continue Reading ]
But let your communication be, (t) Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of (u) evil. (t) Whatever you affirm, affirm it alone, and whatever you deny, deny it alone without any more words. (u) From an evil conscience, or from the devil.... [ Continue Reading ]
(9) Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: (9) He shows that contrary to the doctrine of the scribes, that the sum of the second table must be so understood, that we may in no wise render evil for evil, but rather suffer double injury, and do well to them... [ Continue Reading ]
(10) 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. (10) A double reason: the one is taken of the relatives, The children must be like their father: the other is taken of compa... [ Continue Reading ]
And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more [than others]? do not even the (x) publicans so? (x) They that were the toll masters, and had the oversight of tributes and customs: this was a type of man that the Jews hated to death, both because they served the Romans in those offices (whose... [ Continue Reading ]