St Matthew Chapter V : Verses 21-37
Contents
- Matt. v. 21-37 (Douay-Rheims text) & Latin text (Vulgate). (1) murder, (2) adultery, (3) oaths.
- Notes on text
Matt. v. 21-37
 |
| He taught them. J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum. |
21 You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not kill. And whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment.
Audistis quia dictum est antiquis : Non occides : qui autem occiderit, reus erit judicio.
22 But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council. And whosoever shall say, Thou Fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
Ego autem dico vobis : quia omnis qui irascitur fratri suo, reus erit judicio. Qui autem dixerit fratri suo, raca : reus erit concilio. Qui autem dixerit, fatue : reus erit gehennæ ignis.
23 If therefore thou offer thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath any thing against thee;
Si ergo offers munus tuum ad altare, et ibi recordatus fueris quia frater tuus habet aliquid adversum te :
24 Leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother: and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift.
relinque ibi munus tuum ante altare, et vade prius reconciliari fratri tuo : et tunc veniens offeres munus tuum.
25 Be at agreement with thy adversary betimes, whilst thou art in the way with him: lest perhaps the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
Esto consentiens adversario tuo cito dum es in via cum eo : ne forte tradat te adversarius judici, et judex tradat te ministro : et in carcerem mittaris.
26 Amen I say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing.
Amen dico tibi, non exies inde, donec reddas novissimum quadrantem.
27 You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not commit adultery.
Audistis quia dictum est antiquis : Non mœchaberis.
28 But I say to you, that whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Ego autem dico vobis : quia omnis qui viderit mulierem ad concupiscendum eam, jam mœchatus est eam in corde suo.
29 And if thy right eye scandalize thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee. For it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than that thy whole body be cast into hell.
Quod si oculus tuus dexter scandalizat te, erue eum, et projice abs te : expedit enim tibi ut pereat unum membrorum tuorum, quam totus corpus tuum mittatur in gehennam.
30 And if thy right hand scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than that thy whole body be cast into hell.
Et si dextra manus tua scandalizat te, abscide eam, et projice abs te : expedit enim tibi ut pereat unum membrorum tuorum, quam totum corpus tuum eat in gehennam.
31 And it hath been said, whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a bill of divorce.
Dictum est autem : Quicumque dimiserit uxorem suam, det ei libellum repudii.
32 But I say to you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, excepting for the cause of fornication, maketh her to commit adultery: and he that shall marry her that is put away, committeth adultery.
Ego autem dico vobis : quia omnis qui dimiserit uxorem suam, excepta fornicationis causa, facit eam mœchari : et qui dimissam duxerit, adulterat.
33 Again you have heard that it was said to them of old, Thou shalt not forswear thyself: but thou shalt perform thy oaths to the Lord.
Iterum audistis quia dictum est antiquis : Non perjurabis : reddes autem Domino juramenta tua.
34 But I say to you not to swear at all, neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God:
Ego autem dico vobis, non jurare omnino, neque per caelum, quia thronus Dei est :
35 Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool: nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king:
neque per terram, quia scabellum est pedum ejus : neque per Jerosolymam, quia civitas est magni regis :
36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
neque per caput tuum juraveris, quia non potes unum capillum album facere, aut nigrum.
37 But let your speech be yea, yea: no, no: and that which is over and above these, is of evil.
Sit autem sermo vester, est, est : non, non : quod autem his abundantius est, a malo est.
Notes
21. You have heard. The aorist tense in the Greek (ἠκούσατε) is used as an equivalent to our indicative present when employed to express repetition of an action, and hence the sense here is “ye do hear.” The Hebrew Scriptures were held in great veneration by the Jews, and were read on the Sabbath-days in the synagogues. Possibly our Lord uses the word “ heard ” rather than “ read ” because He was addressing the illiterate classes. Cf. The multitude answered him : We have heard out of the law, that Christ abideth for ever (St John xii. 34).
to them of old. Some writers read “by them of old.”
Thou shall not kill. A quotation from Exod. xx. 13.
And whosoever shall kill, etc. This was the popular addition to the fifth commandment, current in the time of our Lord. This sanction to the Law was based on several passages of the Old Testament. Cf. He that striketh a man with a will to kill him, shall be put to death (Exod. xxi. 12). Whosoever shall shed man's blood, his blood shall be shed (Gen. ix. 6). See also Lev. xxiv. 17 ; Numb. xxxv. 16.
in danger. The phrase (ἔνοχος) in the original has the technical meaning of “ liable to legal proceedings.” It is equivalent in Latin to “ obnoxious.”
the judgment, — i.e. the local Sanhedrin, which consisted of a bench of seven judges in the smaller towns, and twenty-three in the larger. This court corresponded to the “ ancients ” who judged certain cases, and could even deliver up the culprit to death in the case of a murderer. Cf. The ancients of the city shall send and take him out of the place of refuge and shall deliver him into the hand of the kinsman of him whose blood was shed, and he shall die (Deut. xix. 12).
22. whosoever is angry. Jesus here points out the source whence murder springs — the gradation is anger, hatred, murder. Some codices insert here “ without cause ” (εἰκῆ), and the T.R. accepts this adverb, but St Jerome, following the best MSS., rejects it. It is, however, true in principle, for there is a just anger, since St Paul writes : Be angry and sin not (Eph. iv, 26). Thus Moses was angry with the Israelites when they offended God ; and our Lord, in His just indignation, twice cast out the buyers and sellers from the Temple precincts. The Old Testament contains several warnings against anger and hatred. Cf. Cease from anger and leave rage ; have no emulation to do evil (Ps. xxxvi. 8).
Note.— Our Lord judges the man who cherishes wilful anger against his brother to be worthy of the punishment which the Jews meted to the actual homicide. Thus he raised the standard of Jewish morality, and shewed the superiority of the New Law over the Old.
his brother,— i.e. his neighbours — all with whom he comes in contact.
Raca. A term of contempt, signifying “ vain or stupid.” A man of very little judgment was called by the Talmudists “ raca,” which properly means one who is vain and empty : who, although in appearance closely resembling a fool, differs from him in being light and inconstant (Latin, levis). This meaning agrees with the context. For Christ certainly intended to distinguish three degrees of sin and punishment, of which the second was greater than the first, and the third than the second. The first is anger, not breaking out into words ; the second, the utterance of an insolent expression, in which the brother is called raca, levis ; the third, still more insulting, in which he is termed ‘‘ fool ” (fatuus or stultus) (Maldonatus, p. 160).
the council, — i.e. the Sanhedrin, — the supreme court of appeal.
Thou fool. The Greek word (Μωρέ) here translated “fool” is probably equivalent to the Hebrew “nabal.” It expressed the greatest abuse and abhorrence, and was applied to depravity of the will, rather than to weakness of the intellect. Possibly it is derived from the Hebrew “ moreh ” (rebel). Hence it is equal to “ apostate ” or “ impious wretch..” The word “ fool ” in the Old Testament is always equivalent to an impious man.
hell fire. Lit. “the Gehenna of fire” (τὴν γέενναν τοῦ πυρός). The Ravine of Hinnoni, referred to in Isaias as Topheth. For Topheth is prepared from yesterday, prepared by the king, deep and wide. The nourishments thereof are fire and much wood: the breath of the Lord as a torrent of brimstone kindling it (xxx. 33). Josue describes it as going down to that part of the mountain that looketh on the valley of the children of Ennom . ... by the side of the Jebusite to the south (xviii. 16). Hence it lay south of Mount Sion. It is 11/2 miles in length, and forms a deep solitary glen, surrounded by rugged cliffs and barren mountains. This place was considered as symbolical of the place of eternal torments, because, under Achaz and Manasses, horrible rites in honour of Moloch and Chainos were performed there, and victims were burnt alive. An immense hollow brass idol, containing a powerful furnace, was placed at the opening of the ravine, and the Israelites used to place their children in the red-hot arms of the idol, while trumpets and cymbals were sounded to drown the cries of the victims. Josias put a stop to these infamous practices by burning the dead bones of men there ; hence the idolaters deemed the valley polluted. From that time the place was used as a sewer, and as a place of sepulture : as fires were frequently kindled to consume the filth and corrupt refuse that was thrown there, it was indeed “a place of torment” even to behold, and suggested to the Jews the place of eternal tortures. Having become “ the scene of pollution, wickedness, and torment,” it became a fit emblem of everlasting punishment.
23. If ... . thou offer. Lit. “if thou art offering” (ἐὰν οὖν προσφέρῃς). Even the highest act of worship — the offering of a sacrifice — is to be deferred in order to seek reconciliation with one whom we have offended or injured.
This same principle is embodied in St John’s words : If any man say, I love God, and hateth his brother ; he is a liar. For he that loveth not his brother, whom he seeth, how can he love God, whom he seeth not ? (1 St John iv. 20).
thy gift. The generic term “ δῶρόν ” is used, hence it stands for any gift, sacrificial or eucharistic.
at the altar. The priest alone could lay the gift on the altar. The Jew was enjoined to bring his sacrifice to “ the door of the testimony, ” i.e. to the Court of Israel. There, placing his hands on the victim, he confessed his sins. As the offerer killed the victim, the priest caught the blood, and afterwards laid the prescribed portions upon the altar.
anything against thee. “ Christ does not say, ‘ If thou hast anything against thy brother,’ but ‘ If he has aught against thee ’ ; thus He places the duty of reconciliation on thee” (St Jerome).
24. go first to he reconciled. Provided this line of conduct be consistent with prudence and justice. Though it is not always possible to seek a reconciliation, we can at least desire peace, and remove all obstacles as far as we are concerned personally.
25. Be at agreement with.
It is written in the Law of Moses : Both of them, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the Lord in the sight of the priests and the judges that shall be in those days (Dent. xix. 17). Accordingly the accuser and the accused went together before the tribunal of justice, and when once legal proceedings had begun, it was not allowed to settle the matter privately, or to effect a reconciliation. The law had then to take its course, and the judge was bound to exact the penalty of crime, especially when a sin of perjury had been committed. Thou shalt not pity him, but shalt require life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot (Dent. xix. 21).
Various Interpretations of the Parable.
The accused the sinner.
The adversary God. The man against whom the accused has sinned.
The way Man’s lifetime.
The judge God, Jesus Christ.
The officer God, Jesus Christ.
The prison Purgatory or hell.
The farthing The last stage of the punishment inflicted.
“ In the application, God is at once adversary, judge and officer (i.e. exactor) : the first by His holiness, the second by His justice, the third by His power” (Godet).
Note. — From the words thou shalt not go out from thence, etc., we cannot infer that the punishment is merely temporal. We are simply justified in asserting that strict payment will be exacted ; and as regards eternal punishment, we know that man can never pay the last mite (see Mark ix. 42-47). In purgatory, man can satisfy God’s justice, which inflicts on the sinner a temporal punishment for venial sin, and also for mortal sin of which the guilt has been forgiven. This verse is sometimes adduced as an indirect evidence of the existence of purgatory, but it is not one of the most cogent, and there are far clearer proofs than this in Holy Scripture ; e.g. Then will he render to every man according to his works (St Matt. xvi. 27). It is a holy and wholesome thought to pray for the dead, that they may be loosed from sins (2 Mach. xii. 46).
26. the last farthing. The Greek word κοδράντην is derived from the Latin “ quadrans,” which was a quarter of the Roman “ as,” a brass or copper coin current in Palestine. In the parallel passage St Luke has “mite.” This was the smallest coin used. The “quadrans” was worth about one-eighth of the English penny.
Note. — Verses 27-30 in this form are peculiar to St Matthew, and we find verses 29 and 30 repeated in ch. xviii. 8, 9, with reference to scandal.
28. whosoever shall look, etc. Our Lord here speaks of a look accompanied by a sinful desire deliberately indulged in, for there can be no sin without a definite act of the will.
hath already committed adultery. Human laws cannot detect or punish sinful desires, but God, in His omniscience, searches the heart, and rewards or punishes every man according to his deeds.
30. if thy right eye scandalize thee, — i.e. if anything which is as dear as a right eye is an occasion of sin, it must be sacrificed.
To scandalize is to lead others into sin, particularly those who are ignorant or weak in faith.
The Greek verb “ σκανδαλίζω ” signifies “to trip up.”
“The Greeks used a kind of trap (scandalon) for ensnaring animals. The scandalon was that part of the trap which gripped the animal running unwarily against it. Hence to scandalize a person is to entrap and destroy him ” (Morrison).
it is expedient for thee, etc. The Jews had an intense horror of mutilation, because they believed that at the resurrection the body would be raised to life in the same maimed and imperfect condition.
31. let him give her a hill of divorce. This custom, which was tolerated by the Mosaic Law, was based on Deut xxiv. 1.
32. whosoever shall put away, etc. Once more our Lord condemns the laxity which the Jewish teachers allowed in the observance of the Law. Whereas Moses only tolerated divorce for some grave reason, Hillel and his followers permitted it for the most trifling cause ; and Rabbi Akiba, laying stress on the words she find not favour in his eyes (Deut. xxiv. 1), and ignoring the context “for some uncleanness ” taught that a man could divorce his wife simply in order to marry one more beautiful. According to our Lord’s teaching, the practice of divorce entails sin on —
(a) The man who divorces his wife.(b) The woman who is divorced.(c) The man who marries a divorced woman.
33. Again. Our Lord now passes to the second commandment, in order to rectify the views of His hearers concerning its observance.
Thou shalt not forswear thyself. This is a free quotation from Exod. xx. 7 ; Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
thou shalt perform, etc. A free quotation from Numb. xxx. 3 : If any man make a vow to the Lord, or hind himself by an oath, he shall not make his word void, but shall fulfil all that he promised.
to the Lord. Laying special stress on these words, the Pharisees taught that an oath in which the name of God did not occur was not binding. Cf. “ If a man swear by the heavens, the earth, or the sun, it is no oath ” (Maimonides).
34. not to swear at all. The Quakers, Anabaptists, and the followers of Wickliffe hold that it is forbidden to take oaths, but it is clear that Christ does not absolutely forbid us to swear, since He Himself spoke on His oath in answer to the high-priest (see infra, xxvi. 63, 64). St Paul authorizes us to speak on our oath, both by his example (see 2 Cor. i. 23) and precept.
For men swear by one greater than themselves : and an oath for confirmation is the end of all their controversy (Heb. vi. 16).
To take a lawful oath is an act of religion which honours God’s eternal truth and omniscience ; and the Catholic Church, the pillar and ground of truth (1 Tim. iii. 15), teaches that it is lawful to swear or to take an oath, but only when God’s honour, or our own, or our neighbour’s good requires it.
neither by heaven. Christ forbids us to swear by God’s creatures as such, since, as they reflect His divine attributes in their measure, to swear by them is to swear implicitly by God Himself. These words are a free quotation from Is. Ixvi. 1 : Thus saith the Lord : Heaven is my throne, and the earth my footstool.
35. the city of the great king. Jerusalem was the capital of the Theocracy established by god HGimself; there, too, was the only Temple of the true God.
36. by thy head. The Romans were accustomed to this form of oath as well as the Jews, — e.g., Per caput hoc juro (Virg., Æn., ix. 300).
37. let your speech be., etc. Notice how our Lord raises the standard of truth : the simple affirmation or negation of a Christian should be as reliable as his oath.
of evil, — i.e., proceeds from some evil principle. Th reasons that justify an oath are generally the result of some evil in man, such as instability, insincerity, or injustice. In an ideal Christian community, oaths would not be needed.
Totus tuus ego sum
Et omnia mea tua sunt;
Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam.
No comments:
Post a Comment