Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What Does Matthew Chapter 5 Mean?

Matthew 5 begins what is known as Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. The size of the crowds following Jesus by this point in His ministry have become massive. People come from great distances in every direction to see His miracles of healing and hear His compelling teaching.

The words people use to describe nature vary drastically from place to place. A person raised in the Midwestern U.S. might call a body of water a “pond” while someone from central Africa might think of it as a “lake.” Likewise, what someone raised in ancient Israel called a “mountain,” someone from Nepal might call a “hill.” Jesus’ sermon was not given in a location resembling Mount Everest or the Rocky Mountains. Jesus likely delivered this sermon in the hills near His home in Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee. One traditional site of the sermon provides an elevated spot with ample seating, allowed a great mass of people to hear Jesus speak. Jesus sits down to teach, the position assumed by most religious teachers of the day. This elevated sitting position would have been seen as a position of authority (Matthew 5:1).

The crowd includes Jesus’ chosen disciples, His committed followers, and likely some who were simply curious. The sermon itself may have been much longer than what Matthew includes in chapters 5—7. Matthew’s call by Christ is explicitly described in Matthew 9:9, but ancient writing was not concerned with keeping events in strict order of time. Matthew’s call might have happened during Jesus’ ministry just prior to this speech (Matthew 4:23–25). This means Matthew may have been present for this message. As a tax collector, he would have been fluent in reading, writing, and keeping records. That opens the possibility that this is a word-for-word transcription of Jesus’ sermon. Even if Matthew compiled this from Jesus’ later repetitions, the words are still surprising, even confusing, and challenging (Matthew 5:2).

Matthew’s reporting of the sermon begins with a list of sentences called the Beatitudes. That name comes from the Latin word beatus, which means “blessed” or “happy.” Each sentence begins with the words “blessed are.” Blessed, as Jesus uses it here, means something like “having a good result or outcome.” It does not refer to feelings of happiness—in fact, some of these statements involve pain and suffering. Reading from a merely human perspective, it is surprising to hear the kind of people He mentions are “blessed.” Human nature doesn’t associate humility and mourning with good outcomes. Jesus’ entire sermon, though, is designed to show those who listen that our “normal” perspectives are upside down. What matters most is humility and the kingdom of God. These attitudes are reflections of those who understand God’s will and His perspective (Matthew 5:3–12).

Next, Jesus emphasizes to His disciples that their lives are enormously valuable. They are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. That’s why it is so important they do the good works God gives them to do. It is how those in the darkness of the world will see God. Like lamps give light to a dark room, or salt prevents decay in food, Christian influence is meant to counter evil and despair (Matthew 5:13–16).

Jesus then makes it clear He has not come to do away with “the Law or the Prophets.” This phrase is a reference to the Scriptures we now call the Old Testament. They are not being dismissed, but Jesus has come to satisfy them. His mission is not to discard those commandments, but to bring them to their full and complete purpose. In order to do that, Jesus explains the deeper meaning of those commands. This begins with a remark about exceeding the righteousness of the infamously strict scribes and Pharisees. His point is twofold: their righteousness is superficial, and no person can be good enough to earn heaven on their own (Matthew 5:17–20).

What does it mean to have a righteousness that surpasses that of Israel’s religious leaders? Jesus explains this with a series of examples using a pattern of “you have heard…but I say.” The point is not necessarily to dismiss the words being taught. Rather, Jesus’ point is to explain that there is something more to God’s commandments than bare legalism. In each case, Jesus explains that merely avoiding physical sin is not “good enough.” God intends His Words to affect our hearts—our thoughts and attitudes can be sins, just as much as our behavior and speech.

Avoiding murder follows the sixth commandment (Exodus 20:13). Yet truly following that commandment, as God intended, also means not harboring unrighteous anger. Anger is not exactly identical to murder, but anger is a sin just as much as murder is a sin. Christians ought to seek reconciliation, both with God and with others, rather than face judgment (Matthew 5:21–26).

The seventh commandment forbids adultery (Exodus 20:14), but God means something more than merely avoiding physical acts. The phrasing Jesus uses here implies active thinking: the choice to dwell, fantasize, or “ogle” someone. It can also mean making efforts to tempt another person into sin. Lustful thoughts are not exactly the same as physical adultery—but they are every bit as sinful. With that in mind, Jesus makes deliberately exaggerated statements about the danger of our urges. It’s better to be maimed or blinded, rather than to let our natural instincts drag us into hell (Matthew 5:27–30).

Divorce, in Jesus’ era, was given very loose restrictions. In practice, men could dismiss their wives for virtually any reason. God’s command about divorce was not a sign of His approval (Deuteronomy 24:1–4), it was meant to protect women from unfair treatment. Jesus shreds selfish attitudes towards marriage by saying no divorce is valid except in cases such as sexually immorality. Marriage is not something we are meant to put on and take off like a coat. It has sacred implications and should be treated accordingly (Matthew 5:31–32).

Jesus also dismissed the use of casual oaths. This does not mean wedding vows, courtroom oaths, or contracts. Jesus is speaking of sealing promises with some kind of “I swear by…” statement. While the Old Testament allowed for oaths in the name of God (Leviticus 19:12), people of Jesus’ era would swear on lesser things, often to excuse later violations. People even today will add “I cross my heart…” or “I swear…” to suggest a promise is sincere. Since this implies the person’s word is not always trustworthy, Jesus says such oaths are evil (Matthew 5:33–37).

Christ also refers to the Old Testament’s law of retaliation (Deuteronomy 19:21). This was meant to prevent conflicts from spiraling out of control, by keeping punishments equal to the offense. In personal matters, though, Jesus commands believers to seek peace over “getting even.” Insults and abuses should be ignored—or returned with more love and service than the aggressor expects. This even extends to demonstrating love and praying for those who hate and persecute us (Matthew 5:38–47).

Jesus’ final demand of those who would be righteous before God is the most difficult of all: You must be perfect as God is perfect. This not only explains the depth of God’s commandments, it sets the stage for Jesus’ preaching of the gospel, as salvation by grace through faith (Matthew 5:48).

Chapter Context
Matthew 5 follows Matthew’s description of the enormous crowds that were following Jesus (Matthew 4:25). One day, Jesus sits down on a hill to teach them, in an address we now call the Sermon on the Mount. He describes as blessed those who are poor in spirit, who mourn, and who are persecuted. Christ also explains how God’s standards of righteousness go far beyond behaviors and speech; they also include our thoughts and attitudes. Meeting God’s standards means perfection. Chapter 6 continues this sermon, with more examples of Jesus clarifying God’s intent for godly living.

Verse By Verse

Verse 1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

The previous chapter ended with a description of great crowds who came from far and wide to hear Jesus’ teaching and witness His miracles. Now Matthew slows the action down. He focuses on one specific day in Jesus’ ministry, when He saw how large the crowds around Him were and wanted to teach them.

Matthew was a tax collector before He followed Jesus (Matthew 9:9). This would have required some education, including the ability to read, write, and handle record-keeping. Ancient writings, like the gospel of Matthew, were typically arranged by topic instead of in strict time order, so even though Matthew’s conversion is described after the Sermon on the Mount, he might have begun to follow Jesus during His earlier ministry (Matthew 4:23–25). If he was there, scholars believe Matthew might have transcribed Jesus’ words in this message. While some biblical records of Jesus’ words may be paraphrased, this passage may well be an exact, word-for-word register of this sermon.

Jesus goes up “on a mountain” to teach the people. In the context of that region, this doesn’t mean something like Mount Everest. Rather, these are what people in many other cultures would think of as steep hills. Galilee contains many such hills. Jesus likely wanted to get some elevation above the crowd so He could be heard by as many people as possible. Matthew does not describe the exact location of the sermon. Tradition points to a ridge of hills northwest of a town called Tabgha, which is near Capernaum with a view of the Sea of Galilee.

Jesus sat down to teach, which was the normal practice of rabbis. Matthew often describes Jesus as sitting down to teach in many different locations. The use of a sloped hill would have made this easier, by allowing people to see Him more easily.

Matthew writes that Jesus’ “disciples” came to Him. In this context, the term refers to all of those who were there with a sincere interest in learning. He spoke to everyone who was following Him and open to His message.

Verse 2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

Matthew 5–7 contains the first of five long speeches from Jesus recorded in Matthew’s gospel. It is called the Sermon on the Mount, and it begins with what are known as the Beatitudes in verses 3–12. Luke 6:17–49 also presents a sermon from Jesus, containing much of the same content. As a former tax collector (Matthew 9:9), Matthew would have been fluent in both reading and writing and might have been there to record Jesus’ words verbatim. Writings such as the four Gospels were often topical, not time-ordered, so Matthew may have been present, even though his conversion is explicitly described later in this book. If he was not there, in person, he would have been able to compile the message through Jesus’ later, repeated teachings.

Some scholars suggest Matthew and Luke are describing parts of the same sermon. It is likely that Jesus spoke many more words than those recorded in either version. It’s possible the Matthew and Luke, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, emphasized different parts of the same, longer message.

However, Luke describes his version of the sermon as occurring “on a level place.” A more likely possibility, then, is Matthew and Luke record two different speeches, delivered in different places. Jesus was a traveling preacher, and He may have preached the same content repeatedly as He came to different places. This is no different in speakers and preachers of the modern era. Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount and Luke’s Sermon on the Plain would considerably overlap, because Jesus taught similar things in multiple presentations.

Verse 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:3–12 contains what have come to be known as the Beatitudes. This title comes from the Latin word beatus, which means “blessed” or “happy.” Each of the Beatitudes begins with a reference to those who are blessed, in connection to some behavior or attitude. The idea of being “blessed” in Jesus’ sermon does not mean feeling happy, necessarily. Rather it means recognizing what is truly good in a person’s life and why. It refers to those on the right track, who are following a godly pattern of thoughts and actions.

Jesus begins by saying that the poor in spirit are blessed. This is not a reference to money or finances. To be “poor in spirit” is the opposite of being self-confident or self-reliant, especially in any spiritual sense. The poor in spirit recognize they are incapable of providing for themselves by their own strength, goodness, or righteousness. They know themselves to be spiritually bankrupt of true goodness. They cannot hope to bargain or earn their way into the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus says, though, that they are blessed because the kingdom of heaven is theirs already. In other words, admission that one does not deserve a place in God’s kingdom is a requirement for entrance into that kingdom. This is the opposite of assuming one has earned citizenship by his own merit.

Even as part of a sermon from Jesus, these words need to be understood in careful context. Jesus is not teaching, in this one single verse, every detail of the plan of salvation. As He continues to teach, Jesus will be clear—and the New Testament will emphasize—that nobody comes to the Father except through faith in Christ for the forgiveness of sin.

A corresponding attitude to salvation is that of being poor in spirit. The kingdom of heaven will be populated by the humble and not the arrogant. In that way, the poor in spirit are blessed.

Verse 4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

At the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is teaching a series of statements often referred to as the Beatitudes. Each starts with the words “blessed are.” Blessing, in this sense, refers to a declaration of what is good and why. It does not mean that the blessed person will feel happy, necessarily.

The difference between happiness and being “blessed” is especially obvious in this verse. This beatitude states that those who mourn are blessed. Those who mourn, by definition, are not happy. Jesus wants His followers to understand that those who experience mourning are not hopeless.

Within the context of Jesus’ teaching about the coming kingdom of heaven, those who mourn may do so because of their own sin or because of the sin of Israel. The Jewish people experience a state of mourning under the harsh oppression and occupation of Rome. Those faithful to God and Scripture understood this to be a result of Israel’s sin and unfaithfulness, since God had promised to prosper them when they were faithful and to judge them when they were not.

Both John the Baptist and Jesus preached that Israel must repent. Repentance involves sadness as we recognize and confess our sinful selfishness. Those who mourn while repenting of their sin are blessed, however, because the kingdom of heaven will come; they will be rescued. The season of judgment will end.

Not all commentators agree that Jesus is referring only to mourning that comes with repentance from sin. Much sadness in life, of course, is not the result of sin. It comes from living on a planet ruled by death. Of all who mourn, those in Christ are blessed because they will be comforted by God in the here and now (2 Corinthians 1:3–7) and free from mourning for eternity (Revelation 21:4).

Verse 5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Jesus continues to describe the Beatitudes: sayings about who is blessed and why, especially as it relates to the coming kingdom of heaven. Now Jesus declares those who are meek to be blessed because they will inherit the earth. The word meek does not mean “weak,” though that’s how many misinterpret it. The word is best understood as “gentleness,” or a refusal to take control by brute force or manipulation. Meekness, from a Christian perspective, is about faith. It is about trusting God to win the battle in the end instead of going to extremes to win the battle on our own terms. The concept is often referred to as “strength under control,” rather than “strength seeking control.”

This is exactly backwards from the world’s common understanding. Most believe the world to be controlled by those strong and ambitious enough to take what they want. The world belongs to the rich, the dominant, and the bold. Jesus flips that around. He declares that the true inheritors of the earth are the meek.

Once again, Jesus’ meaning here is in connection to those who have faith in Him. If we belong to the Lord, and if the Lord becomes king of the earth, as the Messiah will, then all those who are His will inherit the earth with Him. “Meekness” is not a requirement for becoming a true Christian, but meekness is something which naturally comes from having a saving knowledge of Christ.

It should be said that true meekness takes courage; we must fight with ourselves to trust God’s plan and His character. It’s hard to be humble and patient when we cannot fully understand how good will win in the end.

Verse 6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

The next of Jesus’ statements is about an appetite for righteousness. This is another one of the Beatitudes: short statements about blessing from a godly perspective. Here, Jesus states that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed, meaning they have a good thing. Why? Because they will be satisfied. Commentators point to two possible meanings for “righteousness” as used in this verse. First, Jesus could be talking about people who are eager to be declared righteous by God. They want to be made righteous, themselves, and to conform to the will of God. In that way, they are sincerely seeking to be saved. Those who come to trust in Jesus for their forgiveness from sin will receive exactly that from God (Romans 5:17). They will be saved.

Another view is that Jesus has in mind those who are hungry to see righteousness “win.” They long for justice to prevail. They want what is right to overcome what is wrong and evil in the world. These people, too, will be satisfied, because the kingdom of heaven will bring an end to all unrighteousness. Their appetite for righteousness will be completely satisfied.

Verse 7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Jesus continues to identify those who are truly blessed. This list is commonly referred to as the Beatitudes. Jesus’ claims are surprising from a worldly perspective. Instead of declaring that the rich, the beautiful, or the victorious in war are those who have been blessed, Jesus has described as blessed the poor in spirit, those who mourn, and those who are meek. In every case, their blessing comes from the ultimate source of all blessing, which is God. Their status as “blessed” is based on God’s response to these humble attitudes.

Now Jesus adds the merciful to those who should see themselves as blessed. Why? They, too, will receive mercy. Jesus is most likely referring to receiving mercy from God. Generally, it is the character of God to show mercy to the merciful (Psalm 18:25). The reverse should also be true but it’s not always the case. Those who have received mercy from God ought to be merciful to others (Ephesians 4:32).

Again, Jesus likely has in mind the kingdom of heaven as He speaks. Those who are merciful now, He says, will receive mercy from the king of heaven when He takes the throne. His meaning is not that a person must be merciful in order to be saved, but that those who submit to God in salvation will naturally respond with an attitude of mercy towards others.

Verse 8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Jesus adds another “blessed are” to His growing list of those who should rejoice in the way God sees them. Today, we refer to this litany as the Beatitudes. Jesus now says that the “pure in heart” are blessed, for they will see God. This doesn’t mean they’ll be happy, but it does mean they should not feel hopeless.

Modern Christians might associate “purity” with a freedom from sexual sin or moral failure. Those who first heard Jesus’ words may have connected “purity” to performing the law of Moses, or perfectly following the rules of the Jewish teachers. This would carry the sense of being completely free from sin.

However, Jesus focused much more on the hearts of His listeners, instead of their ability to maintain the rituals of the law. He preached against obeying the law in action only, rather than out of true love for God. “Purity,” in its most clear and original meaning, refers to the idea of something being singular, unified, un-mixed, or consistent. The pure in heart are focused from the inside out on one single thing. In this case, that thing is God.

Jesus promises here that, when the kingdom of heaven arrives, those who are pure in their devotion to God will see Him. This reveals a remarkable idea about God’s kingdom. Most Jews would have learned at an early age that nobody can see God and live; He is too holy. Jesus, though, says that those who enter into the kingdom of heaven will see God.

Verse 9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

Next in Matthew’s record of “the Beatitudes”—a series of statements about godly attitudes and benefits—is a reference to “peacemakers.” Jesus declares that peacemakers are blessed: they have received a good thing, because they will be called sons of God. This is an early part of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1–2).

The commitment to make peace is highly valued throughout the Bible, but what does it mean to be a peacemaker? Biblically, a peacemaker is someone who reconciles people who were formerly in conflict. The heart of Jesus’ earthly mission was to make peace between God and those who would come to Him through faith. This is eloquently expressed by Paul in his letter to the church at Ephesus:

“For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near” (Ephesians 2:14–17).

Christ made this peace “by the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:20). In other words, His death in our place on the cross paid for our sins. It removed the barrier between humanity and God. Everyone who comes to God through Christ and the cross finds they have peace with God (Romans 5:1).

It makes sense, then, that everyone who commits to making peace between others, especially by their own sacrifice, imitates what Christ has done. Such a person is called a “son of God” similarly to how Israel was called God’s son in the Old Testament (Exodus 4:22).

Verse 10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness ‘ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus’ list of people who are “blessed,” which we know as the Beatitudes, continues to grow. The word used for “blessed” can sometimes mean “happy.” However, in this context, mere feeling is not the point. In fact, some people Jesus mentioned may feel deep unhappiness due to their circumstances (Matthew 5:1–9). Despite hard situations, however, they are blessed: they are doing what is right and will experience eternal good in the kingdom of heaven.

Now Jesus says those persecuted for the sake of righteousness are blessed, and part of the kingdom of heaven. His early preaching ministry has focused entirely on this kingdom. Both Christ and John the Baptist have called the Jewish people to repent of sin, to be ready for the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 3:1–2; 4:17). John made it clear that nobody would be able to enter it simply because they were Jewish. Bearing fruit, being used by God for good, being faithful to God in your choices: these have been described as the signs of those who would enter the kingdom Messiah would bring to earth.

The implication here is that those being persecuted have some choice in the matter. In other words, they did not choose to avoid doing what is right, in order to avoid being harassed or harmed. They made a conscious choice to honor God, and to be faithful to Him, despite persecution from those who are unrighteous.

Verse 11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

This is part of Jesus’ explanation of the Beatitudes: a series of statements about those who are “blessed,” as proven by certain attitudes or actions (Matthew 5:1–9). In the previous verse, Jesus mentioned those who endured persecution for the sake of righteousness (Matthew 5:10). Here, He adds details about what persecution might look like and what might cause it. For the first time, Jesus moves away from general statements, given to His largely Jewish audience, and focuses more narrowly on Himself, specifically, as the One they are following.

The central issue in true Christian “persecution” is, of course, Jesus Christ. Merely being harassed or treated unfairly isn’t necessarily persecution—especially if it’s in response to our own wrongdoing (1 Peter 4:15). What Jesus means is that one proof of being “blessed” is willingness to endure unfair treatment on account of faithfully following Him (1 Peter 4:12–14). Those in opposition to Jesus might insult His followers, abuse them, and falsely accuse them of doing terrible things.

At the time Jesus gives the Sermon on the Mount, this hasn’t yet happened to those who follow Him. However, this blessing serves as an early warning that such abuse is coming (John 16:1–4). In the following verse, Jesus will continue to explain why those who suffer for being connected to Him are blessed.

Verse 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Jesus has declared that those treated badly on His account are “blessed” (Matthew 5:11). Abuses they could expect were insults, persecution, and false accusations about doing terrible things. The context of these attacks is when people are truly following the teachings of God—the world hates them specifically because they emulate Jesus (John 15:21).

Now Jesus explains why willingness to be connected to Him despite harsh treatment is a blessing. Those who do so will receive great rewards in heaven. Jesus does not hold this out as a consolation prize for a difficult life. He tells His disciples to rejoice and be glad about the opportunity to be treated awfully for His sake. The rewards waiting in heaven because of this honor (Acts 5:41; 1 Peter 4:12–13) makes the experience itself a victory worth celebrating.

While Jesus will later predict intense hatred levied against Christians (John 16:1–4), attacks on God’s people are not new. God sent many prophets to Israel to deliver messages to the people. Many of those prophets were persecuted for representing God. Now many of Jesus’ disciples will be persecuted for representing Him to the world, which will earn them great rewards in heaven, as well.

For the first time, Jesus mentions heaven as the destination of His followers instead of the kingdom of heaven (or kingdom of God). He also describes the blessing of those who are His as including more than just entry into the kingdom, but rewards in heaven.

Context Summary
Matthew 5:1–12 contains the beautiful Beatitudes delivered by Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount. The series of nine sentences describes an unlikely group of people as blessed: the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those hungry for righteousness, and the merciful. All are blessed because of their part in the kingdom of heaven. This includes those persecuted for the sake of righteousness and on account of Jesus. Instead of despairing, they should rejoice for the great rewards they will receive in heaven. These are not prerequisites for salvation; instead, they are the natural expressions of saving faith in the life of those who know Christ.

Verse 13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people ‘s feet.

Matthew is recording Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. The prior passage recorded the Beatitudes, and now Christ turns to a series of short teachings on various topics. First, He addresses the need for disciples of Jesus to live according to the virtues described in the Beatitudes. These are needed in order to be “salt” and “light” in the world (Matthew 5:14).

Jesus says to His disciples, “You are the salt of the earth.” Then, as now, salt served a variety of functions. Before the days of refrigeration, salt was used widely as a preservative by rubbing it into meat. In some cases, it could be used as a kind of fertilizer. Also, of course, it was used to bring flavor to food. Jesus’ call for followers to be “salt of the earth” carries those uses, symbolically, into our spiritual lives.

As salt preserves meat from rotting, believers in Jesus, distributed around the world, help to preserve humanity from falling into godlessness, immorality, chaos, and the resulting judgment. Salt permanently changes the flavor of food, just as the influence of godly people can change a culture. The main point is that Christians serve a godly purpose in the world simply by living out what we believe about Jesus.

Christians stop serving that purpose when we stop living in faithfulness to God. The recent references to the Beatitudes put that purpose in context. When Jesus’ followers stop being poor in spirit, living in repentance and meekness, having an appetite for righteousness, and being merciful, they stop serving their purpose on earth. This is just as catastrophic, and unthinkable, as if salt were to lose its flavor.

Some object to this metaphor by saying that salt never loses its saltiness, according to chemistry. This misses the point and is not true in a practical sense. Jesus’ teaching can be taken to mean, in part, that certain qualities are as innate to a born-again believer as saltiness is to salt. The idea of losing those properties is unthinkable. In a more practical sense, the salt which people used daily was not chemically pure. It could be diluted, or even contaminated. That would result in something that was supposed to be salt but didn’t taste or act like salt anymore. That made it useless, and subject to disposal.

Jesus indicates the same can happen to a disciple who stops living faithfully to Christ in the world. The point here is not about loss of salvation, but a loss of purpose. “Bad salt” isn’t destroyed or burnt, it’s simply ignored along with the dust of the earth.

Verse 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

In the previous verse, Jesus compared His disciples to salt (Matthew 5:13). Now He compares them to light. He calls them the “light of the world,” in fact. Light was a crucial symbol in the Jewish worldview. Just as Greek culture prized knowledge, or Roman culture valued glory, or modern American culture touts freedom, Hebrew culture’s ideal standard was light. This concept factors heavily in biblical explanations of godliness and truth (Proverbs 4:18–19; Matthew 4:16; John 8:12; 2 Corinthians 4:6).

Spiritually speaking, there is no light in the world apart from Jesus Christ. His light, though, shines through every person who belongs to Him. In this way, the light of Christ is distributed into the darkness in every corner of humanity. That this light is meant to be visible to the world is also important. Jesus adds to this metaphor by referring to a city positioned on top of a hill. It is not meant to be hidden; a city on a hill is meant to be seen and found even in the darkness of night. During the time of Christ, the walls around a city on a hill were often made from white limestone, which would be relatively easy to see, even on a dim night.

In the same way, the light of Christ is not meant to be hidden on the earth. It is meant to shine out brightly from all who belong to Christ. It is meant to be discovered, in this way, by those still in the darkness. Jesus will add to this point in the following verse that Christ’s light should not be covered up in the lives of His followers. It is meant to be seen.

Verse 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.

Nights could be very dark during the time of Jesus. In fact, to modern eyes living in a time of electricity, the inky nighttime darkness of the ancient world would likely be shocking. On a moonless or overcast night, people would have struggled to see their hand in front of their own eyes. Caves and interiors of large rooms would have been naturally devoid of any light.

Light was available in the form of fire, including oil lamps. As houses grew dark after sunset, lamps would be lit and, if available, distributed around the house. Placement was key. The lamps would be put on a stand in the optimal spot to provide as much light to the room as possible. This is the point of Jesus’ comment in this verse: why would anyone light a lamp in the nighttime and then put a basket over it? They would not, Jesus says. The light of lamps is meant to be seen in the same way that the light of Christ is meant to be seen in the world.

By way of analogy, believers in Jesus are the lamps. In fact, they are the only source of true spiritual light, the light of Christ. That light is meant to be seen, so Jesus tells His disciples not to hide it or cover it up for any reason. The following verse is a famous expression of the need for Christian goodness to be visible to the world. Doing the works given by God is how His disciples will distribute His light. Failing to do those good works, then, is like putting a cover over the only lamp in a dark room; hiding the light makes the lamp useless.

Verse 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Jesus has described His disciples as first the salt of the earth and then as the light of the world (Matthew 5:13–15). Salt is meant it be salty and becomes worthless if it loses that quality. Light is meant to be seen by those in the darkness. It has no value if covered up and hidden.

This verse provides the practical application of Jesus’ teaching about being “the light of the world.” Disciples display the light of Jesus by doing the good works which God intends for them. Even if acting in a Christlike way earns persecution from the world (Matthew 5:11–12), believers are meant to shine that light into a dark world. In other lessons, Jesus expands on the meaning of doing good works. An important point He makes later in the Sermon on the Mount involves proper motivation (Matthew 6:1). Good works done for God’s sake, in ways that bring glory to God, ought to be done so that they can be seen. The light of Christian goodness is meant to shine out “so that” God will be glorified. However, in situations where the world is likely to merely praise the Christian, it’s better for the act to be done “in secret” to avoid arrogance and pride (Matthew 6:2–4).

Christ is the only spiritual light in the world, and that truth is distributed through His people: His disciples, meaning born-again Christians. Believers do good for others to point towards truth (John 14:6), and to bring glory to God.

Verse 17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

As He gained fame through healing miracles and compelling teaching, some of Jesus’ critics claimed He was teaching people to ignore the law of Moses (Matthew 12:2). Hostile religious leaders began to falsely say He was teaching a new or different law from what God gave to the nation of Israel (Matthew 12:2). Jesus was eventually accused by the Jewish religious leaders of blasphemy, primarily for His claim to be the Son of God (Matthew 26:63–65; John 8:58–59).

Jesus counters the lie that He is calling for the law of Moses to be “abolished.” He tells all those who are listening His intent is not to discard the law or the Prophets. The Jewish law of Moses consisted of the first five books of the Bible, known as the Pentateuch. “The Prophets” include most of the rest of what Christians now call the Old Testament, especially books by Isaiah, Jeremiah, and other prophets sent by God to deliver His messages to Israel.

The book of Hebrews explains how God always intended the old covenant to lead to a new covenant (Hebrews 8:6–8). That transition is not to eradicate what God has spoken, but to complete its intended purpose. As the Son of God, the God who gave the law to Moses and gave the prophecies to the prophets, Jesus would have no desire to wipe out those messages. Instead, Jesus declares that He has come “to fulfill” the law and the Prophets.

This is a key point of understanding Scripture: everything in the Jewish Scriptures—what we now call the Old Testament—has been “pointing forward” to the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah. The law described a life of perfect, sinless righteousness, which no Israelite had been able to fulfill until Jesus arrived. He was the first and last to accomplish this.

In addition, the sacrificial system given to Israel by God in the law required the killing of animals, blood sacrifices, to pay for human sin. They were effective only temporarily, and only until new sins were committed, then more blood had to be spilled (Hebrews 10:1–4). Jesus, though, as the perfect, sinless human sacrifice for sin fulfilled the need for that blood sacrifice once and for all (Hebrews 10:11–14).

Matthew also demonstrates throughout his book how Jesus’ life fulfilled one prophecy about the Messiah after another. Jesus did not discard the words of these prophets; He fulfilled them with every word and action of His life.

Verse 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

Jesus declared in the previous verse that He had not come to abolish the Jewish law and the Prophets, but to fulfill them (Matthew 5:17). Despite claims of His critics (Matthew 12:2), Jesus’ purpose was not to cast aside the words God gave to Israel. Instead, His mission was to complete the exact mission those words were meant to explain (Hebrews 8:6–8). In every way, Jesus accomplished what the law demanded and fulfilled what the prophets predicted by the power of God.

Now Jesus adds forcefully that the law will not pass away, even a little bit, until everything in it is accomplished and until heaven and earth pass away. He has come to earth (Matthew 1:18) with the mission of accomplishing everything in the law. Much of this He will do through His teaching, sacrificial death, and resurrection (Mark 8:31). The rest, He will finally and fully complete in bringing the kingdom of heaven to earth in the end times (Matthew 26:64).

Iota is the smallest letter in the Greek alphabet; modern English continues to use this as a metaphor for the tiniest measure of something. The word “dot” is translated from the Greek term keraia, referring to a tiny stroke of the pen. In Hebrew, similar tiny marks differentiated one letter from another. So, Jesus’ point is that every letter of every word in the law would remain in effect until He accomplished everything in it (Hebrews 9:10–11; 10:1–4). He would do this by perfectly obeying every requirement of the law, dying as the final blood sacrifice for the sins of humanity, defeating death in the resurrection, then by fulfilling every prophecy about the promised Messiah in both His immediate time and in the future.

Verse 19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Verses 19 and 20 of this passage pose challenges for various traditions and interpretations. Jesus has declared that He has come to complete the purpose of the Old Testament, not to discard it (Matthew 5:17–18). The law will not pass away until all is accomplished; until heaven and earth pass away.

Now Jesus specifies further that His listeners are forbidden to ignore the commands of the law and the Prophets, either in their teaching or their own choices. Those who relax the commandments in the law will be called least in heaven’s kingdom. Those who keep and teach them still will be called greatest in the kingdom. To fully understand this statement, it must be carefully read in context with the rest of Scripture.

Critically, Jesus does not say that one must keep the commandments in order to attain heaven. Part of this discourse is explaining that human effort will never be good enough (Matthew 5:20). And Jesus is clear that salvation comes by faith, not by good behavior (John 17:3). Careful reading shows that Jesus is speaking of both persons—those who do and those who do not obey the law of Moses—are in the kingdom of heaven. The point here is about one’s rewards or status in that kingdom.

Likewise, application of Jesus’ teaching throughout the New Testament is that believers in Jesus are not required to follow the law of Moses in order to be welcomed into the family of God through faith in Christ. As Paul will write to believers in Jesus in Romans 7:4–6:

“You also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.”

Why, then, would Jesus make such a strong declaration about not setting aside the laws of the Old Testament? Some scholars suggest Jesus was emphasizing that the law remained fully in effect at that moment, so obedience to God in every aspect of Jewish life and practice still mattered. His death for sin and His defeat of death through resurrection had not yet taken place, and such scholars suggest the conversation would change after the resurrection.

Others teach a more likely explanation, which is that a full, complete understanding of the law cannot be undone or discarded. In a broad sense, Christians are never meant to embrace antinomianism, which the attitude that no rules apply, at all. The teachings of Christ, for example, are never posed as options for true believers (John 14:15). The law of Moses had a specific purpose, and a specific audience: that does not change. Once all things are completed, those commandments are not “abolished,” they are “fulfilled” (Hebrews 9:10–11; 10:1–4). Jesus’ intent is not to throw away any part of God’s commandments, only to understand them as they are meant to be understood.

Verse 20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus has been forceful and clear about a point that can be difficult to understand: He has not come to abolish the law of Moses, but to fulfill it. It will not pass away until all has been accomplished. Those hearing Jesus’ message should not be lenient on themselves or their students about obeying the commands of the law. Those who obey them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven; those who do not carefully obey will be called the least. This doesn’t suggest that good deeds earn salvation, but it does make an important point about God’s intent for those prior messages (Matthew 5:17–19).

Now Jesus demands a standard which would have sounded impossible to His listeners—exactly how it is meant to be taken. Scribes were professional experts on the Scriptures. The Pharisees were a sect famous for their extremely careful keeping of the law of Moses. They were so careful, in fact, that they added layers of detail, rules, and regulations on top of the law so they’d never come close to breaking it. Pharisees were extraordinarily strict with their students and with the common synagogue-goers about what it took to follow the law in order to be righteous.

Jesus is making two distinct points here. Matthew has already shown that the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees is false. John the Baptist called them out as a “brood of vipers” in need of a repentance that will actually “bear fruit” instead of just looking good to other people (Matthew 3:7–8). Jesus, too, will clash with the Pharisees over the way they work so hard on outward appearances while sin decays their hearts. As Jesus will emphasize in the rest of this sermon, God cares far more about what is in a person’s heart than how other people perceive them. God values true purity motivated by true love more than technical rule-keeping motivated by spiritual pride. So true “righteousness” is something better than the rotten version paraded by religious hypocrites.

The other point being made, which upcoming teaching will support, is that nobody can be truly, perfectly righteous. No person can live a life of moral purity worthy of heaven. As Paul will write in Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” He will add, though, in the following verse what Jesus’ listeners will come to understand later on, that those who come to faith in Christ “and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). Jesus is prepping His listeners to understand that they need a righteousness only He can earn for us.

Context Summary
Matthew 5:17–20 sets up an important point about the nature of sin. To do so, Jesus first declares that heaven’s standard of righteousness is beyond human ability. His purpose is not to discard the law of Moses, but to accomplish the purpose for which the law was given. A cornerstone of Jesus’ teaching is that man cannot earn salvation, since we cannot hope to be good enough. This passage sets the stage for this idea, through exaggeration. In order to earn the kingdom of heaven, a person must be even more righteousness than the scribes and Pharisees—that culture’s ultimate standard for ”good behavior.” In later passages, Christ will expand on how sin involves not only what we do, physically, but our thoughts and motivations.

Verse 21 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’

In the preceding verse, Jesus set what seemed like an impossibly high standard. He declared that unless a person’s righteousness exceeds or surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, he or she would never enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:20). Since the scribes and Pharisees were their culture’s role models of extreme righteousness for many everyday Jewish people, how could anyone hope to get into the kingdom of heaven? Now Christ begins to expand on His meaning by discussing the connection between sins of action and sins of attitude.

In making His earlier statements, Jesus teaches two points, one immediate and part of a broader sense of what it means to be saved as a Christian. First, He implies that the scribes and Pharisees were not truly righteous enough to be allowed into the kingdom. Despite outward appearances, their supposed “perfection” did not reach their hearts. Second, and key to many of the illustrations in the Sermon on the Mount, is the idea that no person is worthy of heaven. This teaching will become essential to the gospel of Jesus.

In His first example, Jesus points to the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees by saying, “You have heard it said.” He will use this phrase repeatedly to describe what was common knowledge about the Old Testament commands. Jesus does not necessarily mean that those statements are wrong, but He will often clarify how they should be interpreted. This command is clear enough. This is the sixth of the Ten Commandments: You shall not murder (Exodus 20:13). The judgment for murderers was also clear, prescribed as death (Numbers 35:31).

While “don’t murder” seems like an easy standard to follow, Jesus is about to make a stunning connection between thoughts and actions. God’s intent behind the sixth commandment goes far beyond “just” not killing people. It’s meant to be applied at the deepest levels of our thoughts and feelings toward every single person.

Verse 22 But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

Jesus is demonstrating to His listeners how the righteousness of their spiritual leaders, the scribes and Pharisees, is not enough to earn heaven. They superficially obey and teach the law of Moses without any kind of heart-change. Jesus is teaching God’s intent behind the commandments of the law. In particular, Christ is pointing out that unrighteous attitudes and thoughts, while not exactly the same as unrighteous actions, are just as much worthy to be labelled as sins.

Christ has pointed out well-known commandment not to murder (Exodus 20:13) and the civil judgment for those who do: death (Number 35:31).

Now Jesus contrasts the statements of Israel’s spiritual leaders with a more complete understanding. Jesus’ teaching. “But I say” is the phrase He will use to show where God intends mankind to focus their obedience to these commands. In this case, Jesus says that obedience to the commandment against murder begins with eliminating anger for one’s brother. In context, one’s brother would be a fellow believer, or a relative, or any close associate.

In the moment these words were spoken, they would have been shocking. Even today, they are deeply challenging. Jesus is saying that an improper attitude—to be unrighteously angry with another person—makes one subject to God’s judgment. Who can honestly claim they have never been angry towards someone else? Or that every unhappy thought was perfectly justified? It’s convicting and even frightening to think that level of perfection is God’s standard for right and wrong.

Jesus acknowledges that someone who insults another risks judgment from other men. By this, Jesus may have meant that someone who is angry enough to insult another must answer not just to God, but to government, such as the council of Jewish religious leaders. Even in the ancient era, speaking unkind words could result in legal problems. The term Jesus uses here is rhaka, originally a Hebrew word which can mean “fool” or “empty head.”

Next, though, Jesus escalates this teaching even further. The original phrasing of this verse uses the Greek term mōre, used as a slur like calling someone a “moron,” or an “idiot.” Whether Jesus means the same level of insult as the prior phrase, or something worse, the point is clear: being angry enough to insult another makes a person liable to the “hell of fire.” The word “hell,” in this case, is translated from the Greek word geenna, a reference to the ever-burning trash dump outside the city, used as a symbolic reference to eternal damnation.

Jesus is showing that God cares about actions, but He cares most about the heart. The reason for the command not to murder is given in Genesis 9:6, “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” If being made in the image of God makes it wrong to murder, it also makes it wrong to call a person “worthless.” Guarding the heart, and the mind, is just as much part of obedience to God as good behavior.

Only those with perfect righteousness will be welcomed into eternity with God based on their deeds; Jesus’ examples are quickly demonstrating that no human person can claim perfection.

Verse 23 So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,

Shocking to those who thought of righteousness as only involving what a person does, Jesus has taught that avoiding physical murder is not enough to claim one keeps the sixth commandment (Matthew 5:21–22). Unrighteous anger opens a person up to God’s judgment, as well. Insulting another may require an appearance before the council; calling another a “fool” could earn the angry person a place in hell. The point is not that anger is exactly the same thing as murder—rather, it’s that anger is a sin, just as surely as murder is a sin.

God cares deeply about the hearts of His people. We should reject anger, insults, and name-calling for the same reason we reject murder: Every person is made in the image of God (Genesis 9:6). Attitudes of hatred don’t just lead to acts of violence (Genesis 4:6–7), they are sins in and of themselves.

A larger point, revealed through the context of Jesus’ teaching ministry, is that nobody is righteous enough to enter the kingdom of heaven. Human behavior can never be “good enough.” To be saved, a person must receive Jesus’ own righteousness (Romans 3:23–24).

Having indicated how serious hatred and anger are, Jesus stresses the importance of seeking to resolve conflicts. His listeners would have been familiar with offering a gift at the altar as part of temple worship. It was one considered a sacred act. Jesus’ point is that even pious actions should be set aside until reconciliation can be made between two people in angry conflict (Matthew 5:24).

It’s worth noting that what Jesus speaks of here is realizing that one has offended some other person. When a true believer realizes they’ve done something to make another person angry, they ought to act quickly to make things right (Matthew 5:9).

Verse 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Jesus has shown how deeply God cares about the hearts of His people. In recent examples, He has placed inner attitudes, like anger, into the same category of “sin” as murder (Matthew 5:21–22). In fact, Jesus said that one who angrily insults or condemns another in anger is liable to the hell of fire. Avoiding unresolved conflict is so important, in fact, that even the most sacred action should be postponed until a reconciliation can be made with another person (Matthew 5:23).

In the previous verse, Jesus placed responsibility on the person who realizes they’ve given another person cause to be angry. Christ’s instruction is to “leave your gift” at the altar instead of finishing what you’re doing. Go to your “brother,” whether literally or simply a friend or associate, and make things right as soon as possible. Don’t wait. Then come back and finish your worship after you’ve sought reconciliation.

The broad principle of these verses is that our hearts are not right with God if they are not right with each other. We can’t worship God with a sincere spirit if we are unrepentant about causing another person legitimate offense.

Verse 25 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison.

In giving examples to illustrate the importance of setting aside anger and reconciling relationships, Jesus has once again escalated standards far beyond what makes us comfortable. In the previous verses, He described a worshiper setting down their gift before making the offering to God in order to go make things right with a brother (Matthew 5:23–24).

Now He describes someone who is being taken to court for some reason. The assumption here seems to be that the accused wasn’t aware of their offense until it was brought to court, or they were not able to reconcile before then. The advice here is not only practical, it’s also meant to continue the spiritual lesson Jesus began in earlier verses. If the courtroom accuser wins the case before the judge, the accused will be handed over to the guard and taken to prison. No longer is the motive simply to have a right spirit and a good relationship with people. Now the motive is to avoid judgment and prison.

Jesus is comparing the spiritual stakes of unresolved conflict to the civil stakes of an unresolved lawsuit. In either case, if you’ve truly wronged another person, you are in danger of judgment. The proper response is to make things right quickly— both to have a pure heart and to avoid judgment for wrongdoing.

Verse 26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

The sixth commandment of the Ten Commandments is clear enough: You shall not murder. Jesus, though, has elevated the commandment by revealing God’s intent for the hearts of His people: Don’t even be angry with your brother, and don’t in your anger call him a fool. Otherwise, you are liable for hell (Matthew 5:21–25).

Jesus is showing that God expects His disciples to live for God in both their actions and in their attitudes. Anger is not exactly the same thing as murder, but it is just as much a sin. With that kind of standard, none of us can expect to be righteous enough for the kingdom of God.

Christ’s final example was someone taken to court by an accuser; the wise thing to do when sued is to make every effort to make peace before the judge gets involved. Otherwise, the guilty party risks being thrown in prison for the wrongdoing. Jesus’ spiritual application is that a prison of sorts—hell—should be avoided at all costs by not wronging anyone or causing them to wrong us by provoking their anger.

Now He adds, solemnly, that someone who is thrown into prison will never get out until they have paid the last penny in restitution for their wrongdoing. Coming up with cash from prison is difficult. Instead of risking it, Jesus tells His listeners to make things right with everyone as quickly as possible.

Context Summary
Matthew 5:21–26 begins to expand Jesus’ comments about righteousness. The underlying theme is that sin involves more than just physical actions: it also includes thoughts and attitudes. It’s relatively easy to say, ”I do not murder,” but very difficult to say, ”I’m not unfairly angry towards other people.” The point is not that anger is literally-and-exactly the same as murder. Rather, it’s that unrighteous anger is undeniably a sin, in and of itself. True righteousness—the kind that would be needed to earn heaven—requires that level of perfection. Not only does this teaching counter superficial religious hypocrisy, it underscores the fact that salvation must be by grace through faith, and can never be earned by good works.

Verse 27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’

Jesus is giving examples to back up His statement in verse 20 that nobody can enter the kingdom of heaven unless their righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees. In part, this is meant to suggest that those groups were hypocritical. More immediately, it was meant to emphasize the level of perfection demanded by heaven. Christ’s first example connected the commandment against murder with God’s expectation not even to lash out with insults in anger or risk the hell of fire (Matthew 5:21–22).

Now Jesus says that His listeners have heard, “You shall not commit adultery.” This is the seventh of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:14), taught to every Jewish person by their religious leaders. When Jesus uses the “you have heard” phrase, He does not mean to imply that the statement is false. Rather, He follows those statements with a more accurate understanding. Jesus does not go on to contradict the law against adultery—He magnifies it.

As he did before, Jesus will point out that it’s not “good enough” to simply avoid physical sin. What we think in our hearts leads to what we do with our bodies—so honoring this commandment means something more than not having sex outside of marriage. God’s intent is for people to control what happens in their hearts and minds well before the opportunity for physical adultery becomes available.

Verse 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

Jesus has quoted the seventh of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:14), as taught to His listeners by the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:27). This prohibits adultery. Now He begins to show that merely avoiding physical acts isn’t good enough to satisfy the intent behind God’s command. God wants His people to be pure in heart, as well as in their actions. This is part of a consistent pattern of Jesus’ teaching, which is that attitudes and thoughts can be just as much sins as actions and speech.

The connection Christ makes here is striking and would have been shocking to His original listeners. His claim is that lustful intent—all by itself—is a sin, an act of adultery in the heart. Legalists of that era might have claimed that lust and fantasy were fine, if it didn’t lead to actual sex. But Jesus describes lustful intent as being every bit as much a sin as adulterous action.

The stakes of this comment are easy to miss, from a modern perspective. Adultery was an especially serious crime in that culture, punishable by death (Leviticus 20:10). Jesus is suggesting that a person’s thoughts can be sinful on the same level as a capital offense. Some of Jesus’ hearers may have received this statement in despair. How many can honestly claim to be entirely free of both anger (Matthew 5:21–22) and inappropriate desire? Jesus continues to raise the standards, making it sound harder and harder to get into the kingdom of heaven. Who could be so righteous?

In part, Jesus is pushing that very point: that nobody is righteous enough. All are sinful. At the same time, He is showing the expectation Christians ought to have for their inner, private lives. Christ is leaving no room for legalism or technicalities—He is defining sin as something which begins and continues in the heart.

Despite common misunderstanding, Jesus is not saying that all attraction is immediately sinful. The phrase used in Greek here is pros to epithymēsai autēn. This strongly implies something deliberate: an intentional, considered choice. “Noticing” that someone is attractive is not a sin; looking with sexual intent, fantasizing, or leering—what in English might be called “ogling”—certainly is. This phrase implies someone engaging their imagination in lust.

Some scholars suggest this phrase can also imply an additional possibility: looking at a woman in order to get her to lust. This would infer seduction: looking—or behaving—towards that person in a way that tempts them to inappropriate actions or thoughts. Whether that is the literal intent of Jesus’ words here, the concept fits in the scheme of His overall point. The desire for adultery, even if it fails to succeed, is just as much a sin as accomplishing it. In either case, it’s still about what is going on in the person’s heart and not just the action.

Modern readers should also note that while Jesus phrases this—and other statements—using references to men and women, the spiritual principles apply to both sexes.

Verse 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.

Jesus is expanding on His earlier comment, that righteousness worthy of heaven must be perfect (Matthew 5:20). The two examples given so far indicate that anger and lust are sins, just as much as murder and adultery (Matthew 5:21–22; 5:27–28).

In this verse, Jesus uses a common technique. This is formally named hyperbole, or “exaggerating for effect.” When a mother says, “I’ve told you a million times,” or a manager says, “we’re going to blow up our business model,” those are examples of hyperbole. Those who hear or read those words understand them to be non-literal and meant to make a point about the situation at hand.

What’s interesting about this statement is that Jesus is already overturning cultural assumptions. Saying lust is adultery of the heart, and anger is murder of the heart, would seem extreme and unsettling to His audience. At first, some might have wondered if Jesus really meant this as a literal, physical command. Quickly, though, it becomes obvious—especially in context with His other teaching—that this is not meant as a literal command.

However, Jesus is making an important point about how dangerous our thoughts and desires can be. Being led by our urges, rather than keeping our desires under control, is a path to destruction. In that vein, He says that it’s worth losing an eye rather than letting that eye drag someone into sin, and by extension into hell. Jesus will make a similar comment about a person’s hands (Matthew 5:30). The immediate context of this remark is the idea of lust: “looking” at someone with sexual intent.

Where Jesus is certainly not exaggerating is the idea that “looking with lustful intent” is enough to earn someone hell. God’s will for His people is that they do not engage in lust. The kingdom of heaven requires righteousness that is perfect (Matthew 5:20), just as God is perfect. A major aspect of Jesus’ gospel is that nobody can be righteous enough on their own to earn a place in the kingdom of heaven. His mission on earth included dying on the cross as the final blood sacrifice for sin. Without that covering and being declared righteous by God through faith in Christ, nobody will be saved (Romans 3:21–31).

Verse 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.

Jesus could not be more forcefully clear about the sins of lustful intent or attempted adultery (Matthew 5:22–28). He has indicated that avoiding sex with another person’s spouse is good, but not “good enough.” There is more involved in God’s command not to commit adultery than the scribes and Pharisees have taught. What happens in the heart is equally important. In the prior verse, Jesus quipped that it’s better for a person to lose an eye, rather than that eye tempt them into sins that lead to hell (Matthew 5:29).

This verse follows the same pattern of hyperbole—exaggeration for effect—as made clear by the rest of Jesus’ teachings. Jesus is not literally telling people to mutilate themselves in order to avoid sinning and going to hell. His purpose is to emphasize how high the stakes are when it comes to sin.

While the prior reference involved the eyes, and implied sins like lust, Jesus’ current analogy speaks of one’s hand. The overt meaning is that we ought to be in control of our urges—not to let the desires of the body take us over. Once again, the point is that it’s better to lose a body part rather than be thrown into hell. Some scholars suggest the words used here might have also been used as a polite euphemism for lustful acts, more generally.

Once more, Jesus is demonstrating how seriously God takes sin. It is not only action, but motivation, which matters to God (Matthew 5:20). Sin starts in the inner places of a person. Along with this, Jesus is demonstrating how impossible it is for anyone to be worthy of the kingdom of heaven, based on their own goodness (Matthew 5:48). Every person is a sinner, based on God’s standards.

Context Summary
Matthew 5:27–30 continues to expand on a theme Jesus introduced in Matthew 5:20. True ”righteousness” is not merely about what a person does but includes what they think and feel. This teaching is meant to explain the reality of sin, and to highlight the need for grace and faith, not good works, in salvation. In this passage, Jesus acknowledges that adultery is a sin, but also declares that attitudes of lust are sinful as well. He does not say that lust is exactly, precisely the same thing as adultery. He does, however, teach that lust is absolutely a sin, even if it never results in physical action.

Verse 31 “It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’

The standard for divorce in the ancient world was low. Practically speaking, a husband could divorce a wife for almost any reason at any time. The hardest part might be coming up with a legal technicality to use as an excuse. In that era, culture was completely dominated by male authority. Women were generally held in lower regard. Worse, it was extremely difficult for unmarried women to conduct business or own property. Being divorced, for women of Jesus’ era, included losing one’s finances and future.

God seems to allow the practice of divorce for Israel in Deuteronomy 24:1–4 if a man decided he found something “indecent” about his wife. Jesus will say later in Matthew that God only allowed this (through Moses) because Israel’s men were stubborn: “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.” (Matthew 19:8). Culturally, a certificate of divorce provided protection for a woman. It gave her legal standing to remarry, if she could. The man’s legal standing to remarry was simply assumed.

It’s likely Israel’s religious leaders permitted the practice of men giving their wives certificates of divorce for little or no reason. Jesus cites the teaching of these leaders, which falls far short of the Old Testament law. In the following verse, He will reveal God’s true intent for marriage and divorce. As He has with other statements, Jesus will continue by giving a deeper, more faithful explanation of God’s will.

Verse 32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

In the previous verse, Jesus described the standard teaching on divorce from the Jewish religious leaders. They allowed a man to give his wife a certificate of divorce for little or no reason, according to their interpretation of Deuteronomy 24:1–4. This “interpretation,” as it turns out, left out not only much of the original wording but almost all the original purpose.

Jesus once again demonstrates God’s true and original intent. In this case, God means for marriages to be for life. Rather than agreeing that marriages can or should be dissolved for petty reasons, Christ describes divorces motivated by something less than sexual immorality to be invalid. That’s not to say this is the one and only reason of any kind that might justify a divorce. The primary point is that a man may not legitimately divorce his wife unless she violates the marriage through adultery or some other sexual immorality.

Because the divorce is invalid, the man is guilty of causing his wife to commit adultery when she remarries another man. In the same way, a man who marries a woman whose divorce was not for a valid reason also becomes guilty of adultery. From Jesus’ view, false divorces—no matter how legal the religious leaders say they are—lead to more and more adultery. He was shockingly clear about the penalty for adultery and lust (Matthew 5:27–30).

Jesus’ teaching here is not simply a reflection of some obscure, fussy rule. It’s because God instituted marriage, and deeply values it for its own sake. Marriage is not only the fundamental relationship of every culture; it is meant to be a representation of Christ and the church (Genesis 2:24–25; Ephesians 5:25–33).

Context Summary
Matthew 5:31–32 contains Jesus’ comments about divorce, delivered during the Sermon on the Mount. As with His prior statements about lust and adultery, Jesus raises the standards of righteousness above mere legalism. While God may have ”allowed” divorce, that does not mean He ”approves” of it. Rather than seeing divorce as a loophole, Jesus indicates that we ought to see marriages as sacred unions.

Verse 33 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’

Jesus continues to give one example after another, comparing what His hearers have been taught by Israel’s religious leaders to God’s true intent for the hearts of His people. His pattern is not to reject the words of the religious leaders, but to show how their interpretations fall short (Matthew 5:20). The full meaning comes as Jesus follows each statement by saying, “I say…” So far, He has given a deeper understanding of anger (Matthew 5:21–22), adultery (Matthew 5:27–28), and divorce (Matthew 5:31–32).

Now Jesus turns to the issue of swearing an oath. This is not about bad language. Nor is it a reference to serious, formal promises, such as those seen in wedding vows or a courtroom. Rather, Jesus is speaking of the use of God’s name as a token to seal a promise. He’s also speaking of the practice of adding some qualifier to our words to declare honesty—such as “cross my heart,” or “I swear on my mother”.

Numbers 30:2 describes it like this, “If a man vows a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.” Under that understanding, someone might say, “I swear to the Lord that I will pay you back this money.” Among Israelites, this have been considered contractually binding. It was also seen as dangerous: breaking an oath to the Lord was understood to bring severe consequences.

In practice, however, this concept became yet another loophole subject to abuse. In some cases, oath-breakers might argue that if God had meant the oath to be kept, He would have ensured it, therefore the oath was never binding. Swearing by other things and places would have provided even more wiggle room to the oath-taker. Obviously, this creates a broad opportunity for premeditated deceit. Israel’s religious leaders may have made the problem worse by debating which oaths were binding and which were not.

Jesus sets a different, more challenging standard for His disciples in the following verse.

Verse 34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God,

The previous verse contained Jesus’ now-familiar phrase “you have heard that it was said…” which is His way of introducing the common teachings of religious leaders. Jesus does not always contradict those teachings, but He does explain a more godly, challenging application. God expects His commandments to be taken much more seriously than as tool for legalism and hypocrisy.

Currently, Jesus is speaking about swearing oaths as a way of obligating oneself to a task. Someone who said, “I swear to the Lord to pay you the money” would have to answer to God for their sin if they did not follow through. However, in practice, Israel’s religious leaders allowed for a system of debatable oaths to take hold. Swearing by things and places other than the Lord may have been an attempt to imply less serious consequences for the oath-breaker (Numbers 30:2). They may have also tolerated those who claimed that God, not the oath-maker, was to blame if the promise was not kept.

Aspects of this continue into modern culture. Jesus is not speaking of formal, official promises such as contracts, marriage vows, or a courtroom oath. This does, however, apply to moments where a person tries to emphasize their honesty using an oath. In English, a person might say, “I cross my heart,” or “may God strike me dead if I’m lying,” or simply, “I swear I’ll pay you back.” The implication is that the oath “guarantees” the person is telling the truth and has good intentions.

Jesus now says flatly that His disciples should not take an oath, at all. They should not swear by anything. The main reason is that a person known for integrity doesn’t need to enhance their promises. The upright truth behind a Christian’s “yes” and “no” should be strong enough to stand on its own. Another concern is that swearing by something that belongs to God comes too close to swearing by God Himself. Therefore Jesus says not to swear by heaven, because it is God’s throne. He will expand on that in the following verses.

Verse 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.

Jesus is showing how the shallow teaching of Israel’s religious leaders misses the intent of God’s Word. He has introduced statements using the phrase “you have heard…” and followed that with “but I say…” in order to give a fuller explanation.

One example of how shallow legalism wound up contradicting God’s intent was in the category of oaths. Israel’s leaders had apparently tolerated a system of promises between Israelites for various contractual agreements. Swearing by the Lord was considered a solemn thing, binding the oath-taker to follow through or face God’s judgment (Numbers 30:2). Swearing by heaven, earth, or other things, though, was allowed as a less serious and perhaps less binding form of agreement. Unfortunately, many of those oaths provided room for deliberate deception.

The modern equivalent to this is the casual oath, which in English is often started with the phrase “I swear…” Using some additional promise or guarantee to earn trust is what Jesus has in mind here. His target is not official vows such as in courtrooms or legal contracts.

Jesus doesn’t specify certain oaths as good and some as bad. Rather, He discards the value of casual oaths, entirely (Matthew 5:34). For one thing, swearing by something that belongs to God comes very close to swearing by the Lord Himself. So, Jesus has said not to swear by heaven because it is God’s throne. Now He adds that they must not swear by earth because it belongs to God as His footstool, meaning that He can do anything He wants with it.

Also, Jesus adds, don’t swear by Jerusalem—or possibly “towards” Jerusalem—because it belongs to the Great King. This may be another name for God. If so, swearing by or towards Jerusalem also comes dangerously close to swearing by the Lord.

The overall point is that a Christian’s life should reflect a pattern of truth and integrity. When a born-again believer says “yes” or “no,” they should mean it with complete honesty (Matthew 5:37). In such a case, there’s nothing to be gained from adding oaths on top of one’s word.

Verse 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.

At the time Jesus gave this teaching, oaths were being used—and abused—in many situations. The oaths in question were not formal agreements, such as contracts, courtrooms, or a marriage. What Jesus condemns here are the casual oaths people make to add weight to a promise. In modern times, people might say something like “I swear, I’m telling the truth.” That kind of oath misunderstands God’s intent, which is for honest communication (Matthew 5:37). It’s also subject to deception.

Some people in Jesus’ era may have avoided swearing oaths by the Lord, since the consequences of not following through on those oaths for any reason were understood to be harsh (Numbers 30:2). However, the religious leaders apparently allowed for swearing oaths on other things, as a way of cementing agreements. So, someone might say, “I swear by heaven and earth that I will do this thing.”

Jesus says this is wrong. Swearing by anything that belongs to God or is under His control comes too close to swearing by the Lord. He has described heaven as God’s throne, earth as His footstool, and Jerusalem as His city. Swearing an oath by what He owns is just a substitute for swearing by the Lord Himself. It is a dangerous practice.

Now Jesus takes this prohibition even further. He tells them not to take an oath even by their own heads. This might be the equivalent to saying something like, “I swear by my life that I will do this.” Or, “I swear by my eyes that I will do that.” Jesus, though, points out that humans don’t even have control over the color of the hair on their heads. Our heads belong to God, as well.

He drives the point home in the following verse: Christians ought to be known for honesty, such that their simple word is good enough (Matthew 5:37).

Verse 37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

Once again, Jesus is countering the shallow interpretation of Old Testament law, coming from Israel’s religious leaders. In this passage, He has criticized the use of oaths: in this context, meaning the type of casual, “I swear I will do this” promises made in conversation. In Christ’s era, people might have sworn oaths on “heaven and earth,” or their own life, rather than swearing to the Lord, to avoid the consequences of breaking such a promise (Numbers 30:2). Jesus has already dismissed that practice (Matthew 5:33–36). Since all things belong to the Lord, nobody should take an oath on any of them.

Here, Jesus explicitly explains why using oaths to “enhance” a promise is not only unwise, it’s sinful. When someone declares a promise with an oath, they’re undermining their own personal integrity and honesty. The oath implies, “I really, truly mean what I am saying,” which suggests other, non-oath-bound statements might not be so sincere. There’s a built-in suggestion that the oath-swearer has a varied commitment to honesty. It’s also a form of manipulation, seeking to get agreement from the other person using dramatic terms.

Christ’s command for believers is simple: let the words “yes” and “no” be binding in all cases. Anything more comes from evil. A believer ought to be honest in what they say and do—they should not need the pressure of an artificial oath to follow through on their commitments. And, the believer should live a life of integrity such that others trust them without seeking such oaths. Modern culture echoes that with phrases such as “that man’s word is his bond.” This is the ideal: if you say you will do it, you will, period. No oaths required.

What Jesus does not refer to here are “oaths” such as contracts, marriage vows, or swearing in a witness in a courtroom. He is not forbidding believers to make promises, but to use oaths as an artificial form of honesty.

Context Summary
Matthew 5:33–37 continues a theme Jesus has been expanding in the Sermon on the Mount. The difference between righteousness and sin is not just a matter of following rules. It starts in the human heart. Here, Jesus attacks another way in which hypocrites would twist and abuse religious teachings. When Jesus speaks against swearing oaths, he’s not referring to serious, formal commitments like marriage or a courtroom witness. He’s condemning those who use the language of oaths to disguise dishonest intentions.

Verse 38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’

Jesus moves on to another “you have heard,” “but I say” topic. This time, He expects His audience has heard the “law of retaliation,” often summed up as an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. This comes from God’s system of justice for the Israelites as described in Deuteronomy 19:21, “Your eye shall not pity. It shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”

It’s a testament to Christ’s influence in changing mankind that modern readers often see “eye for an eye” as vicious or harsh. The reason God gave that law was to prevent escalation, including excessive punishment for crimes. Human nature is to retaliate “plus one.” In other words, if you slap me, I’ll punch you. If you stab me, I’ll shoot you. This pattern of revenge is what turns petty insults into riots, and minor crimes into wars. God’s rule for Israel was to limit retaliation and punishment to a fair equivalent of harm. God’s teaching about “eye for an eye” was meant to limit violence, not encourage it.

Christ’s teaching on the matter, given in the next few verses, reveals the true intent God has for His people. So far as it goes between individual people, God’s will is that we do not take revenge, at all (Matthew 5:39). This doesn’t mean being weak or passive in the face of blatant violence (Luke 22:36), but it does prohibit seeking to “get even” when we’re insulted or abused (Romans 12:19).

Verse 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.

The Sermon on the Mount, which began early in chapter 5, contains difficult concepts for human nature to accept. Jesus is setting a seemingly impossible standard for those who would enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:20). Refusing to murder is not enough: don’t even insult another in anger (Matthew 5:21–22). Not committing adultery is not enough: don’t even intentionally lust (Matthew 5:27–28). His larger point is that none are righteous enough to enter heaven, based on their own good deeds (Matthew 5:48). Everyone, no matter how “holy” they may seem, must receive forgiveness of sins and righteousness through faith in Christ.

This verse is often badly misunderstood, due to two ideas that are less common today: lex talionis and the idea of being slapped on the cheek.

In the prior verse (Matthew 5:38), Jesus referred to a rule in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 19:21) called the lex talionis, often summarized as “eye for an eye.” After thousands of years of Christian influence, and in fact because of that influence, modern people often think this as a cruel standard. In truth, God established this to limit violence and revenge. The point of “eye for an eye” was that punishment is to be proportional to the crime, rather than an ever-escalating cycle of revenge.

Jesus does not dispute the legal aspects of “eye for an eye,” so far as they apply to a courtroom or the government. But in personal terms, He sets a much more challenging standard. Limiting revenge is not God’s intent for the hearts of His people. Refusing revenge is God’s will and Jesus’ command to His followers (Romans 12:19). This does not mean Christians cannot flee, nor does it mean that blatant violence and evil should be met with total pacifism (Luke 22:36). It does mean that so far as we’re able, Christians are not to “return evil for evil” (Romans 12:20–21).

This is consistent with Jesus’ comments about turning the other cheek. In the ancient world, the right hand was always assumed to be dominant. Jesus specifically refers to the “right cheek,” here.” That implies a backhanded movement: to slap someone on the right cheek, with the right hand, is more intimidation and abuse than mayhem. Even in the modern world, the term “slap in the face” is used in reference to insults and slights. To “turn the other cheek” implies taking that insult and accepting that another might be on the way.

In short, Christ’s command here does not mean “you must do nothing while someone beats you into a bloody pulp.” He is speaking to believers who will experience persecution and hate from the world (Matthew 5:11–12). The proper Christian response to discrimination, mocking, or insults is to simply let it go: “don’t resist the evil person.” Instead, prove that such acts are not worth a response. Even better, as the following verses show, is to turn abuse upside down through love (Matthew 5:40–42).

Verse 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.

In this extended teaching, known as the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has been redefining for His listeners what it means to be righteous. He is going beyond the letter of the law, especially as it has been taught by Israel’s religious leaders. His purpose is twofold. First, to uncover the true heart of God for His people, as revealed in those commandments. Second, to demonstrate that no person can hope to be “good enough” to earn heaven on their own merit (Matthew 5:20, 48).

Jesus has declared that it is wrong to seek personal revenge. In response to insults—even to a literal “slap in the face”—the best option is to simply “turn the other cheek.” Treat the insult as something unworthy of attention and accept that more insults might be coming (Matthew 5:38–39).

The phrase “do not resist the one who is evil,” used in the prior verse, applies to that context. Taking it out of context leads to confusion, but even in the immediate sense, it clashes with human nature. It’s so “unnatural” that most people reject this teaching. According to worldly wisdom, resistance in the face of evil is noble; it’s brave and courageous. Why would Jesus tell His followers not to resist an evil person? The primary reason is that Jesus is speaking in the context of personal matters: He does not, at all, mean this to prohibit self-defense, or the actions of a government to restrain evil.

The other reason Jesus made the comment about not resisting an evil person begins to take shape in this verse. That idea is expanded even further in the following section, about loving enemies. Refusing to resist—meaning to retaliate, in this case—is an act of trust in the God who cares for us and works in the world through us. Personal attacks provide believers with an opportunity to demonstrate God’s strength and goodness. For now, Christ offers examples of what it looks like not to resist others.

Going further than petty insults, Jesus now imagines a scenario in which someone would sue a person for their tunic. This was the inner garment commonly worn in Jesus’ day. In modern terms, this is literally “the shirt off your back.” Instead of fighting them in court, Jesus tells His followers simply to give that person both your tunic and your cloak—the outer garment. What others mean for abuse and insult, Christians can turn into an example of faithful strength.

Verse 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.

Jesus is giving a series of examples to show what it would look like not to “resist” an evil person, the standard He has just set for His disciples. If someone slaps you in the face, He said, offer them your other cheek. If someone sues you for your inner garment, just give it to them, along with your outer garment (Matthew 5:38–40).

Now Jesus describes a forced march, of sorts. This example was a clear reference to Israel’s Roman occupiers, who were often harsh and unfair in their treatment of the Jewish people. Apparently, Roman soldiers could grab any Jewish citizen they chose and force that person to carry luggage or other items for a standard mile. That kind of oppressive, invasive act would naturally inspire a hunger for revenge. Culturally, it would entice people to violently overthrow the Romans.

Some of Jesus’ original audience thought His goal as Messiah was to overthrow the occupiers and drive them out of Israel. That would make His next command shocking: don’t refuse, and do even more than you were asked. Depending on how one translates this phrase, it might even mean “walk with them another two miles,” adding up to a total of three miles.

Taken out of context, and with cynicism, some hear appeasement and weakness in these words. Human nature jumps to the assumption that Jesus means weakly surrendering to bullies and invaders. Instead, Jesus is describing a person strong enough to take control—strong enough to give to an enemy more than they asked for. In Romans 12:21, the apostle Paul will say it this way, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Jesus does not tell His followers to shrink and wither, even to the slap or the lawsuit or the abuse of authority. He tells them to demonstrate strength by freely giving away more than an enemy can take. This is a demonstration of power in the guise of submission. This kind of response makes it possible for God to demonstrate His goodness even in the face of those with the most evil intent.

Such a response is literally invincible: it entirely refuses to allow the evil person to control the situation. It shouts, in clear terms, that their abuse and insults can’t overcome the power and influence of Christ in our life.

Verse 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

Jesus provides another example of what it means not to “resist” an evil man. This is the standard of behavior He is setting for His disciples, and it must not have been an easy teaching to hear or follow. The overall idea is that followers of Jesus should overcome evil by freely giving of themselves more than the evil person wants to take. The picture He paints is someone targeted by evil, to be taken advantage of, and somehow the targeted person retains all the power in the exchange. If slapped on one cheek, offer the other. If sued for your tunic, give it and the cloak to your accuser. If forced to walk a mile by a Roman officer, willingly walk two or three. Overcome their evil with God’s goodness (Matthew 5:38–41).

In this case, Jesus speaks of a different, but related scenario. The prior command implied someone with more power than us, such as a Roman soldier or a wealthier member of the community. This statement speaks of those with less power. Jesus escalates His earlier command by telling His followers to submit even to those on the lowest rungs of society.

To that end, Jesus tells His disciples to freely give to beggars and to loan money or possessions to whomever asks. These commands may feel like the weakest position of all: cooperating with an unreasonable request when it comes from someone with no power over you. Rather than an unfair insult, or an abusive command, this might be a manipulative or emotionally-tied appeal.

Jesus is demonstrating that choosing to give is a powerful act because you have chosen to do so. More importantly, you have chosen to trust God to continue to provide for you despite giving away what He has freely given to you. Just as Jesus’ prior words don’t prohibit legitimate self-defense (Luke 22:36), this command does not mean being naïve or gullible about charity (Matthew 10:16; 2 Thessalonians 3:10). It does mean that sacrificial, purposeful giving is the proper response when someone expresses legitimate need.

Context Summary
Matthew 5:38–42 is part of the Sermon on the Mount in which Jesus teaches about how to respond to insults and persecution. Old Testament law established a legal principle of ”eye for an eye,” intended to prevent excessive revenge—punishments were meant to be proportional to the crime. In personal matters, however, Jesus sets a very different standard. In response to insults and unfair treatment, Christians are to endure, not retaliate. The following passage, speaking on loving one’s enemies, adds an active component to this concept.

Verse 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’

This statement is subtly different from Jesus’ prior comments about teachings from the scribes and Pharisees. Up to now, statements such as “you shall not murder” (Matthew 5:21) and “you shall not commit adultery” (Matthew 5:27) were legitimate commands given by God in the Old Testament. Jesus’ intent in using “but I say…” in response was not to reject those teachings; it’s to move them beyond shallow, legalistic, unloving interpretations (Matthew 5:22, 28). Here, however, the teaching Jesus presents includes a detail God never gave the people of Israel.

God never commands hate for other people. Leviticus 19:18 commands love for one’s neighbor, but there’s no Scripture where Jesus’ listeners would have been told to hate their enemies. It’s possible that Israel’s religious leaders seized on the “neighbor” concept, claiming that those who were not their “neighbors” were not to be loved. Religious leaders might have taught, since God hates evil, that hatred toward the wicked enemies of God was not only justified, but required.

In Jesus’ earthly ministry, He clarified that loving one’s neighbor was the second-greatest of all God’s commandments (Matthew 22:36–39). He also expanded the definition of one’s “neighbor” (Luke 10:29) well beyond the cultural norm through the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 22:36–37). That doesn’t mean this is easy; It’s hard to love other people. Jesus, though, will show that loving one’s enemies can truly be powerful when done as a representative of God.

Once again, Jesus flips the common understanding of righteousness on its head. Jesus’ original audience probably wondered how any person could possibly be righteous, if a person must love His enemies. That, of course, is part of the point Jesus intends to make (Matthew 5:48). While we ought to strive to meet God’s standards, only salvation by grace through faith can bring us into heaven (Titus 3:5).

Verse 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

Jesus’ long list of reversals in chapter 5 concludes with this one. His listeners had grown up under a partly correct teaching. God’s Word does, indeed, command us to love our neighbor as our self (Leviticus 19:18). However, it seems that the religious leaders were also teaching that it was permissible—possibly even mandatory—to hate one’s enemies (Matthew 5:43). Jesus again declares that God’s intent for the righteousness of His people goes beyond selfishness and legalism. It implies something much more difficult and more like God Himself.

Instead of only acting in love towards neighbors, Jesus tells His disciples to love their enemies and even to pray for those who persecute them. Though few people live this out, in a meaningful way, the idea is deeply ingrained in western culture. Many modern people have heard this teaching, or variations on it, all our lives. That makes it easy to forget how radical the claim was, especially for those who live with daily threats from dire enemies, as did the first-century Israelites.

On one hand, becoming part of the Roman empire brought benefits. Rome typically did not destroy those they conquered—rather, they allowed relative freedom with a set of conditions. Israel continued to function as Israel in many ways, and they experienced a form of peace under Roman rule. That said, Rome ruled over conquered nations absolutely and severely. Dissent beyond the established limits was savagely punished. Crucifixions were common and brutal. Roman soldiers enjoyed privileges and took liberties with Jewish citizens under their thumb. The Roman tax burden left many people in near poverty. The Jewish people understandably viewed Rome as their enemy.

And yet, a man thought by many to be the Messiah, the Savior who was supposed to free Israel from her enemies, has just commanded His disciples to love and pray for their enemies. Worse, He equated this with the righteous living needed to enter the kingdom of heaven. This is hard enough to grasp today, but at the time the words were first spoken they would have been shocking.

Christ does nothing to take the edge off this command, either. This is not described as emotional love, or affection. This kind of love is meant to be expressed in action. Offering prayers to God for people who are actively hurting you, especially for being associated with Christ, requires looking at the world in a completely different way. Jesus will escalate the difficulty of His command in the following verses.

Verse 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

God loves everyone in the world, both the good people and those who are evil. How do we know that? Jesus offers one bit of evidence: God causes the sun to shine and the rain to fall on everyone, no matter who they are or what they are guilty of. God is the provider, and He provides good in this way and countless other ways to all people.

Jesus has commanded His disciples to love their enemies and to pray for those who persecute them (Matthew 5:43–44). Now He gives one reason for doing so: this is to imitate God the Father, as earthly sons imitate their fathers. Jesus describes imitating the Father as a way to become one of His Sons.

Theologians refer to God’s goodness to everyone, no matter who they are, as “common grace.” Jesus has described His disciples as the “light of the world” (Matthew 5:14–16). God is the source of the light in His people. Born-again believers are the tools with which He distributes His light into the spiritual darkness of the world. One of the ways God shows His light through us is when believers love their enemies the way God loves them.

The big picture in this is that nobody is beyond God’s redemption by grace through faith in Christ. Believers attract people to faith in Christ when they give good in exchange for evil, and when they pray for those who bring them pain.

Verse 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

Jesus has commanded His disciples to love their enemies and to demonstrate that love, in part, by praying even for those who persecute them (Matthew 5:43–45). This is the level of righteousness God desires from those who want to enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:48). If that seems like an impossible standard, it is: part of the gospel message is that no person’s good deeds can ever earn eternal salvation (Romans 3:10; Titus 3:5).

Even from a worldly, unspiritual perspective, everyone loves the people who love them. Nobody gets a reward for that in the kingdom of God. It’s easy, and it requires nothing. Jesus says this is so easy that even “tax collectors” do it.

The apostle Matthew is writing this story of Jesus’ life, and he was a tax collector for the Romans before Jesus called him (Matthew 9:9). These men gathered taxes, ultimately for the Roman occupiers. That, alone, made them hated among their Jewish brothers, who saw them as collaborators and traitors. The job also lent itself to deep corruption: as employees of the Roman government, tax collectors often lined their own pockets by collecting more than was actually due. Such men became wealthy at the expense of their fellow citizens.

Jesus’ declaration that “even tax collectors” can love those who love them was meant as a challenge. Tax collectors were associated with a lack of integrity, poor morals, and no loyalty. Even “those people” find it easy to love family and close friends. Loving your enemies, though, requires imitation of God Himself since it is such an unnatural thing for human beings to do.

Verse 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

Challenging both culture and human nature, Jesus has commanded His disciples to love their enemies. In doing so, they will be imitating God as sons naturally imitate their fathers. After all, God does good for everyone on earth, no matter whether they love Him or hate Him. He provides sun and rain to all (Matthew 5:43–46).

Merely loving your neighbors is not righteous enough to be like God the Father. Nobody is rewarded in the kingdom of heaven for loving people who already love them. Matthew, the former tax collector, included a quip from Jesus in the previous verse: that “even the tax collectors” love others who love them first (Matthew 5:46). It requires no special integrity or faith to love someone who is good to you.

Now Jesus gives an example of what loving an enemy might look like: greeting them! Jesus said that everyone greets their brothers, people who love them. By implication he is saying that only the truly righteous greet those who are opposed to them, meaning their enemies. In this cultural context, to greet someone gladly and mean it required removing any animosity in your heart toward that person. Someone who greets their enemies in this way is truly demonstrating God’s love for everyone. This is a love and righteousness that goes way beyond what is normal for humanity. It’s what Jesus expects of His disciples.

Verse 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

How much righteousness does God expect from His followers? Jesus has demonstrated in one example after another that truly godly righteousness, the kind that would earn a person eternal salvation, is well beyond what they had been taught by the Jewish religious leaders (Matthew 5:20). It is far more righteousness than Jesus’ listeners were expecting of themselves.

Jesus clearly teaches that the heavenly standard of righteousness is absolute. You must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. That doesn’t mean salvation is only offered to those who are “good enough,” mostly because no one is ever “good enough” (Romans 3:10). That’s why God offers salvation by grace through faith (John 3:16–18; Titus 3:5).

Two things follow from Jesus’ teaching in this chapter and in this final sentence. First, simply following the law of Moses as it was taught by Israel’s religious leaders was not nearly good enough. Those who would follow Jesus’ teaching, His disciples, must live out righteousness which begins with their inner lives (Matthew 5:21–22, 27–28). That righteousness means surrendering personal rights for the good of others (Matthew 5:31–32, 33–37, 38–39). This extends even to the point of loving and praying for their enemies (Matthew 5:43–47).

Second, it quickly becomes clear that it is absolutely impossible for sinful human beings to live up to God’s standard or righteousness in our own power. That’s why the Apostle Paul will famously state in his letter to the Romans, “None is righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10). He and Matthew and the rest of the New Testament writers will make it clear that perfect righteousness as Jesus has described it in this chapter can only be received as a gift from God through faith in Jesus (Romans 3:23–25).

Context Summary
Matthew 5:43–48 continues Jesus’ teaching on love and humility, a part of the Sermon on the Mount. After commanding believers not to seek revenge in the face of insults, Jesus expands the idea of love to include one’s enemies. Human beings naturally struggle with the idea of passively accepting persecution. We naturally recoil at the idea of expressing active love—in our deeds, not necessarily in our emotions—for those who hate and attack us. However, loving those who love you is easy; God’s standards are higher.

Chapter Summary
The Sermon on the Mount contains some of Jesus’ most challenging teaching. It begins with the unlikely blessings of the Beatitudes. Jesus’ disciples must do good works in order to be a powerful influence: as the salt of the earth and light of the world. The superficial righteousness of the Pharisees is not good enough to earn heaven. Sins of the heart, such as angry insults and intentional lust, are worthy of hell just as much as adultery and murder. Easy divorce and deceptive oaths are forbidden. Believers should not seek revenge. Instead, God intends us to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors. In short, we should strive to be perfect, as God is perfect.