5:32. But I say to you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, excepting the cause of fornication, maketh her to commit adultery: and he that shall marry her that is put away, committeth adultery.
5:33. Again you have heard that it was said to them of old, thou shalt not forswear thyself: but thou shalt perform thy oaths to the Lord.
5:34. But I say to you not to swear at all, neither by heaven for it is the throne of G.o.d:
Not to swear at all... It is not forbid to swear in truth, justice and judgment; to the honour of G.o.d, or our own or neighbour"s just defence: but only to swear rashly, or profanely, in common discourse, and without necessity.
5:35. Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool: nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king:
5:36. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
5:37. But let your speech be yea, yea: no, no: and that which is over and above these, is of evil.
5:38. You have heard that it hath been said: An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.
5:39. But I say to you not to resist evil: but if one strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other:
Not to resist evil, etc... What is here commanded, is a Christian patience under injuries and affronts, and to be willing even to suffer still more, rather than to indulge the desire of revenge: but what is further added does not strictly oblige according to the letter, for neither did Christ nor St. Paul turn the other cheek. St. John 18., and Acts 23.
5:40. And if a man will contend with thee in judgment, and take away thy coat, let go thy cloak also unto him.
5:41. And whosoever will force thee one mile, go with him other two.
5:42. Give to him that asketh of thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not away.
5:43. You have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thy enemy.
5:44. But I say to you, Love your enemies: do good to them that hate you: and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you:
5:45. That you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven, who maketh his sun to rise upon the good, and bad, and raineth upon the just and the unjust.
5:46. For if you love them that love you, what reward shall you have? do not even the publicans this?
The publicans... These were the gatherers of the public taxes: a set of men, odious and infamous among the Jews, for their extortions and injustice.
5:47. And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more? do not also the heathens this?
5:48. Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect.
Matthew Chapter 6
A continuation of the sermon on the mount.
6:1. Take heed that you do not your justice before men, to be seen by them: otherwise you shall not have a reward of your Father who is in heaven.
Your justice... that is, works of justice; viz., fasting, prayer, and almsdeeds; which ought to be performed not out of ostentation, or a view to please men, but solely to please G.o.d.
6:2. Therefore when thou dost an alms-deed, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be honoured by men. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward.
6:3. But when thou dost alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth.
6:4. That thy alms may be in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret will repay thee.
6:5. And when ye pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, that love to stand and pray in the synagogues and corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men: Amen I say to you, they have received their reward.
6:6. But thou when thou shalt pray, enter into thy chamber, and having shut the door, pray to thy Father in secret, and thy father who seeth in secret will repay thee.
6:7. And when you are praying, speak not much, as the heathens. For they think that in their much speaking they may be heard.
6:8. Be not you therefore like to them for your Father knoweth what is needful for you, before you ask him.
6:9. Thus therefore shall you pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
6:10. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
6:11. Give us this day our supersubstantial bread.
Supersubstantial bread... In St. Luke the same word is rendered daily bread. It is understood of the bread of life, which we receive in the Blessed Sacrament.
6:12. And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.
6:13. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Amen.
Lead us not into temptation... That is, suffer us not to be overcome by temptation.
6:14. For if you will forgive men their offences, your heavenly Father will forgive you also your offences.
6:15. But if you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your offences.
6:16. And when you fast, be not as the hypocrites, sad. For they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward.
6:17. But thou, when thou fastest anoint thy head, and wash thy face;
6:18. That thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret, will repay thee.
6:19. Lay not up to yourselves treasures on earth: where the rust, and moth consume, and where thieves break through, and steal.
6:20. But lay up to yourselves treasures in heaven: where neither the rust nor moth doth consume, and where thieves do not break through, nor steal.
6:21. For where thy treasure is, there is thy heart also.
6:22. The light of thy body is thy eye. If thy eye be single, thy whole body shall be lightsome.
6:23. But if thy eye be evil thy whole body shall be darksome. If then the light that is in thee, be darkness: the darkness itself how great shall it be!
6:24. No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one, and love the other: or he will sustain the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve G.o.d and mammon.
Mammon... That is, riches, worldly interest.