The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV, page 460
5:43 love your neighbor and hate your enemy. The first half of this is found in Moses’ law (Lev. 19:18). The second part was found in how the scribes and Pharisees explained and applied that OT command. Jesus’ application was exactly the opposite, resulting in a much higher standard: Love for one’s neighbors should extend even to those neighbors who are enemies (v. 44). Again, this was no innovation, since even the OT taught that God’s people should do good to their enemies (Prov. 25:21).
5:44, 45 love your enemies…that you may be sons of your Father. This plainly teaches that God’s love extends even to His enemies. This universal love of God is manifest in blessings which God bestows on all indiscriminately. Theologians refer to this as common grace. This must be distinguished from the everlasting love God has for the elect (Jer. 31:3), but it is a sincere goodwill nonetheless (cf. Ps. 145:9).
5:46 tax collectors. Disloyal Israelites hired by the Romans to tax other Jews for personal profit. They became symbols for the worst kind of people. Cf. 9:10, 11; 11:19; 18:17; 21:31; Mark 2:14–16; Luke 5:30; 7:25, 29, 34; 18:11–13. Matthew had been one of them (see notes on 9:9; Mark 2:15).
5:48 you shall be perfect. Christ sets an unattainable standard. This sums up what the law itself demanded (James 2:10). Though this standard is impossible to meet, God could not lower it without compromising His own perfection. He who is perfect could not set an imperfect standard of righteousness. The marvelous truth of the gospel is that Christ has met this standard on our behalf (see note on 2 Cor. 5:21).
Matthew 6
6:1–18 Here Christ expands the thought of 5:20, showing how the Pharisees’ righteousness was deficient by exposing their hypocrisy in the matters of “charitable deeds” (vv. 1–4); “prayer” (vv. 5–15); and “fasting” (vv. 16–18). All of these acts are supposed to be worship rendered to God, never displays of self-righteousness to gain the admiration of others.
6:2 hypocrites. This word had its origins in Gr. theater, describing a character who wore a mask. The term, as used in the NT, normally described an unregenerate person who was self-deceived. they have their reward. Cf. vv. 5, 16. Their reward is that they were seen by men, nothing more. God does not reward hypocrisy, but He does punish it (cf. 23:13–23).
6:4 sees in secret. Cf. vv. 6, 18; Jer. 17:10; Heb. 4:13. God is omniscient.
6:7 vain repetitions. Prayers are not to be merely recited, nor are our words to be repeated thoughtlessly, or as if they were automatic formulas. But this is not a prohibition against importunity (see notes on Luke 11:1–8).
6:9 In this manner. Cf. Luke 11:2–4. The prayer is a model, not merely a liturgy. It is notable for its brevity, simplicity, and comprehensiveness. Of the 6 petitions, 3 are directed to God (vv. 9, 10) and 3 toward human needs (vv. 11–13).
6:10 Your will be done. All prayer, first of all, willingly submits to God’s purposes, plans, and glory. See note on 26:39.
6:12 forgive us our debts. The parallel passage (Luke 11:4) uses a word that means “sins,” so that in context, spiritual debts are intended. Sinners are debtors to God for their violations of His laws (see notes on 18:23–27). This request is the heart of the prayer; it is what Jesus stressed in the words that immediately follow the prayer (vv. 14, 15; cf. Mark 11:25).
6:13 do not lead us into temptation. Cf. Luke 22:40. God does not tempt men (James 1:13), but He will subject them to trials that may expose them to Satan’s assaults, as in the case of Job and Peter (Luke 22:31, 32). This petition reflects the believing one’s desire to avoid the dangers of sin altogether. God knows what one’s need is before one asks (v. 8), and He promises that no one will be subjected to testing beyond what can be endured. He also promises a way of escape—often through endurance (1 Cor. 10:13). But still, the proper attitude for the believer is the one expressed in this petition.
6:15 neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. This is not to suggest that God will withdraw justification from those who have already received the free pardon He extends to all believers. Forgiveness in that sense—a permanent and complete acquittal from the guilt and ultimate penalty of sin—belongs to all who are in Christ (cf. John 5:24; Rom. 8:1; Eph. 1:7). Yet, Scripture also teaches that God chastens His children who disobey (Heb. 12:5–7). Believers are to confess their sins in order to obtain a day-to-day cleansing (1 John 1:9). This sort of forgiveness is a simple washing from the worldly defilements of sin, not a repeat of the wholesale cleansing from sin’s corruption that comes with justification. It is like a washing of the feet rather than a bath (cf. John 13:10). Forgiveness in this latter sense is what God threatens to withhold from Christians who refuse to forgive others (cf. 18:23–35).
6:16, 17 when you fast. This indicates that fasting is assumed to be a normal part of one’s spiritual life (cf. 1 Cor. 7:5). Fasting is associated with sadness (9:14, 15), prayer (17:21), charity (Is. 58:3–6), and seeking the Lord’s will (Acts 13:2, 3; 14:23).
6:20 treasures. Don’t amass earthly wealth. He commends the use of financial assets for purposes which are heavenly and eternal. See notes on Luke 16:1–9.
6:22, 23 This is an argument from the lesser to the greater. The analogy is simple. If your eye is bad, no light can come in and you are left with darkness because of that malady. How much worse when the problem is not merely related to external perception, but an internal corruption of one’s whole nature, so that the darkness actually emanates from within and affects one’s whole being. He was indicting them for their superficial earthly religion that left their hearts dark. See note on Luke 11:34.
6:24 mammon. Earthly, material treasures, especially money. See note on Luke 16:13.
6:26 your heavenly Father feeds them. Obviously this in no way advocates a sinful kind of idleness (Prov. 19:15). Birds are not idle, either. But it is God who provides them with food to eat.
6:27 add one cubit to his stature. The Gr. phrase may also refer to adding time to one’s lifespan.
6:29 Solomon in all his glory. The glory and pageantry of Solomon’s kingdom was famous worldwide. Cf. 2 Chr. 9.
6:30 you of little faith. Cf. 8:26; 14:31; 16:8; 17:20. This was the Lord’s recurring rebuke of the weak disciples.
6:32 Gentiles. I.e., those outside the people of promise and outside the blessing of God. Cf. Eph. 4:17–19.
6:33 kingdom of God. This is the same as kingdom of heaven. See note on 3:2. It refers to the sphere of salvation. He was urging them to seek salvation—and with it would come the full care and provision of God. Cf. Rom. 8:32; Phil. 4:19; 1 Pet. 5:7.
Matthew 7
7:1 Judge not. As the context reveals, this does not prohibit all types of judging (v. 16). There is a righteous kind of judgment we are supposed to exercise with careful discernment (John 7:24). Censorious, hypocritical, self-righteous, or other kinds of unfair judgments are forbidden; but in order to fulfill the commandments that follow, it is necessary to discern dogs and swine (v. 6) from one’s own brethren (vv. 3–5).
7:6 Do not give what is holy to the dogs. This principle is why Jesus Himself did not do miracles for unbelievers (13:58). This is to be done in respect for what is holy, not merely out of contempt for the dogs and swine. Nothing here contradicts the principle of 5:44. That verse governs personal dealings with one’s enemies (see note there); this principle governs how one handles the gospel in the face of those who hate the truth.
7:11 you…being evil. Jesus presupposes the doctrine of human depravity (see note on Romans 1:18—3:20). how much more. If earthly fathers give what their sons need (vv. 9, 10), will not God give to His sons what they ask (vv. 7, 8)? See note on James 1:17.
7:12 do also to them. Versions of the “Golden Rule” existed before Christ, in the rabbinic writings and even in Hinduism and Buddhism. All of them cast the rule as a negative command, such as Rabbi Hillel’s version, “What is hateful to yourself do not to someone else.” Jesus made it a positive command, enriching its meaning and underscoring that this one imperative aptly summarizes the whole gist of the ethical principles contained in the Law and the Prophets.
7:13–29 This closing section of the Sermon on the Mount is a gospel application. Here are two gates, two ways, two destinations, and two groups of people (vv. 13, 14); two kinds of trees and two kinds of fruit (vv. 17–20); two groups at the judgment (vv. 21–23); and two kinds of builders, building on two kinds of foundations (vv. 24–28). Christ is drawing the line as clearly as possible between the way that leads to destruction and the way which leads to life.
7:13, 14 Both the narrow gate and the wide gate are assumed to provide the entrance to God’s kingdom. Two ways are offered to people. The narrow gate is by faith, only through Christ, constricted and precise. It represents true salvation in God’s way that leads to life eternal. The wide gate includes all religions of works and self-righteousness, with no single way (cf. Acts 4:12), but it leads to hell, not heaven.
7:14 difficult is the way. Christ continually emphasized the difficulty of following Him (10:38; 16:24, 25; John 15:18, 19; 16:1–3; cf. Acts 14:22). Salvation is by grace alone, but is not easy. It calls for knowledge of the truth, repentance, submission to Christ as Lord, and a willingness to obey His will and Word. See notes on 19:16–28.
7:15 false prophets. These deceive not by disguising themselves as sheep, but by impersonating true shepherds. They promote the wide gate and the wide way. sheep’s clothing. This may refer to the woolen attire that was the characteristic garb of a shepherd.
7:16 You will know them by their fruits. See note on 3:8. False doctrine cannot restrain the flesh, so false prophets manifest wickedness. Cf. 2 Pet. 2:12–22.
7:21 Not everyone who says…but he who does. The barrenness of this sort of faith demonstrates its real character (cf. v. 20)—the faith that says but does not do is really unbelief. Jesus was not suggesting that works are meritorious for salvation, but that true faith will not fail to produce the fruit of good works. This is precisely the point of James 1:22–25; 2:26.
7:22 have we not prophesied…cast out demons…and done many wonders. Note that far from being totally devoid of works of any kind, these people were claiming to have done some remarkable signs and wonders. In fact, their whole confidence was in these works—further proof that these works, spectacular as they might have appeared, could not have been authentic. No one so bereft of genuine faith could possibly produce true good works. A bad tree cannot bear good fruit (v. 18).
7:23 lawlessness. All sin is lawlessness (1 John 3:4), i.e., rebellion against the law of God (cf. 13:41).
7:24–27 The house represents a religious life; the rain represents divine judgment. Only the one built on the foundation of obedience to God’s Word stands, which calls for repentance, rejection of salvation by works, and trust in God’s grace to save through His merciful provision. See notes on James 1:22–25.
7:29 not as the scribes. The scribes quoted others to establish the authority of their teachings; Jesus was His own authority (28:18). This matter of authority was a major issue between Jesus and the Jews, who felt their authority challenged. See note on 21:23. Cf. Mark 1:22; 11:28–33; Luke 4:32; 20:2–8; John 12:49, 50; 14:10.
Matthew 8
8:1 down from the mountain. Cf. 5:1.
8:2 if You are willing. He had no doubt about Christ’s power, only His will (cf. Mark 1:40–45).
8:4 tell no one. Publicity over such miracles might hinder Christ’s mission and divert public attention from His message. Mark records that this is precisely what happened. In this man’s exuberance over the miracle, he disobeyed; as a result, Christ had to move His ministry away from the city and into the desert regions (Mark 1:45). the gift that Moses commanded. A sacrifice of two birds, one of which was killed and the other set free (Lev. 14:4–7). as a testimony to them. I.e., the priests.
8:5 Capernaum. See note on 4:13. centurion. A Roman military officer who commanded (cf. v. 9) 100 men. Luke indicates that the centurion appealed to Jesus through intermediaries (Luke 7:3–6)—because of his own sense of unworthiness (v. 8; cf. Luke 7:7). Matthew makes no mention of the intermediaries.
8:8 I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. Jewish tradition held that a person who entered a Gentile’s house was ceremonially defiled (cf. John 18:28). The centurion, undoubtedly familiar with this law, felt unworthy of having Jesus suffer such an inconvenience for his sake. He also had faith enough to know that Christ could heal by merely speaking a word (see note on v. 10).
8:10 I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! This centurion understood Jesus’ absolute authority (vv. 8, 9). Even some of Jesus’ own disciples did not see things so clearly (cf. v. 26).
8:11 many…from east and west. Gentiles, in the kingdom with Abraham, will enjoy salvation and the blessing of God (cf. Is. 49:8–12; 59:19; Mal. 1:11; Luke 13:28, 29).
8:12 sons of the kingdom. The Hebrew nation, physical heirs of Abraham. will be cast out. This was exactly opposite to the rabbinical understanding, which suggested that the kingdom would feature a great feast in the company of Abraham and the Messiah—open to Jews only. weeping and gnashing. See note on 22:13. Cf. 24:51; 25:30; Luke 13:28. This expression describes the eternal agonies of those in hell.
8:13 as you have believed. Sometimes faith was involved in the Lord’s healings (in this case not by the one being healed, as in 9:2; 15:28); other times it was not a factor (vv. 14–16; Luke 22:51).
8:16 demon-possessed. This means “demonized,” or under the internal control of a demon. All of the cases of demonization dealt with by Christ involved the actual indwelling of demons who utterly controlled the bodies of their victims, even to the point of speaking through them (Mark 5:5–9), causing derangement (John 10:20), violence (Luke 8:29), or rendering them mute (Mark 9:17–22).
8:17 spoken by Isaiah the prophet. See note on healing and the atonement at Is. 53:4, 5. Matthew was citing that passage here. Christ bore both the guilt and the curse of sin (cf. Gal. 3:13). Both physical healing and ultimate victory over death are guaranteed by Christ’s atoning work, but these will not be fully realized until the very end (1 Cor. 15:26).
8:18 the other side. The eastern shore of the lake.
8:19 a certain scribe. As a scribe, this man was breaking with his fellow scribes by publicly declaring his willingness to follow Jesus. Nonetheless, Jesus evidently knew that he had not counted the cost in terms of suffering and inconvenience.
8:20 Son of Man. See notes on Mark 2:10; John 1:51. This is the name Jesus used for Himself more than any other. It is used 83 times in the gospels, always by Jesus Himself. It was a messianic title (Dan. 7:13, 14), with an obvious reference to the humanity and the humility of Christ. Yet, it also speaks of His everlasting glory, as Dan. 7:13, 14 shows (cf. 24:27; Acts 7:56).
8:21 let me first go and bury my father. This does not mean that the man’s father was already dead. The phrase, “I must bury my father” was a common figure of speech meaning, “Let me wait until I receive my inheritance.”
8:22 let the dead bury their own dead. Let the world (the spiritually dead) take care of mundane things.
8:24 suddenly a great tempest arose. The Sea of Galilee is more than 690 ft. below sea level. To the N, Mt. Hermon rises 9,200 ft., and from May to Oct. strong winds often sweep through the narrow surrounding gorges into this valley, causing extremely sudden and violent storms. He was asleep. Just before the disciples saw one of the most awesome displays of His deity, they were given a touching picture of His humanity. He was so weary that not even the violent tossing of the boat awakened Him—even though the disciples feared they would drown (v. 25).
8:26 you of little faith. See note on 6:30. calm. Cf. Pss. 65:7; 89:9.
8:27 the winds and the sea obey Him. This was convincing proof of His deity (cf. Pss. 29:3, 4; 89:9; 93:4; 107:25–29).
8:28 country of the Gergesenes. Some texts say “Gadarenes” (cf. Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26). This refers to a small town on the lake opposite Tiberius, perhaps where the modern village of Khersa (Kursi) is located. Some ancient tombs are there, and the shoreline descends steeply into the water, exactly matching the description of the terrain in this account. two demon-possessed men.Mark 5:2 and Luke 8:27 mention only one of the men. Evidently one was more dominant than the other.
8:29 to torment us before the time? Evidently, even the demons not only recognized the deity of Jesus, but also knew there was a divinely-appointed time for their judgment and He would be their judge. Their eschatology was factually correct, but it is one thing to know the truth, and quite another thing to love it (cf. James 2:19).
8:30 herd of many swine. Mark 5:13 adds that there were 2,000 in this herd. Such a large herd of unclean animals suggests that Gentiles dominated the region. It also suggests that the number of demons was large (cf. Mark 5:9).
8:31 the demons begged Him. Luke 8:31 relates they pleaded not to be sent into the abyss, meaning the pit, the underworld, the prison of bound demons who disobeyed (see notes on 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6). They knew Jesus had the power and authority to send them there if He desired.
8:34 begged Him to depart. Perhaps they were concerned with the financial impact from the loss of the pigs. More likely, they were all ungodly people frightened to be in the presence of such spiritual power (cf. Mark 5:14, 15).
Matthew 9
9:1 His own city. Capernaum (see note on 4:13). Jesus had left there to get away from the crowds for a time (8:18).
9:2 your sins are forgiven. The fact that the man was brought on a bed indicates that his paralysis was severe. Jesus’ words of forgiveness may indicate that the paralysis was a direct consequence of the man’s own sin. Cf. John 9:1–3; see notes on Luke 5:20–26.
9:3 This Man blasphemes! This would be a true judgment about anyone but God incarnate, for only the One who has been sinned against has the prerogative to forgive. Jesus’ words to the man were therefore an unequivocal claim of divine authority.
9:4 knowing their thoughts. Cf. 12:25; John 2:24. Though the Lord Jesus humbled Himself (Phil. 2:4–8) and set aside the independent use of His divine prerogatives in incarnation (John 5:30), He was still fully God and, therefore, omniscient. See Mark 13:32; Luke 2:52.
