Christ by faith, and to be taught and sanctified by His Spirit. We do not gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles. We cannot have flowers without roots, or fruit without trees. We cannot have the fruit of the Spirit without vital union with Christ, and a new creation within. Such as are not bom again can never really love in the manner that Christ enjoins.
Notes. Luke VI. 27—38.
28. — [Despitefidly lue you.'] The word so translated is only found in two other places in the New Testament. In one (Matt. v. 44), it is rendered as it is here. In the other (1 Peter iii. 16), it is " falsely accuse."
The conduct here recommended is beautifully exemplified in the case of our Lord praying for those that crucified Him, and Stephen praying for those who stoned him. Luke xxiii. 34; Acts vii. 60.
29, 30 — [Unto Mm that smitetk thee, rfc] The precepts of these two verses must necessarily be interpreted with Scriptural quali- fication. We must not so expound them as to contradict other passages of God's word. They are strong proyerbial forms of expressing a great principle. If we were to press an extreme literal interpretation of them, we should give encouragement to theft, burglary, violence, and murder. The earth would be given into the hands of the wicked.
On the one hand, our Lord did not mean to forbid the repression of crime, or to declare the office of the magistrate and policeman unlawful. Nor yet did He mean to pronounce all war imlawful, or to prohibit the punishment of evil-doers, and disturbers of the peace and order of society. We find Him saying in one place, " He that hath no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one." Luke xxii. 36. We find St. Paul saying of the magistrate, that " he beareth not the sword in vain," that " he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil." Eom. xiii. 4. We find several centurions mentioned in the Gospels and Acts. But we never find their occupation, as soldiers, condemned as unlawful.
On the other hand, it is evident that our Lord condemns every thing like a revengeful, pugnacious, litigious, or quarrelsome spirit. He forbids everything like duelling, or fighting, between individuals, for the settlement of private wrongs. He enjoins forbearance, patience, and long-suffering under injiuies and insults. He would have us concede much, submit to much, and