sins against our neighbour, and so is revenge, and therefore the words, ro?$ ap^alo/s, to them of old time, are not expressed but understood in ver. 27, 31, 38, 43, from ver. 21. They are, however, expressed in ver. 33, where our Lord treats of oaths, and, therefore, of our duty to God.
28. 'O /SAETWV, that looketh) Refer to this expression the right eye mentioned in the next verse. — vpbe, to) This particle deter mines the character of the looking. — r,d?i, already) by that very act.
29. 'O Sifybc, the right) The right, strictly speaking in the case of the hands, is most useful and most precious, thence also, it is mentioned in the case of the eyes, feet, etc. — See Zech. xi. 17 ; Exod. xxix. 20. — auufa&Sfyi) is a stumbling-block to) so that you should see wrongly ; as in the case of your hand, so that you should act wrongly. — i^sXs avrbv, pluck it out) not the eye abso lutely, but the eye which is a stumbling-block, i.e., make all things hard to thyself, until it cease to be a stumbling-block to thee. Not the organ itself, but the concupiscence which animates the eye or hand is meant : for this is the soul of the eye where that organ proves a stumbling-block ; in like manner as soon afterwards the body is said for the [whole] man [soul as well as body]. He who, where his eye proves a stumbling-block, takes care not to see, does in reality blind himself. On the other hand, a man might pluck out his material eye, and yet cherish con cupiscence within. A similar mode of expression occurs in Coloss. iii. 5, where the apostle says — Mortify, therefore, your members ivhich are upon the earth ; fornication, etc. A negative maxim is frequently expressed by affirming the opposite. — See ver. 39, 40, and ch. vi. 17. — j3<iXi, cast) with earnestness. The ex pression fiXqdf,, be cast) in the next verse has reference to this. — ffuppspsif it is profitable) to thy salvation. Not only is it not hurt ful, but also it will be glorious. — aTo'Xjjra/, should perish) True self-abnegation is not of less amount than the loss of an eye, etc.: and it is so necessary that it is better to be deprived of an eye itself, than to sin with the eye, unless the sin may be separated from the eye. An eye which is actually plucked out, as in the case of a martyr, will be restored in the resurrection. — tv rSiv MAUV en, one of thy members) Many, indeed, have been destroyed by neglecting the mortification of one member, as, for example,