so far from the wisdom, the equity, and the severity of the Divine law.
39. Mri avriffrfyat, not to resist) The infinitive is governed by Xsyw , / say, as in Rev. xiii. 14. To resist evil is to return injury for injury. — «XX', but) Our Lord gives examples of pri vate, legal, and political wrong, ver. 39, 40, 41. — pawisii, shall smite) elsewhere pavifyiv is to strike with rods, but in this passage as the cheek is mentioned, it means to smite with the open hand. — r^v 6s^idv tou etayova, the right cheek) or the left either. See Luke vi. 29. An instance of Synedoche.1 — grpe^ov, turn) It is sometimes advisable to do so literally.2 The world says, on the other hand, Assert thy courage by a duel. Those who are able ought ere this to have made a stand against this evil, this disgrace of the Christian name, and to have given all diligence that they might do so effectually. One man who becomes a murderer by a duel involves a whole camp in his guilt. Many, so far dilute and extenuate the lessons here given by the Saviour, that they slide down to a level with the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, or even below it.
40. XiTuva, the tunic) or inner garment. — /,u,ar/ov, the vest) or outer robe. These are inverted in Luke vi. 29. (Cf. in the same chapter, ver. 44, with Matt. vii. 16, for a similar inversion in the case of the grapes and the figs.) The sense remains the same ; sc. Give up both. The /^dnov was more precious than the ^iruv. See Mark xiii. 16. — sou, thine) by right.
41. ' Ayyapiuffei) A word of Persian origin.3 They who tra velled on the public business could press a person into service. See Vriemoet on this passage.4
1 See Explanation of Technical Terms in Appendix. — (I. B.)
2 Spiritual prudence will teach the children of GOD, when they ought to do so. The words of Christ are not words belonging to the mere human and natural life, but to the eternal life. What seems folly to the world, appears in a quite different light in the eternal Life. — Vers. Germ.
3 "Ayyctpo;, a Persian word for a royal courier, who had authority to press horses, etc. into his service in execution of his mission. The word K^WN (angaria) (whence avania and avaniein Ital. and Fr.) is used in the Talmud for any forced work. Connected with this is the Hebrew J"^»< (ty- gereth), a letter." — Wordsworth in loc. — (I. B.)
4 Emo-Lucius Vriemoet, born at Embden, in Friesland in 1699, became Professor of Oriental languages and Hebrew antiquities at Francker, and