The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 158

the aotual partioipation, but the craving, ing harshly, not inflicting punishment when The Benediction marks a distinct etag,a in due, sparing an animal or a fellow-man some our Lord's argument. He spoke first of the unnecessary labour), a.a active kindness to consoiouely poor in their spirit; next of thoee the destitute and to any who are in trouble who mourned over their poverty ; then of (cf. eh. ix. 27; xv. 22; xvii. 15; Mark v. those who were ready to receive whatever 19). As compared with oittTipµoves (Lnl:e teaching or chastisement might be given vi. 86), it seems to lay more streBB on tl:e them; here of those who had an earnest feeling of pity showing itself in action and longing for that right relation to God in not only existing in thought. To this state- which they were so lacking. This is the ment of our Lord's, that they who show mercy positive stage. Intense longing, such ae to those in need shall themselves be the ob- oan only be compared to that of a starving jects of mercy (i.e. from God) in their time of man for food, is sure of satisfaction. After need, many parallels have been add need, e.g., righteousness ('r~11 B,1taio<Tw1,v). Observe: by Wetetein. Rabbi Gamaliel (? the second, (1) The e.ccuee.tive. In Greek writers circa A.D. 100), as reported by Rabbi Judah .,.,.,,d., and Bui,&., a.re regularly followed (circa A..D. 180), says (Te.Im. Bab.,' Sabb.' by the genitive. Here by the acouse.tive; 151 b), on Deut. xiii. 18, "Every one th~t for the desire is after the whole object, ehoweth mercy to others, they show mercy and not after a part of it ( cf. Weiee; to him from heaven, and every one that also Bishop Westcott, on Heb. vi. 4, 5). (2) ehoweth not mercy to others, they show him The e.rtiole. It idealizes. There is but not mercy from heaven;" cf. also• Test. XII. one righteousness worthy of the name, and Patr.:' Zab., § 8, "In proportion as a man for this and all that it includes, both in ha.a compassion (<TrA-,ryxvl(na,) on hia standing before God and in relation to men, neighbour, so has the Lord upon him;" the soul longs. How it is to be obtained and, probably with reference to this passage, Obrist does not here say. For they, Em- Clem, Rom., § 13, eA.ea-r, fva ,A-e11871Te. phatic, as always (ver. 3, note). Bhe.11 be filled (For the converse, of. Jas. ii 18.) Calvin (xof.'Ta<TB~<Toll'Tai); vide Bishop Lightfoot on remarks, " Hoo etiam parado:s:on cum Phil. iv. 12. Properly of animals being fed humane judicio pugne.t. Mnndus repntat with fodder (x&p-ros); cf. Rev. xix. 21, "All beatoe, qui me.loru.m alienorum securi qnicti the birds were filled (lxop-r&.<T81)<Tav) with sure consulunt: Christus autem hio beo.tos their flesh." At first only used of men dicit, qui non modo ferendie propriie ma.lie deprecie.tiugly (Plato,• Rep.,' ix. 9, p. 586 a), pe.rati sunt, eed aliene. etiam in se suscipiunt, afterwards readily. Rare iu the sense of moral ut miscrie euccurrant." and spiritual ee.tisfaotion (cf. Ps. uii. 15). Ver. 8.-The pure in he9.rt, Our Lord When shall they be filled? Ae in the case naturally passes in thought from the sixth of vers. 8, 4, now in part, fully hereafter. to the seventh commandment (cf. vcrs. 21, "St. Austin, wondering at the overflowing 27), finding the basis of his phraseology in measure of God's Spirit in the Apostles' Ps. xx.iv. 8, 4, "Who shall ascend into the hearts, observes that the reason why they hill of the Lord? ... He that hnth clenn were so full 1of God we.a because they were hands, and a pure heart (LXX. il.8,pos so empty of nis creatures. 'They were very x•p<Tlv ttal tta8apbs -rji 1<apB(11)" ( cf. nlso Ps. full,' he says, ' because they were very lxxii. 1). Ka8ap&s (besides speaking of mere empty' " (Anon., in Ford). That on earth, physical cleanness, eh. xxvii. 59) speciully but in heaven with all the eniuts- refers to freedom from pollution, judged by " Ever filled and ever seeking, what they God's standard of what pollution is, \\hether have they still desire, it be amntterof ceremonial ene.clment(ll'eats, Hunger there eho.11 fret them never, nor Rom. xiv. 20; of. Murk vii. 19; cf. leprosy, satiety shall tire,- viii. 2, 8; x. 8, et al.) or of ethicul relation Btill enjoying whilst aepi.iing, in their joy (John xiii. 10, 11; xv. 8); of. Origen. 'Hom. they still aspire." in Joh.,' lxxiii. 2 (Meyer), "Every sin soils the soul (Ila<Ta aµap-ria prnrov lv-ri611<T, -rfi (' Chronicles of the Bcbonberg-Cott11 1/wxfi)" ( cf. nleo Bishop Wcstcott, 'Hebrews,' Family,' eh. ix., from the Latin p. 346). ln heart. The seat of the affections Hymn of Peter Damillni, t 1072.) (eh. vi. 21; xxii. 37) ancl the understanding Ver. 7.-0ur Lord here turns more (eh. xiii. 15), also the central spring of e.11 directly to the character of hie followers in human words ancl notions (eh. xv. 19); cf. relation to men; and in the next three tta8api't. ttapBla (l Tim. i. 5 ; 2 Tim. ii. 22). Beatitudes mentions particulars which might whioh implies something deeper thnn ttaBapa; be suggested by the sixth, seventh, and <TvvefB11<T1s (l Tim. iii. 9; 2 Tim. i. 3). Bhe.11 ninth oommundments. The merciful (oi see God. Not in his courts (Ps. xxiv.) on h .. e~µovu). The meroy referred to here is not MountMoriah,butnbove; nncl inonceompleto so much the nlmoet negative quality which vision fully grasped (~,j,ov-ra,). The thought the word uaue.lly &Uglfl8ts to us (not deal- of present spiritual sight of God, though, po:r- 150 THE GOSPEL AOOORDfNG TO ST. MATTHEW. [cu. v. 1- -48.