The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 176

forced attendance, but forced carrying. much diecueeed. In Leviticus, indee•l, the Hence it is used in eh. xxvii. 82 aud Mo.rk meaning of "neighbour" is clear; it answers xv. 21 of Simon the Cyrenian, "who was to "the children of thy people" in the pre• pressed by the Romo.n soldiers who were ceding clause, i.e. it refers to members ol escorting our Lord not merely to accom- the nation; all I9:aelites are termed" neigh• pany them but also to carry a load." Thus hours." Tho primary sense, therefore, of hero also the thought is doubtless that of this whole precept is love to an Israelite, being compelled to carry baggage. There hatred to a non-Israelite (cf. Deut. xxv. 17- may also be a reference, as Hatch suggests, 19). As such, the precept was of value in to the oppressive conduct of the Roman cementing the unity of the nation and pre- soldiers ( cf. Luke iii. 14). (For the spirit of venting greater exposure to the evils, moral our Lord's saying, vide l\leo 'Aboth,' iii. 18 end religions, found outside it. But as (To.ylor), where the probable translation is, quoted by oar Lord, it has evidently a more "Rabbi Ishmael said, Be plio.nt of disposi- private reference. He treats the precept as tion and yielding to impressment.") A mile; referring to personal friends (those who act Revised Version, one mile; but see eh. viii. in e. neighbourly way) and enemies, and rn, note. A Roman mile of a thousand even this is, in some respects, a legitimate paces. summary of the tenching of the Law, in so Ver. 42.-(Cf. Luke vi. 80, 84a, 85.) The far ea it forms nnother side of the lo.w of connexion is as follows: Our Lord spoke retaliation. In days when public justice first (ver. 89) of entire submission to was weak much had to be left to the action injuries; then (ver. 40) of acceptance of of the individnal, nnd he who was WTonged loss of property; then (ver. 41) of accept- was bid satisfy justice by retaliating ou ance of a burden imposed ; here of accept- his enemy. That, however, it wus not the ance of a demand for pecuniary assistance. only teaching of the Law is evident from This, in its turn, forms an easy transition to Exod. xxiii. 4 (cf. Job xxxi. 29). But as re- the subject of ver. 43, sqq. Give to him gards both aspects of the precept the time that asketh thee, etc. This verse has been had come for a chnnge. The Jews only too often adduced by unbelievers to prove the gladly showed obedience to the second po.rt incompatibility of our Lord's utterances of tile precept, me.king tliemaelvee proverbial witli the conditions of modern society. ( cf. T1.1citus, 'Hist.,' v. 5. 2; J nvennl, 'Sat.,' Wrongly. Because our Lord is inculcating xiv. 103) for their more tilo.n incivility to the proper spirit of Christian life, not giving Gentiles,and they seem to have also zealously rules to be literally carried out irrespective carried it out towards their personal enemies of circumstances. Hammond (vide Ford) (cf. Ps. cix.). Ou the whole subject, vide points ont that we have "a countermand" especially Mozley (' Ruling Ideas,' pp. 188- in 2 Thess. iii. 7, 10. (For the possibility 200), who, however, hardly allows enough of accounting for the verbal differences weight to passages like Exod. xxiii. 4. between this verse and Luke vi. 80 by Ver. 44.-Parallel passage: Luke vi. 27, supposing an Arnmo.io original, see Professor 28. But I say unto you, Love your enemies. Marshall, in the Ezpositor, April, 1891, Of all kinds, whether persona.I or opponeuts p. 287.) of you I\B Christians. Bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate yon. Riglitly Vere. 43-48.-The treatment of those who omitted by the Revised Version a~ interpo- lnjure us. (Of. supra, ver. 88.) Our Lord le.ted from Luke. (For the thought, cf. now turns from the reception of injuries to I Cor. iv. 12; Rom. xii. 14.) And pray. In the treatment of those who injure u~. We fullest contrast to the continual ill-wishing of the enemy. "They who cnn prny for are not to injure them in return, nor merely their enemies can accomplish the rest" to keep aloof from them, but to show them (Weiss,' Life,' ii. 154). Thus to pro.y is to positive kindness. The Law, in the natural come very near to the spirit of Christ (cf. development of it current at the timo, Luke xxiii. 84; Acts vii. 60). As e. modern taught very differently. example: "Some persons had never hnd a particular pince in my prayers, bnt for the Ver. 48.-11,fattbew only. Ye have heard injuries they have done to me" (Durkitt, (ver. 21, note). Thou she.It love thy neigh- 'Diary,' in Ford, on ver. 5). For them that bour, and hate thine enemy. The first deepitefully use you, and perseoute you. clause is found in Lev. xix. 18, the second The words, "tlmt dospitefully use you is the no.tural, and, from one point of view, and," are to be omitted, with the Revised legitimo.te, deductio'.I from it. "The whole Version, as in effect interpohtecl from precept, o.a it stands, undoubtedlr represents, Luke. ancl is a a11mmnry of, the sense of tho Law" Ver. 45.-Parnllel pu,sago: Luke vi. 35, (Mozley, vide infra). Tho mcnning of the which is more full, but harclly so original words "neighbour" and "enemy" has been in form. That ye ma.y be the children (o.-ws  168 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MA'.t'fHEW. [ox. v.1-18.