The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 177

-rfr11crll• viol); B!m.'! (Revised Version); cf. The pnblioe.ns ; Revised Version m&rgin, ver. 9, note. The meaning of the clause is " That is, collectors or renters of Boman taxes: not certain. It may be: (1) Love to enemies and eo elsewhere.'' To this short descrip- is the means whereby you may become tion little need be added. The Roman po~essed of the full privileges involved in system of taxation was to put up tile the nature of sons. These privileges are more country, or certain productions of tho than the mere participation in MeBBi1Lnic country, at e.uotion, and to "sell" them to glory (Meyer), 1md are mther all the blessings any who would undertake to pay tho present and future which belong to eonship. greatest amount of revenue from them (cf. (2) LoT'e, in order that on each ocoasion you also Joeephus's aeoount of the Egyptian may become in fact (almost our "show your- method, B.o. 250, 'A.nt.,' xii. 4. 4; and selves") sons of your Father, sons corre- Sayce'e nrticle in the Jewish Quarterly, July, sponding in ethical conduct to your position 1890, on a Jewish t&xgath~rer o.t 'l'bebee, already received. Your :Father. Not "the B.c. HO). This contre.ot we.a in tum divided Father'' (cf. ver. 16, note). Which is in and subdivided, those who actually drew heaven: for (8n). The privileges genemlly, the money from the people being generally or the resemble.nee on each occasion, ce.n natives. It thus being the interest of every only be obtained by behaviour eimile.r to contractor and sub-contractor to squeeze ae hie, namely, kind treatment of those who much e.s possible from those under him, the injure you; for this is what he himself shows. whole system was demoralizing to all Re maketh his Billl to rise (ci.va.,-,M.e,). If engaged in it. In the case of J udiea it wae we may lay stress on the Greek, our Lord especially so, as there was e. strong feeling expreeses the popular notion of the sun among religious Jews against the lawfulness ascending. It must, however, be remembered of paying taxes to a Gentile ruler (cf. eh. that the word he himself probably used wo.s xxii, l 7, note). It ie no wonder, therefore, mi in hiph. (..w.J?~, Peshito), which that we find the native collectors (even of contains no thought of motion, but rather of districts where the money raised went to appearance. Sun . . . rain. The two great A.ntipas'e treasury, eh. ix. !J, note) classed sources of maintenance. On the evil and on with "be.riots" (eh. xxi. 31), "sinners" the good ... on the just and on the ulljnst. (eh. ix. 11), the heathen (ver. 47; eh. xviii. The first pair connotes, e.s it seems, the l 7). Yet out of these one was chosen to be extreme of evil (eh. vi. 13, note) and good, in among the twelve, and to write that Gospel each case manifesting itself according to its which specially describes the relation of opportunities ; the second, the life and Jesus of Nazareth to the religious expecta- character e.s tried by the standard, especially tions of the nation. the human st.ande.rd, of just dealing. Notice Ver. 47.-And if ye salute. It seems how, by chie.sm, the emphasis is le.id on the almost a bathos after" love." But it expresses ungodly alike at the beginning and at the love publicly showing itself by kindly greet- end. Our Lord here brings out God's ing. Your brethren; with whom you have active love as seen in nature, nourishing the fellow-feeling of common origin-in this and maintaining men, irrespective of the case not national, but spiritual (cf. ver. 22, qualities of individuals and of their treat- note). Whe.t do yon more than others?(.,-[ ment of him and his le.we. The thought is 1up,crcrov 'ITo&oiT•;); Tyudale, "What singular found elsewhere, e.g. in Seneca ( 'Dide Meyer), thynge doo ye?" Do not even the publicans 1 " Si deos imitarie, <la et ingratis beneficie.; Revised Version, the Gentiles 1 with the nam et eceleratis sol oritur, et piratis patent manuscripts. "The form used (i8>,1<0s) de- maria" (cf. Bishop Lightfoot, on 'Philip- scribes character rather than mere position" pians' [" St. Paul and Seneca," p. 281], for (Bishop Westcott, on 3 John 7) ; " he then a collect1on of parallels to the sermon on the men" (Wickliffe). Bo; Revised Version,the mount). ea.me, with the manuscripts. To all.,-&, not- Ver. 46.-Vers. 46, 47; parallel pe.ssage : withstanding its occurrence in ver. 46 and Luke vi 32, 33. For if, etc. The principle parallel passage, Luke vi. 33, was altered of lLe Le.w, reciprocity-love your ndgh- to the commoner oifTwJ 1To«iv. Lour und him only-i" in reality no better Ver. 48.-ln Luke vi. 36, "Be yo merci- than the principle adoµted by those who ful, even as your F11ther is merciful," we are renegades to true religion ( o/ .,-,>..wva,), he.ve certainly e. reminiscence of the same or Ly those who have no knowledge of it saying, and, almost ae certainly, from tile (oi ,Bv,1£0(). Such a principle brings with smootlling awe.y of difficulties, e. lees original It no other corresponding effect (p.,cr86s, ver. form of it. lie ye therefore perfect; Revised 12, note) than such as even these receive. Version, ye therefore shall be perfect (t<1,cr8• You aim e.t more, the privileges belonging oiv vµ.,is .,-l>.. ..o,). The form is based on to the BOOB of God; therefore do more. What Deut. xviii. 13, ,,./>..ms tcrp. While th& rewe.l'd have yet i.e. already entered in introduction of ~µ.,is emphasizes the con• God's book of accoUD.t (Winer, § xl.. 2, a). trast between Christ'• disciples o.nd_those who on. v, 1-48.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST, MATTHEW. 169