Mat 5:38-48 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Matt 5:38-42: 5:38-42 The Old Testament permitted proportionate retribution (Exod 21:24-25 ; Deut 19:16-21 ), which was to prevent punishments from far exceeding the severity of the offense. Jesus, however, does not permit personal retaliation at all among his followers. Jesus’ way is not to insist on justice but to find victory through suffering and the cross (1 Pet 2:23 ). Some have taken this passage as a guide for all of life (including politics). Others understand it merely as the willingness to forgo one’s personal rights and to forgive as God has forgiven (see Matt 5:48 ; 18:23-35 ). Like the servant in Isa 50:4-9 and 53:7 (see also Matt 12:15-21 ), Jesus’ followers are to apply the same virtue to honor, possessions, time, or property. Righteousness does not insist on its own way.

Summary for Matt 5:38-42: 5:38-42 ^a The Old Testament permitted proportionate retribution (Exod 21:24-25 ^b; Deut 19:16-21 ^c), which was to prevent punishments from far exceeding the severity of the offense. Jesus, however, does not permit personal retaliation at all among his followers. Jesus’ way is not to insist on justice but to find victory through suffering and the cross (1 Pet 2:23 ^d). Some have taken this passage as a guide for all of life (including politics). Others understand it merely as the willingness to forgo one’s personal rights and to forgive as God has forgiven (see Matt 5:48 ^e; 18:23-35 ^f). Like the servant in Isa 50:4-9 ^g and 53:7 ^h (see also Matt 12:15-21 ⁱ), Jesus’ followers are to apply the same virtue to honor, possessions, time, or property. Righteousness does not insist on its own way.
5:41 ^j Forced labor was a humiliating fact of Roman occupation (see 27:32 ^k); Jesus turned it into an occasion for exuberant service to God. This saying shows Jesus’ opposition to Jewish revolutionaries, who advocated violent resistance (see 5:9 ^l).
5:42 ^m See Deut 15:7-11 ⁿ.
Summary for Matt 5:43-47: 5:43-47 ^o hate your enemy: Jesus is opposing not the Old Testament, but a traditional, though mistaken (cp. Exod 23:4-5 ^p), interpretation of the Old Testament. The “hate” clause is not in the Old Testament (but see Ps 139:21-22 ^q).
5:45 ^r By loving all people, Jesus’ followers would not become children of God; they would show by their actions that they are indeed God’s true children, according to his nature and will (see Deut 10:18-19 ^s).
5:47 ^t If you are kind only to your friends (literally, If you greet only your brothers): Jews were instructed to greet Gentiles for the sake of maintaining peaceful relations, but such greetings were not the same as those for “brothers”—i.e., fellow Jews.
5:48 ^u This verse ties 5:20-48 ^v together as a unit (see study note on 4:23-25).

• you are to be perfect: The term rendered “perfect” means maturity and wholeness in response to Jesus’ proclamation of the Kingdom, and complete consecration to God (19:21 ^w; Eph 4:13 ^x; Phil 3:15 ^y; Col 1:28 ^z; 4:12 ^aa; 1 Jn 4:18 ^ab). Perfection has love at its core (see Luke 6:36 ^ac).