THE OLD TESTAMENT - BOOK OF GENESIS - CHAPTER # 5 !!!!!!!! (ESV)
5:1__6:8 _Adam's Descendants, This section of Genesis falls into two distinctive parts. Whereas 5:1__32 is largely a genealogy that traces a single line of descendants from Adam to Noah, naming only one person in each generation, 6:1__8 provides a worldwide picture of increasling human wickedness. The contrast between these two elements is not simply between the particular and the universal but, more importantly, between righteousness and evil.
5:1__32 _The Family Line from Adam to Noah. After a brief introduction, which echoes elements of chapter 1, this passage follows a particular line of descendants from Adam to Noah. The chapter's layout is dominated by a distinctive literary structure that is repeated for each of those specifically mentioned in each generation. The pattern may be set out as follows: When A has lived x years, he fathered B. A lived y years after he fathered B and had other sons and daughters. Thus all the days of A were Z (=X + y) years, after which he died (See Chapter 60). Since the word "fathered" in a genealogy can mean "fathered an ancestor of," it is possible that this genealogy skips any number of generations; certainly the literary conventions allow for this. That omissions do actually occur appears from comparing, for example, the genealogy of Moses in EXODUS 6:16__20 with that of JOSHUA in 1 CHRONICLES 7:23__27: undoubtedly the genealogy for Moses has been compressed (EZRA 7:1__5 with 1 CHRONICLES 6:4__14).At three points in GENESIS 5:3__31, the pattern is briefly broken to introduce additional information involving Adam__Seth, Enoch, and Lamech-Noah. One of the most striking aspects of the passage is the great age of the first people in GENESIS. (Other ancient Near Eastern texts attribute even longer lives to earlier geneations; the Sumerian king List mentions kings who reign__interestingly, before a flood__for periods of 28,800, 36,000 and 43,200 years).
5:1__32 _Given that the life span of people today (and at least since the flood) is much shorter that the life soan of those listed from Adam to Noah, the question is ofren raised as to whether the remarkable longevity of these partiarchs as given in 5:1__32 should be taken at face value or whether their longevity has some other explanation. Some have suggested that the figures should be understood as symbolic (that they may be related to various astronomical periods); or that the numbers are encodedwith some unknown honorary significance; or that the figures were calculated by a different numeric method (that they should be divided by a factor of 5, plus, in some cases, the addition of the number 7 or 14). No writer, however, has offered a convincing alternative explanation, and none of the proposed alternative can be substantiated with any certainty. The traditional understanding is that the numbers should be taken at face value, ofte assuming that something changed in the cosmologyof the earth or in the physiology of humans (or in both) after the flood, resulting in a rapid decline in longevity, finally stabilizing at a "normal" life span in the range of 70 years or 80 years (See PSALM 90:10). In any case, one clear implication of these genealogies is that these people actually lived (regardless of how long), and that they actually died.
5:1__2 _The heading that introduces 5:1__6:8 differs from all the others (SEE 2:4) by referring to a BOOK. This was probably something like a clay tablet that preserved the contents of 5:1__21 and possibly 11:10__26, although there the pattern is somewhat abbreviated. The book is named after ADAM (Hebrew 'adam). The same Hebrew word is also translated in 5:1 by MAN and in 5:2 by MAN. This reflects the fact that Hebrew 'adam may function as a proper name, a common noun denoting a male individual, and a generic noun denoting male and female human beings (SEE 1:26; 1:27; 2:15__16). THE LIKENESS OF GOD (5:1) see 1:27.
5:3__5 _The linear list of descendants begins with ADAM and then proceeds to name his son SETH. As 4:25 records, Seth is Adam's third-born son. This line is clearly presented as offering an alternative to the line of seven generations linked to Cain in 4:17__18. But whereas Cain's line leads to a killer in the seventh generation, the comparable in Seth's line produces Enoch, who walked with God and did not die (See 5:22__24). FATHERED A SON IN HIS OWN LIKENESS, AFTER HIS IMAGE. From the normal pattern of the genealogy, the phrase "fathered Seth" would be expected here. The additional material introduces the idea that Seth resembles Adam. While this implies that Seth is made, like Adam, in the divine image, it also suggests that the images his father as well; Seth's line, however, is certainly portrayed more positively than that of Cain.
5:22__24 _The usual pattern of the genealogy (See 1__32) is altered with the substitution of the expression ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD. This is then developed further in verse 24 when the expected phrase "and he died" is replaced by the comment AND HE WAS NOT, FOR GOD TOOK HIM. In this passage, and in certain other contexts in GENESIS (3:8; 6:9; 17:1; 20:40; 48:15), the Hebrew verb for "walked" is a distinctive form that conveys the sense of an ongoing intimacy with God. Remarkably, because of this special relationship, Enoch does not die (ELIJAH, 2 KINGS 2:1__12). The narrators's desire to highlight this fact may explain why the present genealogy, unlike the one in GENESIS 11:10__26, REGULARLY MENTIONS THAT "X died."
5:27 _According to the dates given, it is possible to conclude that METHUSELAH died in the year of the flood.
5:28__31 _The genealogical pattern is disrupted by the inclusion of Lamech's explanation for the name NOAH. Lamech's comment on the name "Noah" (Hebrew nuakh), introduces the related concept of "comfort" (Hebrew nakham). Lamech expects that Noah will bring both rest and comfort from the PAINFUL TOIL of working the soil (See 3:17__19). Lamech's 777 YEARS provides an interesting point of contact with his namesake in 4:18__24 and seventy-sevenfold vengeance.
5:32 _Although this verse gives the impression of continuing thr genealogical pettern used in verses 3__31, the naming of three sons, SHEM, HAM, AND JAPHETH, brings the list to an end. A similar ending draws to a conclusion the genealogy of Shem in 11:10__26.
THE BOOK OF GENESIS - CHAPTER # 4 !!!! 4:1__2 Adam and Eve's Sons. This chapter shows manknid plunging further into sin, with Cain mudering his brother and his descendant Lamech taking indiscriminate revenge. Although they have been expelled from the garden of Eden, Adam and Eve are enabled by God to have two sons. With them rests the hope of an offspring who will overcome the serpent. When Cain callously murders his righteous brother Abel, however, evil seems to triumph. Any hope that Cain's descendants will reverse this trend appears remote when Lamech boats of killing a man simply for striking him. Against this background the belief announcement of Seth's birth to replace Abel offers fresh hope.
4:1 _Eve's reference to the Lord's HELP when CAIN is born conveys a sense of optimism. The serpent may yet be overthrown by the offspring of the woman.
4:2__5 _Although Cain and Abel have contrasting occupations and present different types of offerings to God, the present episode is not designed to elevate herdsmen over farmers, or animal offerings over plant offerings. One way to explain why God HAD REGARD FOR ABEL AND HIS OFFERING. but not for Cain, is to posit that Abel's offering, being of the FIRSTBORN OF HIS FLOCK, is a more costly offering, expressing greater devotion. Another way to explain the difference is first to observe that both offerings are recognizable parts of the later Levitical system: for Cain's offering of THE FRUIT OF THE GROUND (VERSE 3), Deuteronomy 26:2 (an offering expressing consecration), and for Abel's offering of the firstborn of his flock, Deuteronomy 15:19__23 (a kind of peace offering, a meal in God's presence).
4:2__5 _But at no point does the Bible suggest that offerings work automatically, as if the worshiper's faith and contrition did not matter; and Cain's fundamentally bad heart can be seen in his resentment toward his brother and in his uncooperative answers to God in the rest of the passage. Several NT texts derive legitimate inferences from this narrative. namely, that Cain demonstrated an evil heart by his evil deeds, while Abel demonstrated a pious heart by his righteous deeds (1 JOHN 3:12); and that Abel offered his sacrifice by faith and was commended as righteous for that reason (HEBREWS 11:4).
4:6__7 _The Lord's words challenge Cain to do better. He still has the possibility of turning, evidently with God's help, to please God. To succeed in doing this, however, he must overcome the domination of SIN, presented here as a wild beast seeking to devour Cain (Verse 3:16)
4:8 _The brevity of the report of Abel's murder underlines the coldness of Cain's action. Jealousy, probably coupled with anger at God, causes him to slay his own brother without pity. The heinousness of this spiteful murder reveals that sin has mastered Cain.
4:9 _AM I MY BROTHER'S KEEPER? When the Lord confronts Cain with his crime, his coldhearted nature causes him to deny any knowledge about his brother. Cain shows no sign of remorse.
4:10:__12 _Cain's punishment is linked to his crime. He will no longer be able to cultivare the soil (verses 11__12) because his brother's blood cries out to God FROM THE GROUND (verse 10). Cain's sentence adds to the alinenation between man and the ground that has already been introduced in 3:17__18. Underlying these punishment is a principle that recurs throughout Scripture human sin has a bearing on the fertility of the earth. Whereas God intended humanity to enjoy the earth's bounty, sin distances people not only from God himself but also from nature (See 3:17__19). Genesis 4:10 is the likely background for the NT's use the phrase "the blood of Abel" as the paradigm for an innocent victim crying for justice (MATTHEW 23:25; LUKE 11:51; HEBREW 12:24).
4:13__16 _Cain is immediately conscious of the severity of his punishment. He is to be alienated from both the ground and God. While this may seem like a very leniet sentence, it meant that Cain would become A FIGITIVE AND A WANDERER ON THE EARTH (verse 14). Alienated from the rest of human society, Cain fears the others will have such a dread of him that anyone finding him WILL KILL him (verse 14). The leader is not told who those others might be. By way of reassuring Cain, the Lord states that SEVENFOLD vengeance will come on anyone who kills him (verse 15). THE LORD PUT A MARK ON CAIN. In spite of much scholarly speclation, the precise nature of the mark is uncertain. It must have been something visible, but that is all that can be said. Like his parents, who were sent out of the garden, Cain is forced to move away FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD (and Moses seems to be implying that this is true of Cain's offspring as well, since verses 17__24 lack any mention of God). Presumably Cain moves father to the EAST OF EDEN (verse 16). Cain settles in a region that is appropriately known as NOD (location unknown), which in Hebrew means "wandering."
4:17__24 _These verses provide selective information about Cain's descendants, concluding with a description of Lamech (verse 19), who boasts of having taken revenge "seventy-sevenfold" by killing a man who wounded him. Seven generations on from Cain, Lamech resembles his ancestor, but seems to be worse.
4:17 _CAIN KNEW HIS WIFE. No explanation is given as to the origin of Cain's wife. As is often the case in Genesis, the limited and selective nature of the account leaves the reader with unanswered questions. Presumably, Cain married his sister__a reasonable assumption, since the whole human race descends from Adam and Eve (and the laws later forbidding this practice, such as in Leviticus 18:9, would not have been relevant at this stage; Genesis 5:4). HE BUILT A CITY. The precise identity of the city-builder is open to debate. While Cain would appear to be the builder (on the basis that it is named after HIS SON, ENOCH), the Hebrew text could also be taken as indicating that Enoch was the builder. Although the opening two chapters make no specific mention of a "city," the early readers of Genesis would have automatically assumed that the instruction to fill the earth implies that humanity would establish a city or cities around, and then spreading out from, Eden. While this was part of God's design for the earth, Genesis observes that some people engage in city building without any reference to God (See 11:1__9).
4:18__22 _Seven generations after Cain, LAMECH is born (verse 18). His immediate descendants are associated with animal breeding, music, and metalwork, all of which are noteworthy cultural and techological developments (verses 20__22). Whereas Abel islinked to sheep (verse 2), the herds of JABAL also include cattle, donkeys, and possibly camels (verse 20). (Pre-flood genealogies are well attested in the ancient Near East, in particular, in Mesopotamian texts. The Sumerian king List records lists of monarchs who ruled the land before the "Great Deluge." The founding of cities was one of the primary industries of these pre-flood rulers. Such parallels confirm the historicity of the biblical pre-flood account.)
4:23__24 _The new developments of Verses 20__22 are overshadowed by Lamech's boast of having KILLED A MAN for WOUNDING or STRIKING him (Verse 23). Lamech's response is out of proportion to the injury, showing his inordinate vengefulness. This, like bigamy (verse 19), reveals his depravity. His behavior reveals that the line of Cain is dominated by those who have no regard for the lives of others or respect for the principle of monogamy that 2:23__24 endorses. Later laws in the Pentateuch insist on proportional punishment: in the case of murder, a maximun of life for life (EXODUS 21:23). SEVENFOLD . . . SEVENTY-SEVENFOLD. Lamech is boasting that his vengeful passion makes him safer than Cain (GENESIS 4:15), who had protection only from God. "Seventy-sevenfold" is a picturesque statement for extravagant excess; (MATTHEW 18:22).
4:25__26 _The final verses of this section suddenly jump back to Adam and Eve in order to report the birth of their third son, SETH. Eve's remark, GOD HAS APPOINTED FOR ME ANOTHER OFFSPRING INSTEAD OF ABEL, is clearly an allusion back to the offspring of the woman in 3:15. The potential of Seth's birth is immediately underlined by the observation, AT THAT TIME PEOPLE BEGAN TO CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD, to seek him in (public) worship. Details are not given, but the implication may be that this calling on the Lord's name began in Adam's own family circle.
MATTHEW 5:4 _THOSE WHO MOURN. The spiritual, emotional, or financial loss resulting from sin should lead to mourning and a longing for God's forgiveness and healing (2 CORINTHIANS 7:10).
5:5 _The MEEK are the "gentle" (11:29), those who do not assert themselves over others in order to further their own agendas in their own strength, but who will nonetheless INHERIT THE EARTH because they trust in God to direct the outcome of events (PSALM 37:11).
5:6 _THOSE WHO HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS recognize that God is the ultimate source of real righteousness, so they long for his righteous character to be evident in people's lives on earth. They SHALL BE SATISFIED by resopnding to his invitation to be in relationship with him.
5:7 _The kindness and forgiveness that the MERCIFUL show to others will also be shown to them.
5:8 _THE PURE IN HEART are those whose pursuit of purity and uprightness affects every area of life THEY SHALL SEE GOD. Note the ultimate fulfillment in REVELATION 22:4 note on JOHN 1:18. In constrast to Jewish traditions that over-emphasized external ritual purity, Jesus taught that purity of heart was most important (See MATTHEW 5:28).
5:9 _PEACEMAKERS. Those who promote God's messianic peace (Hebrew shalom, total well-being both personally and communally) will receive the ultimate reward of being called SON OF GOD (GALATIANS 3:26) as they reflect the character of their heavenly Father. 5:10 _THOSE WHO ARE PERSECUTED are those who have been wrongly treated because of their faith. God is pleased when his people show that they value him above everything in the world, and this happens when they courageously remain faithful amid opposition FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS SAKE.
5:11:__12 _BLESSED ARE YOU WHEN OTHERS REVILE YOU AND PERSECUTE YOU . . . ON MY ACCOUNT. Just as Jesus experienced opposition and persecution, his disciples can expect the same. Their reward may not come on earth, but it surely will be theirs IN HEAVEN SO THEY PERSECUTED THE PROPHETS. Throughout history, beginning with Cain's murder of Abel (GENESIS 4:8; 1 JOHN 3:12), there have been those who oppose God's people.
5:13 _As SALT is beneficial in a number of ways (as a preservative, seasoning, etc.), so are disciples of Jesus who influence the world for good.
5:14 _LIGHT OF THE WORLD. Jesus disciples have the kingdom life within them as a living testimony to those in the world who do not yet have the light.
5:15 _The typical LAMP in a Jewish home was fairly small and was placed on a STAND to give maximum illumination.
5:16 _The world will see the LIGHT of the kingdom through the GOOD WORKS done by Jesus disciples (and believers today), with the result that the FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN will be glorified.
5:17__48 _THE MESSIANIC KINGDOM IN RELATION TO THE LAW. Verses 17__20 explain how Jesus and the kingdom fulfill the law of Moses; this is the key to interpreting the Sermon on the Mount and indeed the whole of Jesus ministry. Jesus then offers six antitheses (verses 21__48) that contrast proper and false interpretation and application of the OT.
5:17 _ABOLISH THE LAW OR THE PROPHETS. The "Law" or "Torah" refers to the first five books of the OT, while the "Prophets" includes the rest of the OT, all of which was held to have been written by prophets (MATTHEW 13:35, which cites PSALM 78:2; on "Law[and the] prophets," MATTHEW 7:12; 11:13; 22:40; ROMANS 3:21). BUT TO FULFILL THEM.
5:17 _Jesus "fulfills" all of the OT in that it all points to him, not only in its specific predictions of a Messiah but also in its sacrificial system, which looked forward to his great sacrifice of himself, in many events in the history of Israel which foreshadowed his life as God's true Son, in the laws which only he perfectly obeyed, and in the Wisdom Literature, which sets forth a behavioral pattern that his life exemplified (MATTHEW 2:15; 11:13; 12:3__6, 39__41, 42; also LUKE 24:27). Jesus gospel of the kingdom does not replace the OT but rather fulfills it as Jesus life and ministry, coupled with his interpretation, complete and clarify God's intent and meaning in the entire OT.
5:18 _UNTIL HEAVEN AND EARTH PASS AWAY. Jesus confirms the full authority of the OT as Scripture for all time (2 TIMOTHY 3:15__16), even down to the smallest components of the written text: the IOTA is the smallest letter of the Greek alphabet (or the yod of the Hebrew alphanet) and the DOT likely refers to a tiny stroke or a part of a letter used to differentiate between Hebrew letters. PASS FROM THE LAW. The OT remains an authoritative compendium of divine testimony and teaching, within which some elements (such as sacrificesand other ceremonial laws) predicted or foreshadowed events that would be accomplished in Jesus ministry (See GALATIANS 4:10; 5:1) and so are now models for Christian behavior. UNTIL ALL IS ACCOMPLISHED points to Jesus fulfillment of specific OT hopes, partly through his earthly life, death, and resurrection, and then more fully after his second coming.
5:19 _THESE COMMANDMENTS refers to all the commands in the OT (although many will be applied differently once their purpose has been "fulfilled" in Christ, verse 17). The rabbis recognized a distinction between "light" commandments (such as tithing garden produce) and "weighty" commandments (such as those concerning idolatry, murder, etc). RELAXES ONE OF THE LEAST, Jesus demands a commitment to both the least and the greatest commandments yet condemns those who confuse the two (23:23__24). The entire OT is the expression of God's will but is now to be taught according to Jesus interpretation of its intent and meaning.
5:20 _Jesus calls his disciples to a different kind and quality of RIGHTEOUSNESS than that of THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES. They took pride in outward conformity to many extrabiblical regulations but still had impure hearts (See 23:5, 23, 27__28). But KINGDOM righteousness works from the inside out because it first produces changed hearts and new motivations (ROMAN 6:17; 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17; GALATIANS 5:22__23; PHILIPPIANS 2:12; HEBREW 8:10), so that the actual conduct of Jesus followers does in fact" [exceed] the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees."
5:21__48 _These verses demonstrate that Jesus interpretation of the OT is the antithesis of faulty interpretations and applications by the religious leaders. Repeatedly introducing his comments with "You have heard that it was said" (verses 21, 27, 33, 38, 43), Jesus corrects not the OT (See verse 43) but the misunderstandings of the OT that were prevalent at the time.
5:21 _Premeditated MURDER is prohibited by the sixth commandment (EXODUS 20:13) and under OT law carried the death penalty (NUMBERS 35:31). The prohibition is grounded in the fact that humans are created in the image of God (GENESIS 1:26__27; 9:6). Concerning unpremeditated murder (manslaughter), see on DEUTERONOMY 19:4__6 and 19:8__10.
5:22 _ANGRY. The dangerous and destructive effect of human anger is likewise stressed throughout Scripture (PROVEBS 20:2; 22:3; 29:22; 2 CORINTHINAS 12:20; GALATIANS 5:20; EPHEISANS 4:31; COLOSSIANS 3:8; JAMES 1:20). Anger typically entails a desire to damage or destroy the other person, either in some personal way or literally in the form of murder (MATTHEW 5:21 and JAMES 4:1__2). Calling someone a FOOL is closely related to anger, in that it represents a destructive attack on one's character and identity. Thus Jesus warns that the person who violates another person in this grievous way is LIABLE TO THE HELL OF FIRE.
5:23__24 _FIRST BE RECONCILED. Reconciliation with the person who has SOMETHING AGAINST YOU must take precedence even over OFFERIG one's GIFT in worship. The one who intiates the reconciliation here is the one who has wronged the other person.
5:25__26 _COME TO TERMS QUICKLY. The importance of reconciliation is illustrated by the example of the person who is about to be judged in COURT Not to be reconciled will have disastrous consequences on a human level but much more so if one is not reconciled to God. (Regarding the question of Christians and lawsuits, See 1 CORINTHIANS 6:1).
5:27 _ADULTERY was considered an extremely serious offense (EXODUS 20:14) because, in addition to violating another person, it broke the marriage covenant (MALACHI 2:14) that was a reflection of the relationship between God and his people.
5:28 _WITH LUSTFUL INTENT (Greek pros to epithymesai auten, lit, "for the purpose of lusting for her"). Lust begins in the HEART, the center of a person's identity and will. It is not enough to maintain physical purity alone; one must also guard against engaging mentally in an act of unfaithfulness. Jesus is not adding to OT law but correctly interpreting it, for even in the TenCommandments God had required purity of heart (EXODUS 20:17; 1 SAMUEL 16:7; PSALM 19:14; 24:4).
5:29__30 _RIGHT EYE . . . RIGHT HAND. The right side often stood for the more powerful or important. The eye is the medium through which one is tempted to lust, and the hand represents the physical actions that result from lusting. CUT IT OFF. Jesus uses deliberate overstatement to emphasize the importance of maintaining exclusive devotion to one's spouse. Even things of great value should be given up if they are leading a person to sin. (See MARK 9:43__48).
5:31__32 _A CERTIFICATE OF DEVORCE in the ancient world gave a woman the right to remarry (Mishnah, Gittin 9:3 "The essential formula in the bill of devorce is 'Lo, thou art free to marry any man' ") and reflects the fact that divorce and remarriage were widely accepted and practiced in the first century world. BUT I SAY TO YOU indicates that Jesus does not accept the practice of easy divorce represented in verse 31. Because divorce waswidespread in ancient times, God had instituted a regulation through Moses that was intended to uphold the sanctity of marriage and to protect women from being divorced for no reason. (See DEUTERONOMY 24:1__4; MATTHEW 19:8). Here and in 19:3__9, Jesus bases his teaching in God's original intention that marriage should be a permanent union of a man and woman as "one flesh" (MARK 10:8). Divorce breaks that union. SEXUAL IMMORALITY (Greek porneia) can refer to adultery (JEREMIAH 3:9; see also the use of the term in Sir. 23:23), prostitution (NAHUM 3:4; 1 CORINTHIANS 6:13, 18), incest (1 CORTHIANS 5:1), fornication (GENESIS 38:24; JOHN 8:41). Scripture prohibits any kind of sexual intercourse outside of marriage (thus forbidding the practice of homosexuality and bestiality as well). EXCEPT ON THE GROUND of sexual immorality. This implies that when a divorce is obtained (by the injured party) because of the sexual immoralityof one's spouse, then such a divorce is not morally wrong. But when a man divorces his wife wrongly (when his wife has not been sexually immoral), the husband thus MAKES HER COMMIT ADULTERY.
5:31__32 _Even though some female Jewish divorcees would have gone back to live with their parents in shame, many would have sought to remarry (which seems to be the typical situation that Jesus is addressing here). Jesus is thus indicating that such second marriges begin with committing adultery, since the divorce would not have been valid in God's eyes. (On whether the adultery is onetime or continual, See MATTHEW 19:9) But Jesus places primary blame on the husband who has wrongly divorced his wife, by stating that he (the husband) "makes her commit adultery. WHOEVER MARRIES A DIVORCED WOMAN is not an isolated statement that applies to all divorced woman, or it would contradictthe "except" clause that Jesus had just given (as well as the further exception in 1 CORINTHIANS 7:15). The statement rather continues the same subject that Jesus had mentioned earlier in the sentence, and thus means, "whoever marries such a wrongly divorced woman commits adultery." SEE MATTHEW 19:3__9; MARK 10:2__12; LUKE 16:18; 1 CORINTHIANS 7:15.
5:33__37 _An OATH involved invoking God's name, or substitutes for it, to guarantee the truth of one's statement (NUMBERS 30:2). Jesus disciples are not to swear AT ALL. Instead, their character should be of such integrity that their words can be believed without an oath.
5:38 _EYE FOR AN EYE. This "law of retaliation" (Latin lex talionis) was God's means of maintaining justice and purging evil from among his people (See DEUTERONOMY 19:20__21). It was intended to pervent inappropriate punishment (the punishment should fit the crime) and was imposed by civil authorities rather than individuals.
5:39 _DO NOT RESIST THE ONE WHO IS EVIL. Jesus is not prohibiting the use of force by governments, police, or soldiers when combating evil (See LUKE 3:12__14; ROMANS 13:1__4; 1 PETER 2:13__14). Rather, Jesus focus here is on individual conduct, as indicated by the contrast with MATTHEW 5:38, which shows that he is prohibiting the universal human tendency to seek personal revenge (See ROMANS 12:19). IF ANYONE SLAPS YOU ON THE RIGHT CHEEK picture a backhanded slap given as an insult (a right-handed person would use the back of the hand to slap someone on the right cheek; cf. Mishnah, Baba Kamma 8:6). The word "slaps" translates Greek rhapizo, "to slap, to strike with the open hand."
5:39 _TURN TO HIM THE OTHER ALSO. One should not return an insulying slap, which would lead to escalating violence. In the case of a more serious assault, Jesus words should not be taken to prohibit self-defense (See LUKE 12:11; 22:36__38; ACTS 22:1; JOHN 8:59; 10:39; 2 CORINTHINAS 11:32__33), for often a failure to resist a violent attack leads to even more serious abuse. Acting in love toward an attacker (MATTHEW 5:44; 22:39) will often include taking steps to prevent him from attempting further attacks. Jesus teaching must be applied with wisdom in the light of related Scriptures that address similiar situations. (See 5:42).
5::42 _GIVE TO THE ONE WHO BEGS FROM YOU. Christians should help those who are truly needy (and therefore forced to beg), but they are not required to give foolishly (7:6) or to a lazy person who is not in need (2 THESSALONIANS 3:10), or where giving would bring harm rather than benefit.
5:43 _YOU HAVE HEARD THAT IT WAS SAID . . . HATE YOUR ENEMY. The OT never says that anyone should hate his or her enemy. This shows that, in his "you have heard" statements (verses 21, 27, 33, 38, 43), Jesus is correcting not the OT itself but only misinterpertations of the OT. God's hatredof evil was a central theme in the OT (PSALM 5:4__5). Consequently, those who embodied evil were understood to be God's enemies, and it was natural to hate them (PSALM 26:4__5; 139:21__22), but such hatred is never commanded by God.
5:44 _LOVE YOUR ENEMIES. God hates evil, but he still brings many blessings in this life even to his enemies (verse 45) by means of "common grace" (the favor that he gives to all people and not just to believers). These blessings are intended to lead unbelievers to repentance (ACTS 14:17; ROMANS 2:4). Of course there is a sense in which God hates those who are resolutely and impenitently wicked (PSALM 5:5; 11:5; EPHESIANS 2:30), but God's blessings of common grace constitute his primary providential action toward mankind here and now.
5:45 _SONS. The children of the heavenly FATHER are those who respond to his will as expressed in the ministry of Jesus (12:48__50). (Regarding "sons" [Greek huiol], ) SUN . . . RAIN God shows grace and care for all of his creatures; therefore Jesus disciples are to imitate God and love both neighbor and enemy.
5:46__47 _In Palestine, TAX COLLECTORS were representatives of the Roman governing authorities. Their tendency to resort to extorition made them despised and hated by their own people (LUKE 19:8). Christians should not merely DO THE SAME as unbelievers; their transformed lives should result in behavior that shows significantly greater love.
5:48 _BE PERFECT, AS YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS PERFECT. Scripture is a reflection of God himself as he has made his will and character known to his people. As Christians seek to live in conformity to Scripture, they are in fact pursuing the very perfection of God. This verse provides the conclusion and summary to the antithesis section (Verses 21:__28), showing that all of the Law and the Prophets find their perfect (Greek teleios) fulfillment in the perfection of the Father, which is what all Jesus disciples are called to pursue.
