Matthew 5:42 Commentary and Bible Study

Several times the Lord introduces his thinking with the words, ‘Ye have heard that it hath been said’, referring to the misquotations and the omissions of the Rabbis, but now he tells them something which they were not teaching at all; they had left this out completely and that was tragic. It is another example of denying self, of behaving graciously to others in a very practical way, in a way that may cost us something in the material realm. We must not insist on our rights when we are being taken advantage of, or when others are defrauding us of our property, but neither should we set our own possessions above the dire needs of others when they can offer no better argument that we should give, than that they have asked us sincerely. The Pharisees were not teaching this because they were mean. The Lord drew this from Deuteronomy, ‘If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth. Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee. Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto’ (Deuteronomy 15:7-10). The law taught Israel to show liberality to those in need. They were to give in faith without any sense of loss, because they should understand that what they gave of their material goods would be no loss to them, because God would give back to them secret blessings worth far more. Nor were they to take any account of the year of release (Deuteronomy 15), when all debts were to be cancelled. This came every seven years and applied to the whole nation. When that year came, any outstanding loan would no longer have to be repaid. It was a provision for the poor. Under the law, all those who had had misfortunes and suffered reversals so that they had to borrow were released from their debts. If a loan was therefore made closer to the year of release, it was less likely to ever be paid back, and so the ancient law said to those who had well-being, beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart saying, the seventh year, the year of release is at hand. If I lend him anything in three months-time or in sixth months-time he will not have to pay it back, so he can go without. That thought should not come into your minds, for Israel was to count it service to the Lord to care for the poor. The Lord brings this up, because the Rabbis evidently chose not to teach it; they were themselves so mean. ‘Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.’