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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Matthew 5:27–32. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
We have here an exposition of the seventh commandment, given us by the same hand that made the law, and therefore was fittest to be the interpreter of it: it is the law against uncleanness, which fitly follows upon the former; that laid a restraint upon sinful passions, this upon sinful appetites, both which ought always to be under the government of reason and conscience, and if indulged, are equally pernicious.
I.The command is here laid down (Mat 5:27), Thou shalt not commit adultery; which includes a prohibition of all other acts of uncleanness, and the desire of them: but the Pharisees, in their expositions of this command, made it to extend no further than the act of adultery, suggesting, that if the iniquity was only regarded in the heart, and went no further, God could not hear it, would not regard it (Psa 66:18), and therefore they thought it enough to be able to say that they were no adulterers, Luk 18:11.
II.It is here explained in the strictness of it, in three things, which would seem new and strange to those who had been always governed by the tradition of the elders, and took all for oracular that they taught.
1.We are here taught, that there is such a thing as heart-adultery, adulterous thoughts and dispositions, which never proceed to the act of adultery or fornication; and perhaps the defilement which these give to the soul, that is here so clearly asserted, was not only included in the seventh commandment, but was signified and intended in many of those ceremonial pollutions under the law, for which they were to wash their clothes, and bathe their flesh in water. Whosoever looketh on a woman (not only another man's wife, as some would have it, but any woman), to lust after her, has committed adultery with her in his heart, Mat 5:28. This command forbids not only the acts of fornication and adultery, but,
(1.)All appetites to them, all lusting after the forbidden object; this is the beginning of the sin, lust conceiving (Jam 1:15); it is a bad step towards the sin; and where the lust is dwelt upon and approved, and the wanton desire is rolled under the tongue as a sweet morsel, it is the commission of sin, as far as the heart can do it; there wants nothing but convenient opportunity for the sin itself. Adultera mens est - The mind is debauched. Ovid. Lust is conscience baffled or biassed: biassed, if it say nothing against the sin; baffled, if it prevail not in what is says.
(2.)All approaches toward them; feeding the eye with the sight of the forbidden fruit; not only looking for that end, that I may lust; but looking till I do lust, or looking to gratify the lust, where further satisfaction cannot be obtained. The eye is both the inlet and outlet of a great deal of wickedness of this kind, witness Joseph's mistress (Gen 39:7), Samson (Jdg 16:1), David, Sa2 11:2. We read the eyes full of adultery, that cannot cease from sin, Pe2 2:14. What need have we, therefore, with holy Job, to make a covenant with our eyes, to make this bargain with them that they should have the pleasure of beholding the light of the sun and the works of God, provided they would never fasten or dwell upon any thing that might occasion impure imaginations or desires; and under this penalty, that if they did, they must smart for it in penitential tears! Job 31:1. What have we the covering of the eyes for, but to restrain corrupt glances, and to keep out of their defiling impressions? This forbids also the using of any other of our senses to stir up lust. If ensnaring looks are forbidden fruit, much more unclean discourses, and wanton dalliances, the fuel and bellows of this hellish fire. These precepts are hedges about the law of heart-purity, Mat 5:8. And if looking be lust, they who dress and deck, and expose themselves, with design to be looked at and lusted after (like Jezebel, that painted her face and tired her head, and looked out at the window) are no less guilty. Men sin, but devils tempt to sin.
2.That such looks and such dalliances are so very dangerous and destructive to the soul, that it is better to lose the eye and the hand that thus offend then to give way to the sin, and perish eternally in it. This lesson is here taught us, Mat 5:29, Mat 5:30. Corrupt nature would soon object against the prohibition of heart-adultery, that it is impossible to governed by it; "It is a hard saying, who can bear it? Flesh and blood cannot but look with pleasure upon a beautiful woman; and it is impossible to forbear lusting after and dallying with such an object." Such pretences as these will scarcely be overcome by reason, and therefore must be argued against with the terrors of the Lord, and so they are here argued against.
(1.)It is a severe operation that is here prescribed for the preventing of these fleshly lusts. If thy right eye offend thee, or cause thee to offend, by wanton glances, or wanton gazings, upon forbidden objects; if thy right hand offend thee, or cause thee to offend, by wanton dalliances; and if it were indeed impossible, as is pretended, to govern the eye and the hand, and they have been so accustomed to these wicked practices, that they will not be withheld from them; if there be no other way to restrain them (which, blessed be God, through his grace, there is), it were better for us to pluck out the eye, and cut off the hand, though the right eye, and right hand, the more honourable and useful, than to indulge them in sin to the ruin of the soul. And if this must be submitted to, at the thought of which nature startles, much more must we resolve to keep under the body, and to bring it into subjection; to live a life of mortification and self-denial; to keep a constant watch over our own hearts, and to suppress the first rising of lust and corruption there; to avoid the occasions of sin, to resist the beginnings of it, and to decline the company of those who will be a snare to us, though ever so pleasing; to keep out of harm's way, and abridge ourselves in the use of lawful things, when we find them temptations to us; and to seek unto God for his grace, and depend upon that grace daily, and so to walk in the Spirit, as that we may not fulfil the lusts of the flesh; and this will be as effectual as cutting off a right hand or pulling out a right eye; and perhaps as much against the grain to flesh and blood; it is the destruction of the old man.
(2.)It is a startling argument that is made use of to enforce this prescription (Mat 5:29), and it is repeated in the same words (Mat 5:30), because we are loth to hear such rough things; Isa 30:10. It is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, though it be an eye or a hand, which can be worse spared, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. Note,
[1.]It is not unbecoming a minister of the gospel to preach of hell and damnation; nay, he must do it, for Christ himself did it; and we are unfaithful to our trust, if we give not warning of the wrath to come.
[2.]There are some sins from which we need to be saved with fear, particularly fleshly lusts, which are such natural brute beasts as cannot be checked, but by being frightened; cannot be kept from a forbidden tree, but by cherubim, with a flaming sword.
[3.]When we are tempted to think it hard to deny ourselves, and to crucify fleshly lusts, we ought to consider how much harder it will be to lie for ever in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone; those do not know or do not believe what hell is, that will rather venture their eternal ruin in those flames, than deny themselves the gratification of a base and brutish lust.
[4.]In hell there will be torments for the body; the whole body will be cast into hell, and there will be torment in every part of it; so that if we have a care of our own bodies, we shall possess them in sanctification and honour, and not in the lusts of uncleanness.
[5.]Even those duties that are most unpleasant to flesh and blood, are profitable for us; and our Master requires nothing from us but what he knows to be for our advantage.
3.That men's divorcing of their wives upon dislike, or for any other cause except adultery, however tolerated and practised among the Jews, was a violation of the seventh commandment, as it opened a door to adultery, Mat 5:31, Mat 5:32. Here observe,
(1.)How the matter now stood with reference to divorce. It hath been said (he does not say as before, It hath been said by them of old time, because this was not a precept, as those were, though the Pharisees were willing so to understand it, Mat 19:7, but only a permission), "Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a bill of divorce; let him not think to do it by word of mouth, when he is in a passion; but let him do it deliberately, by a legal instrument in writing, attested by witnesses; if he will dissolve the matrimonial bond, let him do it solemnly." Thus the law had prevented rash and hasty divorces; and perhaps at first, when writing was not so common among the Jews, that made divorces rare things; but in process of time it became very common, and this direction of how to do it, when there was just cause for it, was construed into a permission of it for any cause, Mat 19:3.
(2.)How this matter was rectified and amended by our Saviour. He reduced the ordinance of marriage to its primitive institution: They two shall be one flesh, not to be easily separated, and therefore divorce is not to be allowed, except in case of adultery, which breaks the marriage covenant; but he that puts away his wife upon any other pretence, causeth her to commit adultery, and him also that shall marry her when she is thus divorced. Note, Those who lead others into temptation to sin, or leave them in it, or expose them to it, make themselves guilty of their sin, and will be accountable for it. This is one way of being partaker with adulterers Psa 50:18.
Historical interpretation
Four Centuries of Reception
12 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
In fact, how does the Lord demonstrate Himself as adding a superstructure to the Law, except by interdicting sins of the will as well (as other sins); while He defines not only the man who had actually invaded another's wedlock to be an adulterer, but likewise him who had contaminated (a woman) by the concupiscence of his gaze? Accordingly it is dangerous enough for the mind to set before itself what it is forbidden to perform, and rashly through the will to perfect its execution.
But he had withal said above: "Are we, then, making void the law through faith? Far be it; but we are establishing the law " -forsooth in those (points) which, being even now interdicted by the New Testament, are prohibited by an even more emphatic precept: instead of, "Thou shalt not commit adultery," "Whoever shall have seen with a view to concupiscence, hath already committed adultery in his own heart; " and instead of, "Thou shalt not kill," "Whoever shall have said to his brother, Racha, shall be in danger of hell.
Because adultery is a serious sin and in order to uproot it, lest our conscience be defiled, he forbade even lust, which is the fuel of adultery. According to the words of blessed James in his epistle, “Lust when it has conceived gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death.” The Holy Spirit speaks concerning this to David: “Happy shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock.” The symbolism here is that the blessed and truly evangelical person roots out the desires and lust of the flesh arising from human weakness. He does this immediately before they grow, at the onset, through faith in Christ who has been described as a rock.
Having now finished the former commandment, and having extended it unto the height of self-denial, He, advancing in course and order, proceeds accordingly unto the second, herein too obeying the law.
For beginning from those passions, which most belong to our whole race, anger, I mean, and desire (for it is these chiefly that bear absolute sway within us, and are more natural than the rest); He with great authority, even such as became a legislator, both corrected them, and reduced them to order with all strictness. For He said not that the adulterer merely is punished; but what He had done with respect to the murderer, this He doth here also, punishing even the unchaste look: to teach thee wherein lies what He had more than the scribes. Accordingly, He saith, "He that looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath already committed adultery with her:" that is, he who makes it his business to be curious about bright forms, and to hunt for elegant features, and to feast his soul with the sight, and to fasten his eyes on fair countenances. For He came to set free from all evil deeds not the body only, but the soul too before the body. Thus, because in the heart we receive the grace of the Spirit, He cleanses it out first.
"And how," one may say, "is it possible to be freed from desire?" I answer, first, if we were willing, even this might be deadened, and remain inactive.
In the next place, He doth not here take away desire absolutely, but that desire which springs up in men from sight. For he that is curious to behold fair countenances, is himself chiefly the enkindler of the furnace of that passion, and makes his own soul a captive, and soon proceeds also to the act.
Thus we see why He said not, "whosoever shall lust to commit adultery," but, "whosoever shall look to lust." And in the case of anger He laid down a certain distinction, saying, "without a cause," and "for nought;" but here not so; rather once for all He took away the desire. Yet surely both are naturally implanted, and both are set in us for our profit; both anger, and desire: the one that we may chastise the evil, and correct those who walk disorderly; the other that we may have children, and that our race may be recruited by such successions.
Why then did He not make a distinction here also? Nay, very great is the distinction which, if thou attend, thou wilt see here also included. For He said not simply, "whosoever shall desire," since it is possible for one to desire even when sitting in the mountains; but, "Whosoever shall look to lust;" that is to say, he who gathers in lust unto himself; he who, when nothing compels him, brings in the wild beast upon his thoughts when they are calm. For this comes no longer of nature, but of self-indulgence. This even the ancient Scripture corrects from the first, saying, "Contemplate not beauty which is another's." And then, lest any one should say, "what then, if I contemplate, and be not taken captive," He punishes the look, lest confiding in this security thou shouldest some time fall into sin. "What then," one may say, "if I should look, and desire indeed, but do no evil?" Even so thou art set among the adulterers. For the Lawgiver hath pronounced it, and thou must not ask any more questions. For thus looking once, twice, or thrice, thou wilt perhaps have power to refrain; but if thou art continually doing this, and kindling the furnace, thou wilt assuredly be taken; for thy station is not beyond that nature which is common to men. As we then, if we see a child holding a knife, though we do not see him hurt, beat him, and forbid his ever holding it; so God likewise takes away the unchaste look even before the act, lest at any time thou shouldest fall in act also. For he who hath once kindled the flame, even when the woman whom he hath beheld is absent, is forming by himself continually images of shameful things, and from them often goes on even to the deed. For this cause Christ takes away even that embrace which is in the heart only.
For in truth greater is the struggle on beholding, and not possessing the object of fondness: nor is the pleasure so great which we reap from the sight, as the mischief we undergo from increasing this desire; thus making our opponent strong, and giving more scope to the devil, and no longer able to repulse him, now that we have brought him into our inmost parts, and have thrown our mind open unto him. Therefore He saith, "commit no adultery with thine eyes, and thou wilt commit none with thy mind."
For one may indeed behold in another way, such as are the looks of the chaste; wherefore he did not altogether prohibit our seeing, but that seeing which is accompanied with desire. And if He had not meant this, He would have said simply, "He who looketh on a woman." But now He said not thus, but, "He who looketh to lust," "he who looketh to please his sight."
For not at all to this end did God make thee eyes, that thou shouldest thereby introduce adultery, but that, beholding His creatures, thou shouldest admire the Artificer.
Just then as one may feel wrath at random, so may one cast looks at random; that is, when thou doest it for lust. Rather, if thou desirest to look and find pleasure, look at thine own wife, and love her continually; no law forbids that. But if thou art to be curious about the beauties that belong to another, thou art injuring both thy wife by letting thine eyes wander elsewhere, and her on whom thou hast looked, by touching her unlawfully. Since, although thou hast not touched her with the hand, yet hast thou caressed her with thine eyes; for which cause this also is accounted adultery, and before that great penalty draws after it no slight one of its own. For then all within him is filled with disquiet and turmoil, and great is the tempest, and most grievous the pain, and no captive nor person in chains can be worse off than a man in this state of mind. And oftentimes she who hath shot the dart is flown away, while the wound even so remains. Or rather, it is not she who hath shot the dart, but thou gavest thyself the fatal wound, by thine unchaste look. And this I say to free modest women from the charge: since assuredly, should one deck herself out, and invite towards herself the eyes of such as fall in her way; even though she smite not him that meets with her, she incurs the utmost penalty: for she mixed the poison, she prepared the hemlock, even though she did not offer the cup. Or rather, she did also offer the cup, though no one were found to drink it.
(Hom. xvii.) The Lord having explained how much is contained in the first commandment, namely, Thou shalt not kill, proceeds in regular order to the second.
If you permit yourself to gaze often on fair countenances you will assuredly be taken, even though you may be able to command your mind twice or thrice. For you are not exalted above nature and the strength of humanity. She too who dresses and adorns herself for the purpose of attracting men's eyes to her, though her endeavour should fail, yet shall she be punished hereafter; seeing she mixed the poison and offered the cup, though none was found who would drink thereof. For what the Lord seems to speak only to the man, is of equal application to the woman; inasmuch as when He speaks to the head, the warning is meant for the whole body.
(Verse 25 onwards) Be reconciled quickly with your adversary while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Truly I say to you, you will not get out of there until you have paid the last penny. You have heard that it was said to the ancient ones: 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I tell you that everyone. Because what we have in Latin codices is 'consentiens,' it is written in Greek as 'Εὐνοῶν,' which means benevolent or kind. From the preceding and subsequent passages, it is clear that our Lord and Savior, while we run on the path of this world, encourages us to peace and harmony, according to the Apostle, who says: If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with all men (Rom. XII, 18). For in the preceding chapter, he also said: If you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you: and when this is finished, he immediately adds: Be reconciled to your adversary, etc. And in the following he commands: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who persecute and slander you. When this is clear and the consequent understanding, many think it is said about the flesh and the soul, or about the soul and the spirit, which is not entirely correct. For how can the flesh be sent to prison if the soul does not agree, since both the soul and the flesh must be imprisoned together? And the flesh can do nothing except what the mind commands, or the Holy Spirit dwelling in us can deliver judgment to the flesh or the soul that resists, since he himself is the judge. Others, according to the Letter of Peter saying: Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, goes about seeking whom he may devour (I Peter 5:8), and the rest, interpret the adversary as the devil, and they want to command from the Savior that, as long as it is in our power, we may be benevolent towards the devil, who is an enemy and avenger, and not make him suffer punishment on our behalf. For since he himself supplies the incentives of vices, and even to us who sin willingly, if we agree with him who suggests vices, he must also be tormented on our behalf. And they say it is a kind act for each saint to sustain his adversary, if he does not make him endure torments for himself. Some say more forcefully that in Baptism each person enters into a pact with the devil and says: I renounce you, devil, and your pomp, and your vices, and your world, which is in the evil one (1 John 5:19). Therefore, if we keep the pact, we are kind and consenting to our adversary, and by no means are we to be shut up in prison. But if we have in fact transgressed anything of what we promised to the devil, we will be handed over to the judge and the officer, and we will be thrown into prison, and we will not be released from it until we repay the last quarter. A quarter is a type of coin that has two minutes. Hence, in another Gospel, that poor and widowed woman is said to have sent a quarter into the treasury (Mark 12), and in another, two minutes (Luke 21). Not that the Gospels are in disagreement, but that one quarter has two minute coins. This is therefore what he is saying: You will not leave the prison until you have paid even the smallest sins.
Between πάθος and προπάθεια, that is between actual passion and the first spontaneous movement of the mind, there is this difference: passion is at once a sin; the spontaneous movement of the mind, though it partakes of the evil of sin, is yet not held for an offence committedh. When then one looks upon a woman, and his mind is therewith smitten, there is propassion; if he yields to this he passes from propassion to passion, and then it is no longer the will but the opportunity to sin that is wanting. Whosoever, then, looketh on a woman to lust after her, that is, so looks on her as to lust, and cast about to obtain, he is rightly said to commit adultery with her in his heart.
(Serm. ix. 3 and 10.) Thou shalt not commit adultery, that is, Thou shalt go no where but to thy lawful wife. For if you exact this of your wife, you ought to do the same, for the husband ought to go before the wife in virtue. It is a shame for the husband to say that this is impossible. Why not the husband as well as the wife? And let not him that is unmarried suppose that he does not break this commandment by fornication; you know the price wherewith you have been bought, you know what you eat and what you drinkg, therefore keep yourself from fornications. Forasmuch as all such acts of lust pollute and destroy God's image, (which you are,) the Lord who knows what is good for you, gives you this precept that you may not pull down His temple which you have begun to be.
The lesser righteousness, therefore, is not to commit adultery by carnal connection; but the greater righteousness of the kingdom of God is not to commit adultery in the heart. Now, the man who does not commit adultery in the heart, much more easily guards against committing adultery in actual fact. Hence He who gave the later precept confirmed the earlier; for He came not to destroy the law, but to fulfil it.
Gerontius of Petra said, ‘Many people who are tempted by pleasures of the flesh do not sin with the body but lust with the mind; they keep their bodily virginity but lust in their heart. It is better then, beloved, to do what is written, “Let everyone keep a close guard upon his heart” (Prov. 4:23).’
A brother asked some of the monks whether evil thoughts defiled a man. When they were asked this question, some said, ‘Yes,’ but some said, ‘No, for if that were so, we ordinary people could not be saved. If we think of vile actions but do not do them, it is this which brings salvation.’ The questioner was discontented with the monks’ diverse answers, and he went to an experienced hermit and asked him about it. He replied, ‘Everyone is required to act according to his capacity.’ Then the brother asked him, ‘For the Lord’s sake, explain this saying to me.’ So he said, ‘Look here, suppose there was a valuable jug and two monks came in, one of whom had a great capacity for a disciplined life, and the other a small capacity. Suppose that the mind of the more disciplined man is moved at the sight of the jug and he says inwardly, “I’d like to have that jug,” but the idea leaves him at once, and he puts away any thought of it, then he would not be defiled. But if the less disciplined man covets the jug and is strongly moved by an impulse to take it, and yet after a struggle he does not take it, he would not be defiled either.’
(Mor. xxi. 2.) But whoso casts his eyes about without caution will often be taken with the pleasure of sin, and ensnared by desires begins to wish for what he would not. Great is the strength of the flesh to draw us downwards, and the charm of beauty once admitted to the heart through the eye, is hardly banished by endeavour. We must therefore take heed at the first, we ought not to look upon what it is unlawful to desire. For that the heart may be kept pure in thought, the eyes, as being on the watch to hurry us to sin, should be averted from wanton looks.
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Summary
In Jesus initiates His profound reinterpretation of the Seventh Commandment, shifting the focus from mere external conformity to the deeper intentions of the human heart. This verse serves as the foundational premise for His radical teaching on adultery, demonstrating His divine authority to unveil the true spiritual depth of God's Law, challenging the prevailing legalistic interpretations of His day and calling His followers to a higher standard of inner righteousness.
Context
Literary Context
Matthew 5:27 is part of a series of six "antitheses" (or contrasting statements) found in Matthew 5:21-48. In each antithesis, Jesus quotes a traditional understanding of an Old Testament commandment ("You have heard that it was said...") and then provides His authoritative, deeper interpretation ("But I say to you..."). This particular statement directly follows Jesus' teaching on anger and murder (Matthew 5:21-26), establishing a pattern where internal attitudes are shown to be just as culpable as external actions. It specifically sets the stage for His radical expansion of the Seventh Commandment in Matthew 5:28, where He addresses the sin of lust in the heart, demonstrating that the spirit of the Law extends far beyond its literal application.
Historical & Cultural Context
For the Jewish audience of Jesus' day, the command "Thou shalt not commit adultery" was a cornerstone of the Mosaic Law, explicitly stated in the Decalogue (Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18). The prevailing rabbinic interpretations, particularly among the Pharisees and scribes, tended to focus on the outward, observable act of adultery, defining it primarily as illicit sexual intercourse between a married person and someone other than their spouse. While the Law itself had broader implications, the popular understanding often reduced it to a behavioral prohibition, allowing for a form of righteousness based on external compliance rather than internal purity. Jesus' teaching directly confronts this narrow, legalistic perspective, aiming to restore the Law's original, comprehensive intent.
Key Themes
This verse introduces and reinforces several critical themes within the Sermon on the Mount and throughout Jesus' ministry. Firstly, it underscores the Authority of Jesus as the divine interpreter and fulfiller of the Law, demonstrating that His teaching carries a weight even greater than the traditional interpretations of "them of old time." Secondly, it highlights the theme of Inner Righteousness, emphasizing that true obedience to God extends beyond outward actions to the purity of one's thoughts, desires, and intentions, a standard introduced earlier in Matthew 5:20. Thirdly, by reaffirming and deepening the prohibition against adultery, Jesus underscores the Holiness and Sanctity of Marriage as a sacred covenant designed by God, protecting its integrity from both physical and internal threats. Finally, it powerfully conveys God's Concern for the Heart, revealing that God's moral standards are not superficial but penetrate to the deepest parts of human existence, demanding a transformation of the inner person.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This verb signifies not merely the physical act of hearing, but often implies understanding, receiving, or being taught. In this context, "Ye have heard" indicates a widely known and commonly accepted teaching, likely referring to the oral traditions and rabbinic interpretations that had developed around the written Law over centuries, as well as the direct knowledge of the commandment itself. Jesus acknowledges their familiarity with the traditional understanding before presenting His deeper insight.
This adjective refers to that which is "original" or "primeval," indicating a long-standing tradition or ancient origin. "Them of old time" points to the revered figures and teachings of the past, underscoring the perceived authority of these established interpretations. Jesus is not dismissing the antiquity of the Law itself, but challenging the adequacy of the historical interpretations that had become entrenched, implying that they had not fully grasped the Law's profound spiritual demands.
This verb specifically means "to commit adultery," referring to illicit sexual intercourse, particularly within the context of marriage. It is a direct translation of the Hebrew term found in the Decalogue. In its traditional understanding, it denotes a physical act of infidelity that violates the marriage covenant. Jesus uses this familiar and explicit prohibition as a springboard to demonstrate that the sin of adultery originates not just in the physical act, but in the heart's illicit desires, thus expanding the scope of the commandment.
Verse Breakdown
"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time"
This opening clause establishes the common ground of understanding. Jesus acknowledges the familiar teaching that His audience has received, likely through both the written Mosaic Law and the oral traditions that had interpreted it. The phrase "by them of old time" points to the long-standing, revered interpretations passed down through generations, setting up a contrast with Jesus' own authoritative teaching that follows. It implies a widely accepted, perhaps even complacent, understanding of the commandment.
"Thou shalt not commit adultery"
This is a direct quotation of the Seventh Commandment from the Decalogue (Exodus 20:14; Deuteronomy 5:18). In its original context, it is a clear and unequivocal prohibition against the physical act of infidelity within the marriage covenant. By quoting it, Jesus affirms the validity and importance of the commandment itself, not to abolish it, but to fulfill it by revealing its deeper, spiritual intent, which He immediately proceeds to do in the subsequent verses.
Literary Devices
In Matthew 5:27, Jesus employs the literary device of Antithesis, which is prominent throughout Matthew 5:21-48. He sets up a direct contrast between the traditional understanding ("Ye have heard that it was said...") and His own authoritative reinterpretation ("But I say to you..."). This rhetorical structure highlights His unique authority and the radical nature of His teaching. While not explicitly stated in Matthew 5:27 alone, the verse also implicitly introduces the theme of Fulfillment, as Jesus is not abrogating the Law but revealing its ultimate spiritual demands, thereby fulfilling its true intent. The very act of quoting the established commandment before offering a deeper meaning demonstrates His intention to complete and perfect, rather than destroy, the Law. Furthermore, the passage foreshadows the use of Hyperbole in the subsequent verse (Matthew 5:28), where the severity of the internal sin is equated with the external act, emphasizing the extreme nature of the righteousness required for the Kingdom of Heaven.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Matthew 5:27 serves as a crucial theological pivot, demonstrating Jesus' unparalleled authority to interpret and expand the Law of God. It reveals that God's concern for righteousness is not superficial, limited to outward actions, but penetrates to the very core of human motivation and desire. By challenging the prevailing legalistic interpretations, Jesus elevates the standard of righteousness, showing that true obedience is a matter of the heart, aligning one's inner disposition with God's perfect will. This teaching underscores the inherent holiness of God and His demand for a people whose lives, both public and private, reflect His character. It also highlights the reality of human sinfulness, as even the "righteous" by external standards are revealed to be deeply flawed when measured against the divine standard of inner purity.
Reflection and Application
Matthew 5:27, particularly when read in conjunction with the verses that follow, presents a profound challenge to our understanding of sin, righteousness, and discipleship. It calls us to move beyond a superficial, outward-focused morality to a radical examination of our inner lives. For believers today, this means recognizing that sin is not merely a matter of forbidden actions, but originates in the desires and intentions of the heart. This verse compels us to cultivate a deep and abiding purity of thought, understanding that lust, covetousness, and other sinful desires, though unseen by others, are fully seen by God and are destructive to our spiritual well-being. It reminds us that true integrity is a seamless garment, where our private thoughts align with our public conduct, and that the pursuit of holiness is an ongoing, internal battle fought with the help of the Holy Spirit. This passage encourages us to guard our hearts diligently, recognizing that they are the wellspring of life, and to continually seek God's transforming grace to purify our innermost being.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is Jesus abolishing the Old Testament Law in this verse?
No, Jesus is explicitly not abolishing the Old Testament Law. In fact, He states earlier in the Sermon on the Mount, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." Instead, in Matthew 5:27 and the subsequent antitheses, Jesus is fulfilling the Law by revealing its true, deeper, and spiritual intent. He moves beyond a superficial, external understanding of the commandments to expose the heart's role in sin and righteousness, thereby elevating the standard of obedience to God's perfect will. He is not removing the command against adultery but showing that its true scope includes the thoughts and desires that lead to the act.
What does "them of old time" refer to in this context?
The phrase "them of old time" (Greek: archaîos) refers to the traditional interpretations and teachings passed down through generations, likely by respected religious authorities, scribes, and rabbis, rather than the written Law of Moses itself. While the Law against adultery was given by God, the way it was commonly understood and applied by Jesus' contemporaries often focused solely on the external act, neglecting the internal motivations. Jesus is contrasting these long-standing, human interpretations with His own divine and authoritative understanding of God's original intent for the Law, which always included the heart.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Matthew 5:27 finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ in several profound ways. First, Jesus Himself is the perfect embodiment of the Law's demands, both external and internal. He lived a life of absolute purity, never harboring a lustful thought or committing a sinful act, thus perfectly fulfilling the righteous requirements of God's holy standard. He is the only one who could truly say, "I always do what pleases the Father." Second, Jesus' teaching here reveals the depth of human sinfulness, demonstrating that no one, by their own efforts, can truly meet the Law's spiritual demands, for sin originates in the heart (Mark 7:21-23). This underscores our desperate need for a Savior. Third, through His atoning sacrifice on the cross, Jesus provides the cleansing for both our outward sins and the hidden sins of our hearts, making a way for us to be reconciled to a holy God (Hebrews 9:14). He is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. Finally, in the New Covenant established through His blood, Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to write His Law not on tablets of stone, but on the hearts of believers (Jeremiah 31:33; 2 Corinthians 3:3), enabling us to increasingly live out the inner righteousness that Matthew 5:27 demands. It is only by being conformed to the image of Christ through the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18) that we can begin to pursue the radical purity of heart that Jesus calls us to.