52 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they that were vexed with unclean spirits,.... Were possessed with devils, and sadly tormented and afflicted by them: and they were healed: both such that had bodily diseases, and were under diabolical possessions.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the whole multitude sought to touch him,.... That is, the multitude of those that were sick and possessed; for they were persuaded, and they found it true by experience, that if they could but touch any part of his body, or his garments, they should be cured of their diseases: for there went virtue out of him; in great abundance, as water from...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples,.... Either the whole company of them, or rather the twelve apostles, whom he saw coming to him, and fixing his eyes on them, he sat, and said; what follows, with many other things recorded by Matthew: blessed be ye poor; not only in the things of this world, having left all for Christ, but poor in...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Blessed are ye that hunger now,.... Not only suffer hunger and thirst in a literal sense, in this present life, but who have hunger and thirst in a spiritual sense, after righteousness and eternal life, as in Matthew 5:6 where it is also said as here: for ye shall be filled: with righteousness and life; [See comments on Matthew 5:6]. blessed are...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Blessed are ye when men shall hate you,.... For the sake of Christ, and his Gospel: and when they shall separate you from their company; either from civil conversation with them, as if they were Gentiles and uncircumcised persons; or from their religious assemblies, and so may have respect to that sort of excommunication in use, among the Jews,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Rejoice ye in that day,.... When they should be hated, discarded, reproached, and anathematized: and leap for joy; as if the greatest honour and happiness imaginable had been conferred on them; and as persons do, when in the greatest rapture: for behold, your reward is great in heaven, for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets;...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But woe unto you that are rich,.... Not in worldly riches and substance, for some of these have been, and are happy persons in a spiritual sense; and at most, it can only mean such, who trust in their riches, and place their, happiness in them; but it chiefly regards such, as are rich in their own opinion, and stand in need of nothing; who place...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Woe unto you that are full,.... Not so much with the plenty and affluence of the things of this life, as of themselves, and their own righteousness, and so with conceit, vanity, and pride, and have no appetite for spiritual things, nor do they hunger and thirst after Christ, and the grace that is in him: for ye shall hunger; not that they shall...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you!.... The word "all", is left out in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic; Persic: and Ethiopic versions, and is wanting in many copies, though it is in the Alexandrian copy; and the meaning is, it looks ill in persons, when the men of the world, wicked men, all of them, or the greater part of them,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But I say unto you which hear,.... The Ethiopic version adds "me", and the generality of interpreters understand the passage of the hearers of Christ, as distinct from the disciples, or together with them, and of the better sort of them; and of such as had ears to hear, and who heard with a desire of understanding, and of putting into practice...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Bless them that curse you;.... In common discourse, or anathematize you in their synagogues: and pray for them which despitefully use you: so Christ himself did; [See comments on Matthew 5:44].
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek,.... The right cheek, offer also the other; the left cheek, by turning it to him, that he may smite that likewise, if he thinks fit: by which proverbial expression, Christ teaches patience in bearing injuries and affronts, and not to seek private revenge; but rather, suffer more, than indulge such a...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And give to every man that asketh,.... [See comments on Matthew 5:42] And of him that taketh away thy goods; not by force, but by consent, having either lent them, or sold them to him: for if they were taken away by force, the person so taking them was to be deemed a thief and a robber, and to be treated as such; but one that takes them by...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And as ye would that men should do to you,.... In matters of justice and beneficence were they in your case, and you in theirs; do ye also to them likewise: a golden rule this, agreeably to the light of nature, and divine revelation, and is the sum and substance of the law and prophets; [See comments on Matthew 7:12].
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye?.... Or, "what grace have ye?" this is no fruit, nor evidence of grace, nor any exercise of the true grace of love; nor is it any favour conferred upon the object loved, which deserves the respect shown, nor can any reward be expected for such treatment: and thus it is expressed in Matthew,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And if ye do good to them which do good to you,.... As one good turn deserves another: what thank have ye? what grace or goodness is there in such an action? what glory or merit is there in it? for sinners also do even the same: wherefore no man should conclude himself a righteous man, or better than sinners, on such an account: this is to be...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive,.... The same again, as from their brethren the Jews; or usury, as from the Gentiles: what thank have ye? and yet they looked upon this, in the first instance of it, as a very great kindness, and act of goodness, as appears from the above citation: for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But love ye your enemies,.... As before urged in Lu 6:27 and do good and lend; not to your friends only, but to your enemies; hoping for nothing again; either principal or interest, despairing of seeing either; lending to such persons, from whom, in all appearance, it is never to be expected again. The Persic version renders it, "that ye may not...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Be ye therefore merciful,.... Tenderhearted, kind, beneficent to all men, friends and foes: as your Father also is merciful; that is your Father which is in heaven; who is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works: nothing is more common in Zohar (y), and the Talmud (z) than to express the Divine Being by no other name, than "the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Judge not, and ye shall not be judged,.... [See comments on Matthew 7:1]. Condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned; censure not men's persons, and judge not their state, or adjudge them to condemnation, for every offence in practice, or because they differ in principle, lest you should be treated in like manner by others; and especially, lest...