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Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

Matthew 5:46

Publicans] In classical literature 'publicans' are wealthy Bomans who bought from the Roman government the right of collecting the taxes in a certain district. The publicans of the NT. are the actual tax-collectors. In NT. times only duties on exports, not direct taxes, were collected by publicans. Publicans bore a bad reputation among the Jews, partly for their dishonesty and extortion, and partly for their unpatriotic conduct in collecting taxes for a foreign power. The rabbis ranked publicans with cutthroats and robbers.

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See also Matthew 5:46 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Matthew 5:46. _FOR IF YE LOVE THEM WHICH LOVE YOU_] He who loves only his _friends_, does nothing for God's sake. He who loves for the sake of _pleasure_ or _interest_, pays himself. God has no...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    WHAT REWARD HAVE YE? - The word “reward” seems to be used in the sense of “deserving of praise.” If you only love those that love you, you are selfish; it is not genuine love for the “character,” but...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    5. THE PROCLAMATION OF THE KING CONCERNING HIS KINGDOM. CHAPTER S 5-7 _ 1. The Characteristics of the heirs of the Kingdom.(Matthew 5:1 .) 2. The Confirmation of the Law and its Expansion.(Matthew 5:...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    LOVING ONE'S NEIGHBOUR (_cf._ Luke 6:27 f., Matthew 5:32).Thou shalt love thy neighbour (_i.e._ fellow Israelite) is the precept of the Law (Leviticus 19:18); and hate thine enemy is a Rabbinic infere...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT (Matthew 5:1-48) As we have already seen, Matthew has a careful pattern in his gospel. In his story of the baptism of Jesus he shows us Jesus realizing that the hour has struc...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    You have heard that it has been said: You shall love your neighbour, and you shall hate your enemy; but I say to you: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may become th...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    WHAT REWARD, &C. The Lord varies the wording of this when repeating it later in Luke 6:35. NOT. Greek. _ouchi._. strengthened form of _ou._ App-105. PUBLICANS. tax-gatherers. Hence, extortioners. La...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _publicans_ TAXGATHERERS; not collectors of a regular tax fixed by government as with us, but men who farmed or contracted for the _publicum_(state revenue), hence called Publicani. At Rome the equest...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΟἹ ΤΕΛΩ͂ΝΑΙ, tax-gatherers; not collectors of a regular tax fixed by government, as with us, but men who farmed or contracted for the _publicum_ (state revenue), hence called Publicani. At Rome the eq...

  • Catena Aurea Commentary

    Ver 43. "Ye have heard that it hath been said, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.' 44. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate yo...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _JESUS' TEACHINGS ABOUT RETALIATION AND LOVE MATTHEW 5:38-48:_ Having the right attitude will cause us to go the second mile. (Matthew 5:38-42) Do anything and everything within your power to show the...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΆΓΑΠΉΣΗΤΕ _aor. conj. act. от_ ΆΓΑΠΆΩ (G25) любить. _Conj._ с ΈΆΝ (G1437) употреблен в _conj._ 3 типа, показывающем, что условие является возможным, ΆΓΑΠΏΝΤΑΣ _praes. act. part._ ΟΎΧΊ (G3780) в вопро...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 1309 LOVE TO ENEMIES ENJOINED Matthew 5:43. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THE PUBLICANS— These were the _Roman tax-gatherers,_ some of whom were Jews: these were more extremely odious to their countrymen than those who were heathens. The other Jews would have no communicati...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    C. THE WISE AND GODLY MAN IN RELATION TO THE LAW 6. HIS ATTITUDE TOWARD PERFECT love. (Parallel Luke 6:32-36) TEXT: 5:43-48 43. Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? FOR IF YE LOVE THEM WHICH LOVE YOU, WHAT REWARD HAVE YE? DO NOT EVEN THE PUBLICANS THE SAME? [ to (G3588...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    22 Gehenna, the valley of the son of Hinnom, just below the city of Jerusalem, where idolatrous worship was once carried on and where the city offal was burned, will once more become the incinerator f...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    MATTHEW’S GOOD NEWS MATTHEW’S *GOSPEL _HILDA BRIGHT_ CHAPTER 5 JESUS TEACHES 5:1–7:29 INTRODUCTION This is the first of the five main sections that report what Jesus taught in Matthew’s *gospe...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THE PUBLICANS. — An account of the “publicans” of our Lord’s time will find a more fitting place in the Notes on Matthew 9:9. Here, it may be remarked that our Lord puts Himself, as it were, on the le...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 7 The Gospel of the Kingdom ("Sermon on the Mount") - Matthew 5:1; Matthew 6:1; Matthew 7:1 IT may seem almost heresy to object to the time-honoured title "Sermon on the Mount"; yet, so smal...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    μισθὸν : here, and three times in next chapter; one of several words used in this connection of thought περισσὸν (Matthew 5:47), τέλειοι (Matthew 5:48) having a legal sound, and capable of being misun...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    Characteristically lofty inducements to obey the new law; likeness to God (Matthew 5:45); moral distinction among men (Matthew 5:46-47). υἱοὶ τοῦ πατρὸς ὑμῶν : in order that ye may be indeed sons of G...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    _Sixth and final illustration: from the Law of Love_. To an old partial form of the law Jesus opposes a new universal one....

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    BROTHERLY RELATIONSHIP Matthew 5:38-48 In mentioning the second mile, our Lord refers to a well-known Eastern custom of forwarding messages by relays of forced labor. We leave our homes on a given mo...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    In the three Chapter s beginning here we have the Magna Charta of the Kingdom. This chapter opens with a great revelation of its supreme condition. Character is everything. The first word is suggestiv...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _The publicans. These were the gatherers of the public taxes: a set of men, odious and infamous among the Jews, for their extortions and injustice. (Challoner)_...

  • Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament

    CHAPTER 16 SERMON ON THE MOUNT Matthew 5-7, and Luke 6:20-49. A few days ago it was my privilege to spend two beautiful bright days at the sea of Galilee, sailing over it, and visiting the places of...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Was there ever such a refinement of the most perfect law of the LORD as is here drawn? And where shall we look for the fulfilment of it but in the Lord JESUS himself? He indeed, and He only, observed...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    God has been pleased, in the separate accounts He has given us of our Lord Jesus, to display not only His own grace and wisdom, but the infinite excellency of His Son. It is our wisdom to seek to prof...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    46._Do not even the publicans the same? _In the same sense, Luke calls them _sinners, _that is, wicked and unprincipled men. Not that the office is condemned in itself; for the _publicans _were collec...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    He then gathers around Him those who were definitively to follow Him in His ministry and His temptations; and, at His call, to link their portion and their lot with His, forsaking all beside. The str...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    FOR IF YE LOVE THEM WHICH LOVE YOU,.... That is, if ye only love such that love you; for that such who love should be loved again, is both natural and just: our Lord's meaning is not, that ye ought no...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? Ver. 46. _For if ye love them that love you, what reward have you?_] The Greek and Latin word (say the Rhe...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    IF YE LOVE THEM; them only. PUBLICANS; tax-gatherers, who were considered as very wicked, and were often cruel and oppressive....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    FOR IF YE LOVE THEM WHICH LOVE YOU, WHAT REWARD HAVE YE? DO NOT EVEN THE PUBLICANS THE SAME?...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    And there is also the moral distinction;...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    From every direction He attracted followers, Galilee mentioned first, but also Decapolis beyond the sea of Galilee, Jerusalem and Judea, and east of Jordan. No doubt their motives for following Him we...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    43-48 The Jewish teachers by "neighbour" understood only those who were of their own country, nation, and religion, whom they were pleased to look upon as their friends. The Lord Jesus teaches that w...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    SEE POOLE ON "MATTHEW 5:47"....

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    First Apology of Justin But I say unto you, Pray for your enemies, and love them that hate you, and bless them that curse you, and pray for them that despitefully use you."[23] Athenagoras A Plea fo...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Matthew 5:46 For G1063 if G1437 love G25 (G5661) who G3588 love G25 (G5723) you G5209 what...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    “For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the civil servants the same? And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more than others? Do not even the Gentiles the...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE DISCIPLES ARE TO LOVE EVEN THEIR ENEMIES AND ARE TO SEEK TO BE PERFECT EVEN AS THEIR FATHER IN HEAVEN IS PERFECT (5:43-48). Jesus has been slowly building up to this final revelation of the love...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Matthew 5:46. _FOR _ refers back to Matthew 5:44: if your action is simply in accordance with the precept of the Pharisees, WHAT REWARD HAVE YE? What merit is there in it? _THE PUBLICANS, _ the taxgat...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Our Lord defines His relation to the old dispensation (Matthew 5:17-19), thus introducing the negative leading thought, viz., the utter failure of the Pharisees to attain true righteousness, according...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    GENERAL CHARACTER. The magna charta of Christ's Kingdom: the unfolding of His righteousness; the sublimest code of morals ever proclaimed on earth; the counterpart of the legislation on Mount Sinai; C...

  • Sermon Bible Commentary

    Matthew 5:43 I. Our Lord does not say here that all men are to be equally dear to us, or equally esteemed by us. He does not substitute a vague principle of universal philanthropy in the room of those...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Matthew 5:43. _Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy._ In this case a command of Scripture had a human antithesis fitted on to it by depraved minds...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Matthew 5:41. _And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain._ If you can do him any service, do it cheerfully, do it readily. Do what he wants of you. Matthew 5:42. _Give to him t...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Matthew 5:17. _Think not that I am came to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill._ The life, work, and words of Christ are not an emendation of the Old Testament,...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

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  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Matthew 5:1. _Seeing the multitudes,_ assembled from six provinces to see and to hear the great, the promised prophet, who had opened his ministry with glorious miracles. But our Saviour looked upon t...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    EVEN THE TAX COLLECTORS DO THAT. Those who collected taxes for the occupation government were hated by the Jews, and shunned as traitors. Yet, Jesus reminds them, even they love those who love them....

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 5:46 In Palestine, TAX COLLECTORS represented the Roman government. Their own people hated them because they often charged extra taxes and took the money for themselves (see...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 5:21 YOU HAVE HEARD THAT IT WAS SAID (vv. Matthew 5:21, Matt

  • The Gospels Compared

    JESUS TEACHES ABOUT LOVING ENEMIES MATTHEW 5:43-48; LUKE 6:27-36; MATTHEW 5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy....

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    CHAPTER 5 _Went up into a mountain._ Let us inquire what mountain this was? "Some simple brethren," says S. Jerome, "think that Christ taught the Beatitudes, and the things which follow, on the mount...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL NOTES_ GENERAL REMARKS ON THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT _The aim and contents of the_ “_Sermon_.”—No mere sermon is this, only distinguished from others of its class by its reach and sweep and po...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION MATTHEW 5:1 AND SEEING THE MULTITUDES; _i.e. _those spoken of in Matthew 4:25—the multitudes who were at that point of time following him. HE WENT UP. From the lower ground by the lake. I...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Tonight we have the Sermon on the Mount, what a fantastic portion of scripture. Matthew five, And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he has sat down, his disciples came unto...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Peter 2:20; Luke 15:1; Luke 18:13; Luke 19:2; Luke 19:7;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT (CONTINUED) Matthew 5:43; _Matthew 6:1_ INTRODUCTORY WORDS I. A FOURFOLD COMMAND 1. "Love your enemies." The whole world loves those who love them. That is only natural. But...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    The publicans — were officers of the revenue, farmers, or receivers of the public money: men employed by the Romans to gather the taxes and customs, which they exacted of the nations they had conquere...

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    Yet farther to encourage us to this duty of loving our enemies, Christ assures his disciples, that he expects more from them than others; more than common humanity and civil courtesy towards friends;...

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