Chapter 6:20-45 The Beatitudes

6:20 And He lifted up His eyes on His disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

blessed be ye poor - not only in the things of this world, having left all for Christ, but poor in Spirit, as in Matthew 5:3.

6:21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

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.

6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.

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.

6:23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

Rejoice ye in that day - When they should be hated, discarded, reproached, and anathematized.

6:24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.

But woe unto you that are rich -  Not in worldly riches and substance; but it chiefly regards such, as are rich in their own opinion, and stand in need of nothing.

6:25 Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

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.

6:26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

for so did their fathers to the false prophets - they spoke well of them, and heaped favors, riches, and honors upon them, that they might prophesy unto them things; smooth things and deceit.

6:27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

love your enemies - whereas you have heard them say, hate your enemies, keep enmity in your hearts to them, and revenge yourselves on them:
do good to them that hate you - whereas you have heard it said, that you should only do good to your friends, and should keep anger in your bosoms to such who hate you, and do you an injury.

6:28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

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.

6:29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also.

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.

6:30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

Give to every one - Friend or enemy, what thou canst spare, and he really wants: and of him that taketh away thy goods.

6:31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

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.

6:32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.

For sinners also love those that love them - men who do not regard God at all. Therefore he may do this, who has not taken one step in Christianity.

6:33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.

for sinners also do even the same - wherefore no man should conclude himself a righteous man, or better than sinners, on such an account.

6:34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

Of whom ye hope to receive - Or, whom ye expect to return it.

6:35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Love ye your enemies - This is the most sublime precept ever delivered to man: a false religion durst not give a precept of this nature, because, with out supernatural influence, it must be for ever impracticable. In these words of our blessed Lord we see the tenderness, sincerity, extent, disinterestedness, pattern, and issue of the love of God dwelling in man.

6:36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Be ye therefore merciful - Tenderhearted, kind, beneficent to all men, friends and foes: A merciful or compassionate man easily forgets injuries; pardons them without being solicited; and does not permit repeated returns of ingratitude to deter him from doing good, even to the unthankful and the unholy.

6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

Judge not, and ye shall not be judged - This is of judgment in the civil courts of judicature, but of rash judgment, interpreting men's words and deeds to the worst sense, and censuring them in a very severe manner; even passing sentence on them, with respect to their eternal state and condition.

6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.

Give, and it shall be given - Let us give, neither out of mere human generosity, nor out of vanity, nor from interest, but for the sake of God, if we would have him place it to account.
Bosom - or lap. for with the same measure that ye mete withal, it shall be measured to you again - a common proverb with the Jews.

6:39 And He spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?

Can the blind lead the blind? - Can the scribes teach this way, which they know not themselves? 

--shall they not both fall into the ditch?

--yes, verily, what else can be expected?

6:40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

The disciple is not above his master - Or "more excellent". Every one that is perfect - Or, thoroughly instructed.

6:41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? meaning a greater sin, such are guilty of, who are inquisitive searchers into the faults of others, and severe animadverters on them; and yet are blind to their own iniquities, and take no notice of them.

6:42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye.

thou hypocrite - as such an one must be, that bears hard upon his brother, and severely censures him for a small crime, when he indulges in himself a far more abominable sin:

6:43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit - or men of corrupt minds deliver good and sound doctrine.

6:44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.

for of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes - nor can they be expected from them: and no more can an unregenerate man perform good works, or bring forth: fruits of righteousness acceptable unto God; for these require a knowledge of his will, obedience to it, a principle of grace, love to God, faith in Christ.

6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

or of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh - And what the mouth commonly speaks, generally agrees with what is most in the heart. 

Chapter 6:12-19 Choosing the Twelve

6:12 And it came to pass in those days, that He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

We often think one half hour a great deal to spend in meditation and secret prayer, but Christ was whole nights engaged in these duties.

6:13 And when it was day, He called unto Him His disciples: and of them He chose twelve, whom also He named apostles;
And when it was day - Or morning; having spent the whole night in prayer to God, no doubt for His disciples, whom He was about to send forth as His apostles, to preach His Gospel, and work miracles, and for their success therein: He called unto Him His disciples - the whole company of them, whom he also named apostles; or "messengers".

6:14 Simon, (whom He also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,

Simon, whom He also named Peter - Which signifies a rock, or stone, and Andrew his brother; who was called at the same time with him, James and John: Philip and Bartholomew; the latter of these is by some thought to be Nathanael.

6:15 Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes,

Matthew and Thomas - The first of these was a publican, and who also was called Levi; and the latter had besides the name of Didymus, and was he that was so unbelieving of Christ's resurrection: James the son of Alphaeus; sometimes called James the less, and the brother of our Lord: and Simon called Zelotes; or the Canaanite;

6:16 And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.

And Judas the brother of James - this Judas was also called Thaddaeus and Lebbaeus, and is the writer of the epistle that bears his name: and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor; both his surname and his character are mentioned, to distinguish him from the other Judas:

6:17 And He came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of His disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear Him, and to be healed of their diseases;

--The whole picture is striking--

Jesus ascends a mountain, employs the night in prayer; 

and, having thus solemnly invoked the Divine blessing, authoritatively separates the twelve apostles from the mass of His disciples. 

He then descends, and heals in the plain all the diseased among a great multitude, collected from various parts by the fame of His miraculous power. 

Having thus created attention, He likewise satisfies the desire of the people to hear His doctrine; and retiring first to the mountain whence He came, that His attentive hearers might follow Him and might better arrange themselves before Him - All admire his excellent sayings with sacred silence.

6:18 And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.
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.

6:19 And the whole multitude sought to touch Him: for there went virtue out of Him, and healed them all.

for there went virtue out of Him; in great abundance, as water from a fountain; without his speaking a word, or using any gesture, such as laying His hands on them.