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Matthew 5:1. Seeing the people, He went up the mountain; He ascends the mountain, teaching him not to do anything for show. Intending to teach, He trains us to move away from noise when we teach. and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. The people come to see miracles, but the disciples come to learn. Therefore, in order to perform miracles and heal bodies, He also heals souls, so that we may learn that He is the Creator of both souls and bodies. Matthew 5:2. And He opened His mouth, Why is it added “he opened his mouth”? It seems unnecessary. But no, for He taught without opening His lips. How? With your life and miracles. Now He teaches with His mouth opened. He taught not only the students, but also the people. And he began with the beatitudes, just as David began with the beatitudes. Matthew 5:3. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Shows humility as the basis of life. Since Adam fell from pride, Christ restores us through humility. For Adam hoped to be God. The broken in soul are the poor in spirit. Matthew 5:4. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Of course, weeping about sins, and not about anything in life. He said “those who cry,” that is, always, and not just once, and not only about their own sins, but also about the sins of their neighbors. They will be consoled here too, for whoever cries over sin rejoices spiritually here, and even more so there. Мф.5:5 . Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Some people by the word “earth” mean the spiritual earth, that is, heaven, but you also mean this earth. Since the meek are usually considered despicable and worthless, He says that they primarily have everything. The meek are not those who are not angry at all (for such are devoid of reason), but those who have anger, but refrain, becoming angry when necessary. Мф.5:6 . Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Many do not rob, but rather are merciful, but they commit fornication and thus become unclean in other respects. So, Christ commands, along with other virtues, to preserve purity or chastity, not only in the body, but also in the heart, for apart from holiness or purity no one will see the Lord. Just as a mirror, if it is pure, reflects images only then, so the contemplation of God and the understanding of Scripture is accessible only to a pure soul. Matthew 5:9. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Of course, we mean not only those who themselves live peacefully with everyone, but also those who reconcile those at war. Peacemakers are also those who, through teaching, convert the enemies of God to the truth. These are the sons of God, for the Only Begotten Son of God reconciled us to God. Matthew 5:10. Blessed are those who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Not only martyrs are persecuted, but also many others for helping the wronged and in general for any virtue, for all virtue is truth. Thieves and murderers are also persecuted, but they are not blessed. Matthew 5:11. Blessed are you when they revile you and persecute you Finally, the Lord speaks to His apostles, showing that it is most common for teachers to endure reproach. and in every way it is unjust to speak evil of Me. It is not just the one who is reviled who is blessed, but only the one who is reviled for Christ and falsely. Otherwise, he is unhappy, because for many he serves as a temptation. Matthew 5:12. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven: The Lord did not speak about the great reward for other virtues, but here he spoke about it, showing by this that to endure reproach is a great and most difficult thing, for many have taken their own lives. And Job, who suffered other temptations, was especially indignant when his friends reviled him as if he was suffering for his sins. so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. So that the apostles would not think that they would be persecuted for preaching something contrary to the teachings of Christ, the Lord consoles them, saying that the prophets before you were persecuted for virtue; therefore in their sufferings you have consolation. Matthew 5:13. Вы – соль земли. Prophets were sent to one people, but you are the salt of the whole earth, strengthening the weak with teaching and reproof, so that they do not give birth to constant worms. In view of this, do not reject the bitterness of reproof, even if they hate and persecute you. If the salt loses its strength, then what will you use to make it salty? It is no longer good for anything except throwing it out there for people to trample underfoot. If the teacher is possessive, that is, if he does not reprove, correct, and becomes lazy, then with what will he be salted, that is, corrected? He must be deprived of his teaching rank and trampled upon, that is, subjected to contempt. Matthew 5:14. You are the light of the world. First salt, then light, for the one who exposes hidden deeds is light. After all, everything that is made visible is light. The apostles enlightened not just one nation, but the world. A city standing on top of a mountain cannot hide. The Lord instructs them to strive and be attentive to their lives, because everyone will be looking at them. Do not think, He says, that you will hide; you will be visible; Therefore, pay attention to living chastely, so that you do not serve as a temptation to others. Matthew 5:15. And having lit a candle, they do not put it under a bushel, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. I, he says, lit the unquenchable light of grace. Let it be the work of your feat so that the light of your life shines on others. Matthew 5:16. So let your light shine before people, so that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. He did not say: “show your virtue” (for this is not good), but “let it shine” itself so that your enemies will be surprised and glorify not you, but your Heavenly Father. Therefore, when we do good, we should do it for the glory of God, and not for ours. Matthew 5:17. Do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets: I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill. Since He intended to introduce new laws, so that they would not think that He was an opponent of God, He, preventing such suspicion on the part of many, says: “I came not to break the law, but to fulfill it.” How did He fulfill it? Firstly, by the fact that he accomplished everything that was predicted about Him by the prophets. That is why the evangelist often says: “so that what was spoken by the prophet might be fulfilled.” He fulfilled all the commandments of the law, for He committed no iniquity and no flattery was in His mouth. He fulfilled the law in another respect, that is, He completed it, for He fully outlined what the law gave only one shadow. He said: “Do not kill,” and Sey said: “And do not be angry in vain.” Like a painter, He does not erase the original drawing, but completes it. Matthew 5:18. For truly I say to you: “Truly” (amen) is an affirmative particle, instead of “by it, I tell you.” Until heaven and earth pass away, not one jot or one tittle will pass from the law until everything is fulfilled. Here the Lord shows that the world will pass and change. Therefore He says that as long as the universe stands, not even the smallest letter of the law will disappear. Some understand the twelve commandments by an iota and a line, while others mean the cross. The iota is the straight beam of the cross, and the dash is the transverse one. So, they say that what was said regarding the cross will be fulfilled. Matthew 5:19. So, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches people to do so, he will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven; By small commandments he means those that He Himself intended to give, but not the commandments of the law. He calls them small because of His humility, in order to teach you to be modest in your teaching. “He will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven” instead: in the resurrection he will be the last and will be thrown into Gehenna. For he shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven: no; but by the Kingdom you mean the resurrection. and whoever does and teaches will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. First it is worth “creating”, and then “teaching”, for how can I guide others on a path that I myself have not walked? On the other hand, if I do, but do not teach, then I will not have such a reward, but perhaps I will suffer punishment if I do not teach out of envy or laziness. Matthew 5:20. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. By righteousness the Lord means every virtue, just as in the words: “But Job was true, righteous and blameless” (Job 1:1). So, tremble, O man, consider how much is required of us. Then the Lord teaches us how to excel and lists the virtues. Matthew 5:21. You have heard what was said to the ancients: Thou shalt not kill (Ex. 20:13); whoever kills is subject to judgment. He does not say by whom it was said, because if he had said: “My Father said to the ancients, I tell you,” then it would seem that He was establishing something contrary to the Father. On the other hand, if he had said: “I spoke to the ancients,” then they would not have listened to His words. Therefore he says vaguely: “it was said by the ancients.” With these words He shows that the law is outdated. And if it is outdated and close to destruction, then it should be abandoned and run to a new one. Matthew 5:22. But I tell you that everyone who is angry with his brother without cause will be subject to judgment; The prophets, intending to present a prophecy, declared: “This is the Lord speaking,” but Christ, showing His Divine authority, says: “I speak.” They were slaves, and He is the Son and has everything that belongs to the Father. He who is angry with his brother in vain will be condemned, but if someone is angry for reasonable reasons, for the purpose of education or out of spiritual jealousy, he will not be condemned. And Paul speaks angry words to Elyma the sorcerer and the high priest, but not in vain, but out of jealousy. We are angry in vain if we are angry because of wealth or fame. Whoever says to his brother: “raqa” is subject to the Sanhedrin. By “Sanhedrin” we mean the Jewish court, and “raka” is identical with the word “you.” We are in the habit of saying to a person we despise: “Go away”; and therefore the Lord encourages us not to ignore such unimportant expressions and encourages us to respect others. Some say that “raqa” means “despicable” in Syriac. So, if anyone dishonors his brother, calling him despicable, he will fall under the council of the apostles when they sit down to judge the twelve tribes. And whoever says, “crazy,” is subject to fiery hell. Many people say and think that this is a difficult and severe sentence, but no. Is he not worthy of Gehenna who deprives his brother of reason and meaning, deprives him of what makes us different from animals? He who reviles and dishonors destroys love, and when love is destroyed, virtues that are strong only in the existence of love are destroyed. So, everyone who dishonors, destroying all virtues, thereby destroys love and is therefore justly awarded fire. Matthew 5:23–24. So, if you bring your gift to the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go, first be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. God neglects his own honor so long as we love each other. To the words “if your brother has something against you” he did not add anything else: whether he has it justly or unjustly, be reconciled. He did not say: “if you have anything against him,” but said: “if he has anything against you, try to reconcile him with yourself.” He commands you to leave the gift so that you have a need for reconciliation: having wished to bring your gift, you will, of necessity, have to be reconciled. At the same time, it shows that love is also a true sacrifice. Matthew 5:25. Make peace with your opponent quickly while you are still on the way with him, lest your opponent hand you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the servant, and they throw you into prison; Matthew 5:26. Truly I tell you: you will not come out of there until you have paid the last coin. Some think that by rival is the devil, and by the path is life, and they believe that the Lord exhorts in this way: “while you are in this life, break off the connection with the devil, so that he cannot subsequently expose you for your sins as having anything from him, and so that you will not then be given over to punishment until you have destroyed even the smallest sins (for a kodrant is equal to two mites).” But you understand that the Lord says this regarding the local rivals, teaching not to judge and not to deviate from the affairs of God. If, he says, you are offended, then do not go to court, but make peace on the way, so as not to suffer the worst, thanks to the power of your opponent. Matthew 5:27. You have heard that it was said: You shall not commit adultery (Ex. 20:14). Adultery is one thing, fornication is another. Adultery is a sin with a married woman, and fornication is a sin with a free woman. Matthew 5:28. But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Whoever stops, kindles lust with his sight and looks again with greater desire, has already committed the sin of adultery in his heart. If he did not add to this, then what follows from this? Only that he was not able to, and if he could, he would immediately commit evil. But know that if we desire, but then encounter an obstacle to the fulfillment of our desire by deed, then it is clear that we are under the cover of grace. And women, if they decorate themselves in order to please, sin, even if they are not liked. For they prepared the drink, although no one drank it. Matthew 5:29. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away from you; for it is better for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell. Matthew 5:30. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; for it is better for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell. When you hear about the eye and the hand, do not think that this is being said about the members: for He would not have added: “right” and “right.” Here we are talking about those who seem to be our friends and harm us. Thus, a young man has dissolute friends and suffers harm from them. Leave them, says the Lord. With this, perhaps, you will save them too, if they come to their senses, but if not, then at least yourself. If you maintain love for them, then both you and they will perish. Matthew 5:31. It is also said that if anyone divorces his wife, he should give her a divorce decree. Moses commanded that if anyone hated his wife, he should divorce her, so that the worst would not happen, for the one who was hated could be killed - and he gave the divorced woman a letter of divorce, which was called a letter of release, so that the woman released would never return to him and there would be no discord when the husband began to live with another. Matthew 5:32. But I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for the guilt of fornication, gives her a reason to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery. The Lord does not break the Mosaic Law, but corrects it, forbidding a husband to hate his wife for unreasonable reasons. If he releases her for a good reason, that is, as having committed adultery, then he is not subject to condemnation, but if in addition to adultery, then he is subject to judgment: for he forces her to commit adultery. But the one who takes her to himself is an adulterer - for if he had not taken her, she might have returned and submitted to her husband. A Christian should be a peacemaker in relation to others, and even more so in relation to his wife. Matthew 5:33. You have also heard what was said to the ancients: do not break your oath, but fulfill your vows before God. That is, when you swear, be truthful. Matthew 5:34. But I say to you: do not swear at all; nor heaven, because it is the throne of God; Matthew 5:35. nor the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King; Since the Jews heard God saying: heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool, they swore by these objects. But the Lord, forbidding them to do this, does not say: since the sky is beautiful and huge, and the earth is useful, therefore do not swear, but do not swear by these objects because the sky is the throne of God, and the earth is the footstool, so as not to give rise to idolatry. For the elements were recognized as deities by those who swear by them, which was the case before. Matthew 5:36. Do not swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black. God alone swears by Himself, as not depending on anyone. But we have no power over ourselves, so how can we swear on our own heads? We are the property of another. For if the head is your property, then change, if you can, one hair. Matthew 5:37. But let your word be: yes, yes; no no; No matter what you say: but how will they believe me? “He says: they will believe you if you always tell the truth and never swear, for no one loses trust more than the one who immediately swears.” and anything beyond this is from the evil one. An oath, except: to her and neither, is unnecessary and is the work of the devil. But you ask: was the law of Moses, commanding one to swear, bad? Find out that at that time an oath was not a bad thing; but after Christ it is a bad thing, just like being circumcised and generally committing Judaism. After all, it is proper for a baby to suck the breast, but it is not proper for a husband. Matthew 5:38. You have heard that it was said: an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth (Ex. 21, 24). The law, out of leniency, allowed equal retribution, so that out of fear we would suffer equal retribution and not offend each other. Matthew 5:39. But I tell you; do not resist evil. But whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other also to him; The Lord here calls the devil evil, who acts through man. So, shouldn't the devil be resisted? Yes, it should, but not with a blow on your part, but with patience, for fire is extinguished not with fire, but with water. But do not think that here we are talking only about a blow to the cheek, but also about any other blow, and about any offense in general. Matthew 5:40. and whoever wants to sue you and take your shirt, give him your outer clothing too; Give him your outer clothing too if they drag you to court and harass you, and not when they simply ask you. In our country, a shirt is, in fact, an underdress, and outer clothing is an outer dress. But these names are said one instead of the other. Matthew 5:41. and whoever forces you to go one mile with him, go with him two miles. “What am I talking about shirts and outerwear? - says the Lord. “And give your very body to the one who is dragging you by force, and do more than he wishes.” Matthew 5:42. Give to the one who asks from you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. Whether an enemy, a friend or an infidel asks you for money or other help. Lent, he says, not with growth, but simply for the benefit of one’s neighbor, for even during the time of the law they lent without interest. Matthew 5:43. You have heard that it was said: love your neighbor and hate your enemy. Matthew 5:44. But I say to you: love your enemies, He has reached the pinnacle of virtue, for what is greater than this? But it's not impossible. For Moses and Paul loved the Jews who were at enmity against them more than themselves, and all the saints loved their enemies. bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who use you and persecute you, For they should be revered as benefactors, because everyone who persecutes and tempts us reduces the punishment for our sins. On the other hand, God will reward us with a great reward for this. For listen: Matthew 5:45. May you be sons of your Father in heaven, for He makes His sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the just and the unjust. Do you see what benefit someone who hates and insults you gives you, if only you are willing to endure? By rain and sun he means both knowledge and teaching, for God sanctifies and teaches everyone. Matthew 5:46. For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don't publicans do the same? Let us tremble, for we are not even like tax collectors, but we hate even those who love us. Matthew 5:47. And if you greet only your brothers, what special thing are you doing? Don't the pagans do the same? Matthew 5:48. Therefore, be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. Some people, of course, friends, to love, while others to hate is an imperfection; perfection is to love everyone.