←
Explanation for:
Matthew
5
:
27
You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not commit adultery.
11
more explanations
& daily audio-books
spoken by
– enjoy in Theosis App –
Start your
Bible-journey
with explanations
& daily audio-books
only 4$* per month
{"arr":[{"author-name":"John Chrysostom","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88ea76859f9f8e2ffd3ee_John%20Chrysostom.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"After presenting the first commandment in its fullness and elevating it to the pinnacle of spiritual life, the Savior then moves sequentially to the second commandment, adhering to the traditional order established by the ancient law. Some might argue that this should be considered the third commandment, noting that the commandment \\"Thou shalt not kill\\" is not the first. The initial commandment states, \\"The Lord your God, the Lord is one.\\" Given this, we might wonder why the Savior chose not to begin His teaching with this commandment. The reason is clear: had He started with the first commandment, He would have been compelled to elaborate on it extensively, which would have involved a deeper discussion of Himself. The timing was not right for a comprehensive revelation of His identity. Until a specific point, He focused solely on moral teachings, intending through His words and miracles to prepare His audience to recognize Him as the Son of God. Otherwise, if He had proclaimed from the outset, \\"Ye have heard that it was said unto the ancients, I am the Lord your God, and besides Me there is no other God; and I say unto you, that to Me also ye ought to give the same worship as to Him,\\" many would have dismissed Him as a demoniac. Even after proclaiming and performing numerous miracles, those who heard Him still called Him a demoniac when He subtly referenced His divinity. If He had openly claimed to be God from the beginning, the reactions would have likely been even more extreme and distorted. By concealing the fullness of His divine nature until the appropriate moment, He made this truth more palatable to many. This is why the Savior initially refrained from addressing it. He first prepared the hearts of His listeners through miraculous signs and profound moral teachings, before later declaring it explicitly. Thus, He revealed His identity gradually—through the signs He performed and the manner of His instruction. By articulating the commandments and imbuing the law with divine authority, He skillfully guided the attentive and discerning listener towards an understanding of His divine nature. The Evangelist notes that the people were astonished by His teachings, for He did not teach as their scribes did (Matthew 7:29; Mark 1:22)."},{"author-name":"Theophylact of Bulgaria","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8989296bafed9104677d7_Theophylact%20of%20Bulgaria.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":11,"exegesis-text":"Adultery and fornication are distinct acts. Adultery refers to engaging in sinful relations with a woman who is married, while fornication involves engaging in sinful relations with an unmarried woman."},{"author-name":"Euthymios Zigabenos","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":11,"exegesis-text":"The Law states that you shall not kill, and furthermore, it commands you shall not commit adultery. By reinforcing the earlier commandment, it transitions to the next one, guiding the emotions of anger and placing boundaries on desires as well."},{"author-name":"Bogolepow D.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The commandment against adultery, as presented in Exodus 20:14, was interpreted by the religious leaders of Jesus’ time in a strictly superficial manner, focusing solely on the physical act. However, Christ extends this condemnation to include both fornication and lust. He emphasizes the necessity for individuals to exercise self-control against the temptations to sin that surround them. It is preferable, albeit challenging, to abstain from certain earthly pleasures in this life rather than face destruction in Gehenna in the life to come."},{"author-name":"Michail (Lusin)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c89550c567e172d15b3055_Michail%20(Lusin).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"You shall not commit adultery. This command represents the seventh instruction of the Mosaic Law (Exodus 20:14), addressing solely the external action of the sin itself, similar to the explanation of the sixth commandment. By emphasizing this law, the Savior reveals that the sin of adultery encompasses not just the physical act but also the internal desire—looking at a woman with lustful intent. 'He who commits adultery in his heart with his wife agrees to the act, but is restrained from it by circumstance, timing, or the fear of civil repercussions' (Athanasius the Great). This perspective does not undermine the Law; rather, it fulfills it, as one who refrains from viewing their spouse with lust truly upholds the commandment against adultery."},{"author-name":"Abbot Panteleimon about the Trinity","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The Lord declares, “YOU HAVE HEARD,” that it is spoken to the angels, “DO NOT LOVE.” This forms the seventh commandment of God’s Law, delivered at Sinai, and recognized even from the earliest days of humanity. This divine prohibition was sufficient for the ancients to maintain the purity of their souls. For instance, the virtuous Joseph escaped from the dishonorable advances of Pentephrius's wife, preserving both his body and his spirit in righteousness. In contrast, the Pharisee could engage in wrongdoing not through actions but rather within his inner being, harboring destructive vice in his heart, all while perceiving himself as just before God."},{"author-name":"Philaret (Amphiteatrov)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c896e9b7a2ebaf99e4620a_Philaret%20(Amphiteatrov).png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":19,"exegesis-text":"According to the understanding of the Holy Fathers, two powerful passions dwell in the human heart, tainted by sin, serving as the root of many sorrows faced by the fallen offspring of Adam. These are the passions of anger and the lust of the flesh. The first, if left unchecked, can take hold in one's heart, which was designed for loving one's neighbors, replacing that love with harmful hatred toward them. The latter, if not extinguished at its outset, risks transforming the heart of a Christian—made pure through baptism and consecrated by the Holy Spirit for genuine love of God and virtue—into a sanctuary for impure desires that corrupt both soul and body.\\n\\nThus, our Savior, Jesus Christ, who came to restore our souls disfigured by sin through His life-giving teachings, urges us above all else to protect our hearts from these destructive passions. He instructs us to refrain not only from actions but also from words and thoughts of anger that undermine the bond of love with our neighbors, as previously discussed. Likewise, He admonishes us to guard against even the slightest inclination toward passions that tarnish the sanctity of our love for God. He teaches us that merely casting a lustful glance at someone who is not our spouse constitutes an offense in the heart, viewed by the all-seeing God. This wrong may be concealed from human judgment but is laid bare before God's scrutiny, prompting Him to withdraw His favor from the transgressor until true repentance is rendered.\\n\\nAs the Prophet declares, the Lord’s eyes are so pure that He cannot behold evil without righteous indignation (Hab. 1:13). The Lord’s turning away from the faithless heart is a profound but unseen punishment—one so grave that it may surpass any visible suffering. This consequence involves God withdrawing His light and grace from a heart hardened by betrayal, leaving it vulnerable to its inherent weakness according to His just and active judgment. What could be more impoverished than a person left to the mercy of their own sinful inclinations? Seeking to shield us from this invisible yet inevitable consequence of divine justice, our compassionate Savior also cautions: “But if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.”"},{"author-name":"Kochomski S.W.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"In this passage, the Lord associates the seventh commandment from the Decalogue, which instructs against adultery (Exodus 20:14), with the inner duty to maintain purity, urging believers to cleanse their hearts from any lustful yearnings and impure notions. Anyone who harbors such desires and thoughts is guilty of adultery in their heart."},{"author-name":"Lopuchin A.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c891400ee1341634d2276d_Lopuchin%20A.P..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"You have heard it stated to the ancients, \\"Thou shalt not commit adultery.\\" The Jewish teachers interpreted this commandment primarily to refer to physical adultery, while also allowing for various indulgences of the flesh. However, within the law of the new covenant, sin was addressed at its origin—in the heart. It condemned not only unlawful actions but also the very thoughts and desires of the flesh, including lustful glances. For anyone who gazes at a woman with such intent \\"has already committed adultery with her in his heart.\\""},{"author-name":"Paul Matwejewski","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8969f5be0d592d5a10576_Paul%20Matwejewski.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The second illustration. It has been said to those of old, \\"You shall not commit adultery.\\" However, I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. The seventh commandment of the Old Testament (Exodus 20:14), which addresses the act of adultery itself, is illuminated by the Lord to show that the sinful nature lies not just in the act but also in the lascivious desires that arise from an impure gaze, fueling passionate thoughts. “The Savior does not prohibit gazing at wives entirely, but He only forbids looking at them with lust; for he who delights in observing beautiful faces ignites within himself the spark of desire, ensnaring his soul, leading to harmful wishes\\" (St. John Chrysostom). The Lord instructs on the need for vigilance against temptation with words that carry a figurative meaning: \\"If your right eye causes you to stumble, tear it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish than for your whole body to go into hell.\\" The right eye and the right hand symbolize our most cherished faculties, emphasizing that we must be willing to relinquish what we hold dear in order to eliminate the passion that ensnares our souls, akin to how medical practitioners remove an infected limb to prevent contagion from spreading throughout the body. \\"The Savior,\\" as noted by St. John Chrysostom, \\"does not refer to the members themselves; He never condemns the flesh but points to the corrupted will. If Christ were referring to the physical members, He would mention both eyes and not just one, nor exclusively the right one.\\" In interpreting the Lord’s message, the holy Fathers suggest that the right eye and right hand represent beloved and loyal companions who, instead of providing the expected support, become sources of temptation."},{"author-name":"Alexander Gorsky","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8884037c1e1c51e1332e2_Alexander%20Gorsky.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"In unveiling the essence of this beginning, the Lord intentionally addressed and corrected several misconceptions that had been integrated into the moral teachings of that period by the legal experts. These teachers often manipulated the meaning of the commandments according to their own desires. Therefore, He clarified the authentic interpretation of the sixth, seventh, and third commandments, dismissed the erroneous understanding of divorce and revenge, and refuted the misguided conclusion regarding the hatred of one’s enemies as gleaned from some of Moses’ laws. In doing so, the Lord illustrated how the law ought to be perceived and what attitude a citizen of the kingdom of heaven should nurture within themselves. Every act lacking in love—whether it be a grievous act or a subtle absence of compassion, not only a tangible act of immorality but also an impure thought, not just the breaking of oaths but any form of injustice that one swears to uphold, and not only a blatant infraction of righteousness towards others, but also a cruel insistence on personal rights—these are incompatible with the law that the Messiah establishes for His kingdom. The defining characteristic of those who belong to His realm is love for everyone without exception, even for one’s adversaries, reflecting, in all things, the perfect nature of the Heavenly Father."}]}
Support this project and get full access for only 4$/month
Commentarie text can’t be scrolled on PC at the moment. Please use your phone. We’re working on a fix.
