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Text -- Matthew 5:25 (NET)

Strongs On/Off
Context
5:25 Reach agreement quickly with your accuser while on the way to court, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the warden, and you will be thrown into prison.
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Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
Robertson , Vincent , Wesley , JFB , Clarke , Calvin , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Lightfoot , Haydock , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes , Geneva Bible

Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , Maclaren , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Barclay , Constable , College , McGarvey , Lapide

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Robertson: Mat 5:25 - -- Agree with ( isthi eunoōn ). A present periphrastic active imperative. The verb is from eunoos (friendly, kindly disposed). "Mak up wi’ yer...

Agree with ( isthi eunoōn ).

A present periphrastic active imperative. The verb is from eunoos (friendly, kindly disposed). "Mak up wi’ yere enemy"( Braid Scots ). Compromise is better than prison where no principle is involved, but only personal interest. It is so easy to see principle where pride is involved.

Robertson: Mat 5:25 - -- The officer ( tōi hupēretēi ). This word means "under rower"on the ship with several ranks of rowers, the bottom rower (hupo under and ēres...

The officer ( tōi hupēretēi ).

This word means "under rower"on the ship with several ranks of rowers, the bottom rower (hupo under and ēressō , to row), the galley-slave, then any servant, the attendant in the synagogue (Luk 4:20). Luke so describes John Mark in his relation to Barnabas and Saul (Act 13:5). Then it is applied to the "ministers of the word"(Luk 1:2).

Vincent: Mat 5:25 - -- Agree with ( ἴσθι εὐνοῶν ) Lit., be well-minded toward; inclined to satisfy by paying or compromising. Wyc., Be thou con...

Agree with ( ἴσθι εὐνοῶν )

Lit., be well-minded toward; inclined to satisfy by paying or compromising. Wyc., Be thou consenting to.

Vincent: Mat 5:25 - -- Officer ( ὑπηρέτῃ ) Denoting a subordinate official, as a herald or an orderly, and in this sense applied to Mark as the " minister"...

Officer ( ὑπηρέτῃ )

Denoting a subordinate official, as a herald or an orderly, and in this sense applied to Mark as the " minister" or attendant of Paul and Barnabas (Act 13:5). It furnishes an interesting instance of the expansion of a word from a limited and special meaning into a more general one; and also of the influence of the Gospel in lifting words into higher and purer associations. Formed with the verb ἐρέσσω , to row, it originally signified a rower, as distinguished from a soldier, in a war-galley. This word for a galley-slave comes at last, in the hands of Luke and Paul, to stand for the noblest of all offices, that of a minister of the Lord Jesus (Luk 1:2; Act 26:16; 1Co 4:1).

Wesley: Mat 5:25 - -- With any against whom thou hast thus offended: while thou art in the way - Instantly, on the spot; before you part.

With any against whom thou hast thus offended: while thou art in the way - Instantly, on the spot; before you part.

Wesley: Mat 5:25 - -- Lest he commit his cause to God. Luk 12:58.

Lest he commit his cause to God. Luk 12:58.

JFB: Mat 5:25 - -- Thine opponent in a matter cognizable by law.

Thine opponent in a matter cognizable by law.

JFB: Mat 5:25 - -- "to the magistrate," as in Luk 12:58.

"to the magistrate," as in Luk 12:58.

JFB: Mat 5:25 - -- Here, rather, "lest at all," or simply "lest."

Here, rather, "lest at all," or simply "lest."

JFB: Mat 5:25 - -- Having pronounced thee in the wrong.

Having pronounced thee in the wrong.

JFB: Mat 5:25 - -- The official whose business it is to see the sentence carried into effect.

The official whose business it is to see the sentence carried into effect.

Clarke: Mat 5:25 - -- Agree with thine adversary quickly - Adversary, αντιδικος, properly a plaintiff in law - a perfect law term. Our Lord enforces the exhorta...

Agree with thine adversary quickly - Adversary, αντιδικος, properly a plaintiff in law - a perfect law term. Our Lord enforces the exhortation given in the preceding verses, from the consideration of what was deemed prudent in ordinary law-suits. In such cases, men should make up matters with the utmost speed, as running through the whole course of a law-suit must not only be vexatious, but be attended with great expense; and in the end, though the loser may be ruined, yet the gainer has nothing. A good use of this very prudential advice of our Lord is this: Thou art a sinner; God hath a controversy with thee. There is but a step between thee and death. Now is the accepted time. Thou art invited to return to God by Christ Jesus. Come immediately at his call, and he will save thy soul. Delay not! Eternity is at hand; and if thou die in thy sins, where God is thou shalt never come

Those who make the adversary, God; the judge, Christ; the officer, Death; and the prison, Hell, abuse the passage, and highly dishonor God.

Calvin: Mat 5:25 - -- 25.Be agreed with thy adversary Christ appears to go farther, and to exhort to reconciliation not only those who have injured their brethren, but tho...

25.Be agreed with thy adversary Christ appears to go farther, and to exhort to reconciliation not only those who have injured their brethren, but those also who are unjustly treated. 401 But I interpret the words as having been spoken with another view, to take away occasion for hatred and resentment, and to point out the method of cherishing good-will. For whence come all injuries, but from this, that each person is too tenacious of his own rights, that is, each is too much disposed to consult his own convenience to the disadvantage of others? Almost all are so blinded by a wicked love of themselves, that, even in the worst causes, they flatter themselves that they are in the right. To meet all hatred, enmity, debates, and acts of injustice, Christ reproves that obstinacy, which is the source of these evils, and enjoins his own people to cultivate moderation and justice, and to make some abatement from the highest rigor, that, by such an act of justice, they may purchase for themselves peace and friendship. 402 It were to be wished, indeed, that no controversy of any kind should ever arise among us; and undoubtedly men would never break out into abuse or quarrelling, if they possessed a due share of meekness. But, as it is scarcely possible but that differences will sometimes happen, Christ points out the remedy, by which they may be immediately settled; and that is, to put a restraint on our desires, and rather to act to our own disadvantage, than follow up our rights with unflinching rigor. That Christ frequently gave this exhortation is evident from the twelfth chapter of Luke’s Gospel, where he does not relate the sermon on the mount, but gives an abridgment of various passages in our Lord’s discourses.

Lest the adversary deliver thee to the judge This part is explained by some in a metaphorical sense, that the Heavenly Judge will act toward us with the utmost rigor, so as to forgive us nothing, if we do not labor to settle those differences which we have with our neighbors. But I view it more simply, as an admonition that, even among men, it is usually advantageous for us to come to an early agreement with adversaries, because, with quarrelsome persons, their obstinacy often costs them dear. At the same time, I admit, that the comparison is justly applied to God; for he will exercise judgment without mercy (Jas 2:13) to him who is implacable to his brethren, or pursues his contentiousness to the utmost. But it is highly ridiculous in the Papists, to construct their purgatory out of a continued allegory on this passage. Nothing is more evident than that the subject of Christ’s discourse is the cultivation of friendship among men. They have no shame, or conscientious scruple, to pervert his words, and to torture them into a widely different meaning, provided they can impose on the unlearned. But as they do not deserve a lengthened refutation, I shall only point out, in a single word, their shameful ignorance. The adversary is supposed by them to be the devil. But Christ enjoins those who believe on him to be agreed with the adversary Therefore, in order that the Papists may find their purgatory here, they must first become the friends and brethren of devils. A farthing is well known to be the fourth part of a penny: but here, as is evident from Luke, it denotes a mite, or any small piece of money. Now, if we were disposed to cavilling, 403 we might here obtain another exposure of the absurdity of the Papists. For, if he who has once entered Purgatory will never leave it, till he has paid the last farthing, it follows, that the suffrages (as they call them) of the living for the dead are of no avail. For Christ makes no allowance, that others may free a debtor by satisfying for him, but expressly demands from each person the payment of what he owes. 404 Now, if Moses and other satisfactions are useless, however warm the fire of Purgatory may be, yet the kitchens of priests and monks, for the sake of which they are so anxious to maintain it, will be cool enough.

TSK: Mat 5:25 - -- with : Gen 32:3-8, Gen 32:13-22, Gen 33:3-11; 1Sam. 25:17-35; Pro 6:1-5, Pro 25:8; Luk 12:58, Luk 12:59, Luk 14:31, Luk 14:32 whiles : Job 22:21; Psa ...

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Mat 5:25-26 - -- Agree with thine adversary quickly - This is still an illustration of the sixth commandment. To be in hostility, to go to law, to be litigious,...

Agree with thine adversary quickly - This is still an illustration of the sixth commandment. To be in hostility, to go to law, to be litigious, is a violation always, on one side or the other, of the law requiring us to love our neighbor, and our Saviour regards it as a violation of the sixth commandment. While you are in the way with him, says he, that is, while you are going to the court, before the trial has taken place, it is your duty, if possible, to come to an agreement. It is wrong to carry the contention to a court of law. See 1Co 6:6-7. The consequence of not being reconciled, he expresses in the language of courts. The adversary shall deliver to the judge, and he to the executioner, and he shall throw you into prison. He did not mean to say that this would be literally the way with God, but that His dealings with those that harbored these feelings, and would not be reconciled with their brethren, were represented by the punishment inflicted by human tribunals. That is, he would hold all such as violators of the sixth commandment, and would punish them accordingly.

There is no propriety in the use sometimes made of this verse, in representing God as the "adversary"of the sinner, and urging him to be reconciled to God while in the way to judgment. Nor does the phrase "thou shalt by no means come out thence until thou hast paid the uttermost farthing"refer to the eternity of future punishment. It is language taken from courts of justice, to illustrate the truth that God will punish people according to justice for not being reconciled to him. The punishment in the future world will be eternal indeed Mat 25:46, but this passage does not prove it.

Thine adversary - A man that is opposed to us in law. It here means a creditor; a man who has a just claim on us.

In the way with him - While you are going before the court. Before the trial comes on. It is remarkable that this very direction is found in the Roman law of the Twelve Tables, which expressly directed the plaintiff and defendant to make up the matter while they were in the way, or going to the praetor - in via, rem uti pacunt orato . - Blackstone’ s Commentary , iii. p. 299. Whether the Saviour had any reference to this cannot be determined. As the Roman laws prevailed to some extent in Palestine, however, it is possible that there was such an allusion.

The officer - The executioner; or, as we should say, the sheriff.

The uttermost farthing - The last farthing. All that is due. The farthing was a small coin used in Judea, equal to two mites. It was not quite equal to half a farthing of British money.

Lightfoot: Mat 5:25 - -- Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge d...

Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.   

[Whilst thou art in the way with him.] That is, "while thou goest with him to the magistrate;" Luk 12:58; where there is a clear distinction between the magistrate; and the judge; so that by magistrate; or ruler; one may understand the judges in the lower Sanhedrims; by judge; the judges in the highest. That allusion is here made to contentions about money matters, sufficiently appears from the following words, Mat 5:26; "Thou shalt by no means come out of prison till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing." Now it was the business of the bench, that consisted of three men, to judge of such matters.   

The words, therefore, of the verse have this sense: 'Does your neighbour accuse you of some damage, or of money that is due to him? And are ye now going in the way to the bench of three to commence the suit? Compound with your adversary, lest he compel you to some higher tribunal, where your danger will be greater.' "For if the lender say to the debtor, 'Let us go, that judgment may be had of our case from the chief Sanhedrim,' they force the debtor to go up thence with him. In like manner, if any accuse another of something taken away from him, or of some damage done him, and he that is the accuser will have the higher Sanhedrim to judge of the suit; they force the debtor to go up thence with him. And so it is done with all other things of that nature."   

Before, Christ had argued from piety; that men should seek to be reconciled; now he argues from prudence; and an honest care of a man's self.   

[And the judge deliver thee to the officer.] A word answering to an executioner, a whipper; among the Rabbins. Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates; Deu 16:18...."vergers and scourge-bearers [executioners] who stand before the judges. These go through the lanes and streets and inns, and take care about weights and measures; and scourge those that do amiss. But all their business is by the order of the judges. Whomsoever they see doing evil, they bring before the judges," etc. And Whosoever goes out into the street, let him reckon concerning himself, as if he were already delivered over to the officer; that is, as the Gloss hath it, "Contentions and contentious men will there be met with Gentiles and Israelites: so that let him reckon concerning himself, as though he were already delivered over to the officer, ready to lead him away before the judges." The Gloss upon Babylonian Joma writes thus; "is the executioner of the Sanhedrim, whose office is to whip."

Haydock: Mat 5:25-26 - -- Agree whilst you are in the way, or wayfaring men, i.e. in this life, lest you be cast into prison, i.e. according to Sts. Cyprian, Ambrose, and Orige...

Agree whilst you are in the way, or wayfaring men, i.e. in this life, lest you be cast into prison, i.e. according to Sts. Cyprian, Ambrose, and Origen, into purgatory; according to St. Augustine, into hell, in which, as the debt is to be paid to inflexible justice, it can never be acquitted, and of course no release can be hoped for from that prison. (Haydock)

Gill: Mat 5:25 - -- Agree with thine adversary quickly,.... These words are not to be understood in an allegorical sense, as if "the adversary" was the justice of God, de...

Agree with thine adversary quickly,.... These words are not to be understood in an allegorical sense, as if "the adversary" was the justice of God, demanding payment of debts; "the way", this present life; "the judge", God himself; "the officer", the devil; "the prison", the pit of hell; and "the uttermost farthing", the least sin, which will never be remitted without satisfaction: but the design of them is to prevent lawsuits about debts, which may be in dispute; it being much better for debtor and creditor, especially the former, to compose such differences among themselves, than to litigate the matter in a court of judicature. By "the adversary" is meant not an enemy, one that bears hatred and ill will, but a brother that has ought against a man; a creditor, who demands and insists upon payment of what is owing to him; and for this purpose has taken methods towards bringing the debtor before a proper magistrate, in order to oblige him to payment: wherefore it is better for him to make up and agree the matter directly, as soon as possible,

whilst thou art in the way with him; that is, whilst the creditor and debtor are going together to some inferior magistrate, or lesser court, as the sanhedrim, which consisted of three persons only, before whom such causes might be tried: for דיני ממונות בשלושה, pecuniary causes, or causes relating to money matters, were tried "by the bench of three" g: and the selfsame advice is given in the Talmud h, as here, where it seems to be a common proverb; for it is said,

"there are men that say, or men usually say, אגב אורחך לבעל דבבך אישתמע, "whilst thou art in the way with thine adversary, be obedient".''

Lest at any time the adversary should deliver thee to the judge, a superior magistrate in a higher court; for if the creditor would, he could oblige the debtor to go with him to the supreme court of judicature, and try the cause there; for so say the Jewish i; canons:

"if the creditor says we will go to the great sanhedrim, they compel the debtor, and he goes up with them, as it is said, "the borrower is servant to the lender",''

where it might go harder with the poor debtor; and therefore it was advisable to prevent it by an agreement, lest

the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison,

"It was an affirmative command in the law, says Maimonides, to appoint "judges" and "officers" in every country and province, as it is said, Deu 16:18. שופטים, "judges" they are the judges that are fixed in the sanhedrim, and such that engage in law suits come before them: שוטרים, "officers"; these are the masters of the rod and scourge, i.e. who beat and scourge delinquents; and these stand before the judges--and all they do, is by the order of the judges.''

Now it is one of these that is meant by "the officer"; in Munster's Hebrew Gospel, he is called שוטר; who, when he had authority from the judge, could cast into prison, and that for debt; of which we have no account in the law of Moses.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Mat 5:25 Grk “the accuser.”

Geneva Bible: Mat 5:25 ( p ) Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge...

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Mat 5:1-48 - --1 Christ's sermon on the mount.3 Who are blessed;13 the salt of the earth;14 the light of the world.17 He came to fulfil the law.21 What it is to kill...

Maclaren: Mat 5:17-26 - --The New Form Of The Old Law Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18. For verily I sa...

MHCC: Mat 5:21-26 - --The Jewish teachers had taught, that nothing except actual murder was forbidden by the sixth commandment. Thus they explained away its spiritual meani...

Matthew Henry: Mat 5:21-26 - -- Christ having laid down these principles, that Moses and the prophets were still to be their rulers, but that the scribes and Pharisees were to be n...

Barclay: Mat 5:25-26 - --Here Jesus is giving the most practical advice; he is telling men to get trouble sorted out in time, before it piles up still worse trouble for the ...

Constable: Mat 5:1--8:1 - --B. Jesus' revelations concerning participation in His kingdom 5:1-7:29 The Sermon on the Mount is the fi...

Constable: Mat 5:17--7:13 - --3. The importance of true righteousness 5:17-7:12 Jesus had just been speaking about the importa...

Constable: Mat 5:17-48 - --Righteousness and the Scriptures 5:17-48 In His discussion of righteousness (character a...

Constable: Mat 5:21-26 - --God's will concerning murder 5:21-26 5:21 In each of these six cases Jesus first related the popular understanding of the Old Testament, the view advo...

College: Mat 5:1-48 - --MATTHEW 5 D. SERMON ON THE MOUNT: MINISTRY IN WORD (5:1-7:29) The Sermon on the Mount (= SM ) is the first of five major discourses in Matthew, each...

McGarvey: Mat 5:17-48 - -- XLII. THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. (A Mountain Plateau not far from Capernaum.) Subdivision D. RELATION OF MESSIANIC TEACHING TO OLD TESTAMENT AND TRADIT...

Lapide: Mat 5:1-48 - --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 Beat...

Lapide: Mat 5:13-47 - --ye are the salt, &c. That is, you, 0 ye Apostles, who are sitting here next to Me, to whom I have spoken primarily the eight Beatitudes—ye are, by M...

Lapide: Mat 5:23-47 - --Leave there thy gift, &c. This is a precept both of law and of natural religion, which has been by Christ in this place most strictly sanctioned, both...

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Introduction / Outline

Robertson: Matthew (Book Introduction) THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW By Way of Introduction The passing years do not make it any plainer who actually wrote our Greek Matthew. Papias r...

JFB: Matthew (Book Introduction) THE author of this Gospel was a publican or tax gatherer, residing at Capernaum, on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. As to his identity with t...

JFB: Matthew (Outline) GENEALOGY OF CHRIST. ( = Luke 3:23-38). (Mat. 1:1-17) BIRTH OF CHRIST. (Mat 1:18-25) VISIT OF THE MAGI TO JERUSALEM AND BETHLEHEM. (Mat 2:1-12) THE F...

TSK: Matthew (Book Introduction) Matthew, being one of the twelve apostles, and early called to the apostleship, and from the time of his call a constant attendant on our Saviour, was...

TSK: Matthew 5 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Mat 5:1, Christ’s sermon on the mount; Mat 5:3, Who are blessed; Mat 5:13, the salt of the earth; Mat 5:14, the light of the world; Mat...

Poole: Matthew 5 (Chapter Introduction) CHAPTER 5

MHCC: Matthew (Book Introduction) Matthew, surnamed Levi, before his conversion was a publican, or tax-gatherer under the Romans at Capernaum. He is generally allowed to have written h...

MHCC: Matthew 5 (Chapter Introduction) (Mat 5:1, Mat 5:2) Christ's sermon on the mount. (Mat 5:3-12) Who are blessed. (Mat 5:13-16) Exhortations and warnings. (Mat 5:17-20) Christ came t...

Matthew Henry: Matthew (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Gospel According to St. Matthew We have now before us, I. The New Testament of our Lord and Savior...

Matthew Henry: Matthew 5 (Chapter Introduction) This chapter, and the two that follow it, are a sermon; a famous sermon; the sermon upon the mount. It is the longest and fullest continued discour...

Barclay: Matthew (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SAINT MATTHEW The Synoptic Gospels Matthew, Mark and Luke are usually known as the Synoptic Gospels. Synopt...

Barclay: Matthew 5 (Chapter Introduction) The Sermon On The Mount (Mat_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 s...

Constable: Matthew (Book Introduction) Introduction The Synoptic Problem The synoptic problem is intrinsic to all study of th...

Constable: Matthew (Outline) Outline I. The introduction of the King 1:1-4:11 A. The King's genealogy 1:1-17 ...

Constable: Matthew Matthew Bibliography Abbott-Smith, G. A. A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T. & T. Cl...

Haydock: Matthew (Book Introduction) THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST, ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW INTRODUCTION. THIS and other titles, with the names of those that wrote the Gospels,...

Gill: Matthew (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO MATTHEW The subject of this book, and indeed of all the writings of the New Testament, is the Gospel. The Greek word ευαγγελ...

College: Matthew (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION HISTORY OF INTERPRETATION It may surprise the modern reader to realize that for the first two centuries of the Christian era, Matthew's...

College: Matthew (Outline) OUTLINE I. ESTABLISHING THE IDENTITY AND ROLE OF JESUS THE CHRIST - Matt 1:1-4:16 A. Genealogy of Jesus - 1:1-17 B. The Annunciation to Joseph...

Lapide: Matthew (Book Introduction) PREFACE. —————— IN presenting to the reader the Second Volume [Matt X to XXI] of this Translation of the great work of Cornelius à Lapi...

Advanced Commentary (Dictionaries, Hymns, Arts, Sermon Illustration, Question and Answers, etc)


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