Matthew 5:43

"Give to him who asks you, and don’t turn away him who desires to borrow from you."

Key Reflection

In the first century, a request for aid or goods was considered an act of trust and submission to the lender or giver. The command in Matthew 5:43, "Give to him who asks you, and don’t turn away him who desires to borrow from you," reflected Jesus’ teaching on generosity and faithfulness within a society where such actions could be seen as risky. This instruction was part of the Sermon on the Mount, challenging his disciples to exceed the legal standards of their time by extending kindness even to those in need or making requests.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Verse 43. Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. The command to love our neighbour was a law of God, Le 19:18. That we must, therefore, hate our enemy, was an inference drawn from it by the Jews. They supposed that if we loved the one, we must, of course, hate the other. They were total strangers to that great, peculiar law of religion, which requires us to love both. A neighbour is literally one that lives near to us; then, one that is near to us by acts of kindness and friendship. This is its meaning here. See also Lu 10:36.

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