Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary: Matthew
Ver. 25. The Scribes and Pharisees only explained the law, and laid open the promises of Moses, whereas our Saviour gives new laws, and makes new promises in his own name; But I say to you, &c. The energy also with which our Saviour spoke, together with the miracles which he wrought, had far greater influence on the minds of the people than the frigid manner in which the Scribes delivered their doctrines. (Menochius)
Ver. 26. Nothing can be more foolish than to raise an edifice on sand: it carries punishment with it, causing indeed abundance of labour, but yielding neither reward nor repose. The slaves of malice, luxury, and voluptuousness, labour in the pursuit of their desires, yet not only receive no reward, but, on the contrary, the greatest punishment. They sow in the flesh, from the flesh they shall reap corruption. (Galatians vi.) (St. Chrysostom, hom. xxv.)
Ver. 27. Such again shall be the end of all false prophets. Their death shall be in the same proportion, ignominious and miserable, as their life had been glorious and attractive. They shall be punished with so much greater severity, than others, as their sins have proceeded from greater knowledge and greater malice. (Haydock)
Ver. 28. With reason were the people enraptured with his doctrines; for he taught as having authority from himself, and not like their doctors, who only spoke in the name of Moses, and whose only ambition was to please, and not to correct. In the Greek text there is only mention of the Scribes or doctors, but not of the Pharisees.
Ver. 29. He taught as one having power, exousian, to found a law of his own. Hence he said: Ego autem dico vobis; "But I say to you," viz. as a legislator, announcing to you not the law of Moses, or of any other, but my own law. (Estius, in different location) --- All agree that St. Matthew anticipates the sermon on the mount, in order thus to prefix the doctrines of Christ to the account of his miracles; for we cannot doubt that the discourse on the mount, which is mentioned by St. Matthew, is the same as that recorded by St. Luke. The beginning, the middle, and the conclusion correspond with each other. If St. Matthew mentions some particulars omitted by St. Luke, it is because his design was to collect together several instructions, which Jesus delivered on different occasions; and these, for the most part, are to be found in other parts of St. Luke. --- This admirable sermon may be divided into three parts, viz. the exordium, the body of the discourse, and the conclusion. The exordium comprises the eight beatitudes, and merits our most serious attention. The body of the discourse is chiefly addressed to the apostles, whom Jesus had recently chosen, in order to instil into them, and all succeeding pastors of the Church, a right sense of the great duties belonging to their ministry; and, in the second place, it refers to all the faithful in general. The conclusion consists of an exhortation to a life of piety, and contains several advices, some of which chiefly regard pastors, others indiscriminately all the faithful in general. --- May this excellent abridgment of thy doctrine, O Jesus! be the rule of our manners, the pattern of our life. Amen. (Haydock)
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[1] Ver. 1. Nolite judicare, krinein, which signifies either to judge, or to condemn.
[2] Ver. 18. Non potest Arbor bona, &c. St. Jerome on this place, brings divers examples to shew, that men's natures are not necessarily or unchangeably good or bad. See St. Augustine, lib. ii. de Serm. Domini in Monte. chap. xxiv. p. 232. Non potest esse nix calida, cum enim calida esse cæperit, non jam eam nivem, sed aquam vocamus. See also St. Chrysostom om kg, pag. 168. linea 1. Edit. Savil.
Bible Text & Cross-references:
Rash judgment and the profanation of holy things condemned. Confidence in prayer, and earnest endeavours for salvation, recommended. Caution against false teachers. Perseverance in the practice of Christian virtues.
1 Judge not, *that you may not be judged,
2 For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: *and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why seest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye; and seest not the beam that is in thy own eye?
4 Or how sayest thou to thy brother: Let me cast the mote out of thy eye: and behold a beam is in thy own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thy own eye, and then shalt thou see to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
6 Give not that which is holy to dogs: neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest perhaps they trample them under their feet, and turning upon you, tear you.
7 *Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you.
8 For every one that asketh, receiveth: and he that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.
9 *Or what man is there among you, of whom if his son shall ask bread, will he reach him a stone?
10 Or if he shall ask a fish, will he reach him a serpent?
11 If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children: how much more will your Father, who is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him?
12 *All things, therefore, whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you also to them. For this is the law and the prophets.
13 *Enter ye in at the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there are who enter by it.
14 How narrow is the gate, and strait is the way, which leadeth to life: and few there are who find it!
15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
16 By their fruits you shall know them. Do men gather grapes off thorns, or figs off thistles?
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, and the bad tree bringeth forth bad fruit.
18 A good tree cannot yield bad fruit, neither can a bad tree yield good fruit.
19 *Every tree that yieldeth not forth good fruit, shall be cut down, and shall be cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them.
21 *Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doth the will of my Father, who is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, *and cast out devils in thy name, and done many wonderful works in thy name?
23 And then will I profess unto them: I never knew you: *depart from me, you that work iniquity.
24 *Every one, therefore, that heareth these my words, and doth them, shall be likened to a wise man, who built his house upon a rock.
25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock.
26 And every one that heareth these my words, and doth them not, shall be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand.
27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall thereof.
28 And it came to pass when Jesus had fully ended these words, the people were in admiration at his doctrine.
29 *For he was teaching them as one having power, and not as their Scribes and Pharisees.
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1: about the year A.D. 31.; Luke vi. 37.; Romans ii. 1.
2: Mark iv. 24.
7: Matthew xxi. 22.; Mark xi. 24.; Luke xi. 9.; John xiv. 13.; James i. 6.
9: Luke xi. 11.
12: Tobias iv. 16.; Luke vi. 31.
13: Luke xiii. 24.
22: Acts xix. 13.
23: Psalm vi. 9.; Matthew xxv. 41.; Luke xiii. 27.
24: Luke vi. 48.; Romans ii. 13.; James i. 22.
29: Mark i. 22.; Luke iv. 32.