Matthew 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 deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 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.
Christ's command calls for quick settlement of differences and wholehearted reconciliation with others in everyday dealings, pursuing unity, love and fellowship instead of unkind words, retaliation and spreading strife. It reaches beyond outward acts to the heart, condemning hidden hatred, evil intent and lack of reconciliation even when no wrong deed is seen. It belongs to His unfolding of the law in its true meaning and original purity as a holy, just and good standard of perfect righteousness founded on love to God and man. It is to be believed, dwelt upon and practiced until its principles are in the heart and brought constantly into life in Christlike character without spot. To learn and obey it brings conversion and removal of rebuke for past wrongs, while to neglect it brings condemnation and the peril of continued disobedience.
Sermon Setting and Manner
Matthew 5:25 was spoken in the Sermon on the Mount, given especially to the disciples gathered close about Jesus while the gathered multitude also heard it, with words designed to reach the hearts and consciences of the mixed crowd assembled. Its words were spoken in plain language and simplicity understandable to the poor and unlearned, and with authority as words of eternal life.
In this sermon Christ disappointed expectations of a great display of power and the hope of freedom from bondage and restoration to ancient glory, opening instead with the principles that govern His kingdom of divine grace as contained in the beatitudes. The Sermon on the Mount opposed the self-righteous doctrines and practices of the scribes and Pharisees and challenged their portrayal of God as a stern judge without compassion, mercy, or love.
Law's Spiritual Requirements
Matthew 5:25 belongs to Christ's explanation of the law in the Sermon on the Mount, where He revealed its far-reaching claims and set forth its full significance in its true meaning and original purity. There He presented it as a holy, just, and good standard of righteousness and perfect rule of morality, not a cold code of human traditions. The law as thus explained reaches beyond outward acts to the motives of the heart, governing more than outward actions and presenting its requirements apart from human traditions.
God's law reaches beyond outward words, deeds, and actions to search the heart, thoughts, feelings, desires, motives, purposes, intentions, and even unspoken thoughts. It takes account of the inner spirit as well as conduct and belongs to the law's full spiritual force, not a command that can be narrowed to outward conduct alone. It condemns hidden passions such as hatred and lust even when they are never acted upon. Christ thereby magnified the law and made it honorable, declaring that not one jot of its claims abates through all generations to the close of time. The law so magnified is based on love to God and men, obedience to its precepts is the whole duty of man, and obeyed it leads men to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world.
The claims of the law require the spirit of the law in the heart, because the state of the heart regulates life and character. Impressing these far-reaching principles of the law of God set forth in the Sermon on the Mount upon new converts is the greatest and most difficult lesson, and without it labor in instructing them in the law is lost. The verse is part of Christ's special instruction to His disciples on how to fulfil the law by observing all its claims and carrying out its holy principles in the life. God requires a righteousness that exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees and conforms the heart to His revealed will, for the law extends even to the thoughts and to the intents and purposes of the heart and requires a genuine work of grace internal as well as external. The scribes and Pharisees had a selfish righteousness consisting of externals, strict in observance and outward forms while corrupt, proud, and hypocritical in heart, and by their traditions they made the commandments of none effect, so that a person can violate the law in the heart without outward conduct showing lack of reconciliation to its claims.
The law reaches into every part of life and everyday dealings with others, governs not only outward actions but also thoughts, condemns evil actions, and demands perfect obedience. The pure gospel explanation of God's law given on the Mount sets the standard by which unjust business dealings that harm a neighbor are condemned. The chapter to which the verse belongs reveals the truth about the laws of God's government and warns of the peril of continuing in disobedience to His commandments.
Receiving and Living Teaching
Matthew 5:25 belongs to Christ's sayings that are to be believed and practiced, and living by these teachings develops Christlike character and puts God's principles in the heart. It is part of His words in Matthew 5 that give a clear, definite expression of His will to be often dwelt upon. Such dwelling brings the divine virtues into life constantly and holds the standard high without spot or wrinkle. It belongs to Christ's soul-saving teaching, so that those who humbly receive His truths are converted and God's rebuke for their past wrongs is removed.
It is part of the lesson His followers must learn and obey, and failure to follow it brings condemnation. Its teaching stands opposed to accusing and faultfinding. Christ's followers are instead to pursue unity, love, and Christian fellowship rather than use their words to harm one another.
It is to be dwelt on and applied in the church, because misunderstandings can produce unkindness, retaliation, and spreading strife. Believers must work through Christ's grace to stop words that separate close friends. This is done by correcting misapprehension, conscious or unconscious unkindness, retaliation, and self-propagating strife, and by representing Christ as altogether lovely in words, attitude, and actions.