Matthew 5:28

28 but I say unto you, that every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Matthew 5:28 Meaning and Commentary

Matthew 5:28

But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman
Many and severe are the prohibitions of the Jews, concerning looking upon a woman, which they aggravate as a very great sin: they say {k}, it is not lawful to look upon a beautiful woman, though unmarried; nor upon another man's wife, though deformed; nor upon a woman's coloured garments: they forbid ^F12 looking on a woman's little finger, and say ^F13, that he that tells money to a woman, out of his hand into her's, that he may look upon her, though he is possessed of the law and good works, even as Moses, he shall not escape the damnation of hell: they affirm ^F14, that he that looks upon a woman's heel, his children shall not be virtuous; and that a man may not go after a woman in the way, no, not after his wife: should he meet her on a bridge, he must take her to the side of him; and whoever goes through a river after a woman, shall have no part in the world to ^F15 come: nay, they forbid ^F16 a man looking on the beauty of his own wife. Now these things were said by them, chiefly to cover themselves, and because they would be thought to be very chaste; when they were, as Christ calls them, an "adulterous generation" in a literal sense: they usually did what our Lord observes, "strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel". We read in the Talmud ^F17, of (hjwv dyox) , a "foolish saint" and it is asked, who is he? and it is answered, one that sees a woman drowning in a river, and says it is not lawful for me (hb ylwktoyal) , "to look" upon her, and deliver her. It was not any looking upon a woman, that is forbid by Christ as criminal; but so to look, as "to lust after her"; for such an one

hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
But these men, who forbad external looking upon a woman, generally speaking, had no notion of heart sins; and which was the prevailing opinion of the Pharisees, in Christ's time.

``A good thought, they ^F18 allow, is reckoned as if done; as it is said, ( Malachi 3:16 ) . Upon which it is asked, what is the meaning of that, and "that thought" upon "his name?" Says R. Ase, if a man thinks to do a good work, and is hindered, and does it not, the Scripture reckons it to him, as if he did it; but an evil thought, the holy blessed God does not account of it as if done, as is said, ( Psalms 66:18 ) .''

Upon which words, a noted commentator ^F19 of their's has this remark:

``Though I regard iniquity in my heart to do it, even in thought, yea, against God himself, as if I had expressed it with my lips, he does not hear it; that is, (Nwe yl bvx) (al) , "he does not reckon it to me for sin"; because the holy blessed God does not account an evil thought for an action, to them that are in the faith of God, or of the true religion.''

For it seems, this is only true of the Israelites; it is just the reverse with the Gentiles, in whom God does not reckon of a good thought, as if it was done, but does of an evil one, as if it was in act ^F20. It must be owned, that this is not the sense of them all; for some of them have gone so far as to say ^F21, that

``the thoughts of sin are greater, or harder, than sin itself:''

by which they mean, that it is more difficult to subdue sinful lusts, than to refrain from the act of sin itself; and particularly, some of them say things which agree with, and come very near to what our Lord here says; as when they affirm ^F23, that

``everyone that looks upon a woman (hnwwkb) , with intention, it is all one as if he lay with her.''

And that (Pawn arqn wynyeb Pawn) , "he that committeth adultery with his eyes, is called an adulterer" ^F24. Yea, they also observe ^F25, that a woman may commit adultery in her heart, as well as a man; but the Pharisees of Christ's time were of another mind.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F11 T. Bab. Avoda Zara, fol. 1, 2.
F12 T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 24. 1. Sabbat. fol. 64. 2.
F13 T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 61. 1. Eruvin, fol. 18. 2.
F14 T. Bab. Nedarim, fol. 20. 1. T. Hieros. Challa, fol. 58. 3. Derech Eretz. c. 1. fol. 17. 3.
F15 T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 61. 1. Eruvin, fol. 18. 2.
F16 Zohar in Lev. fol. 34. 4.
F17 T. Bab Sota, fol. 21. 2.
F18 T. Bab. Kiddushin, fol. 40. 1.
F19 R. David Kimchi, in Psal. lxvi. 18.
F20 T. Hieros. Peah, fol. 16. 2.
F21 T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 29. 1.
F23 T. Hieros. Challa, fol. 58. 3. Massechet Calah, fol. 16. 4. Vid. Maimon. Issure Bia, c. 21. sect. 2. & Moses Kotsensis Mitzvot Tora precept. neg. 126.
F24 Vajikra Rabba, sect. 23. fol. 265. 1.
F25 Bemidbar Rabba, sect. 9. fol. 196. 1.

Matthew 5:28 In-Context

26 Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the last farthing.

27 Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

28 but I say unto you, that every one that looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

29 And if thy right eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole body be cast into hell.

30 And if thy right hand causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole body go into hell.