Complete Works of Saint Jerome, Vol. VII

The Law should be full of spiritual sacraments, and all things should be recapitulated in the Gospel. Whose learning, therefore, and whose doctrine is it, to show that even various sacrifices, and those which seem superstitious, are daily fulfilled in victims?

(Vers. 19-22.) "He therefore that shall break one of these least commandments, and shall so teach men, shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But he that shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, that unless your justice abound more than that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not kill. And whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. But I say to you."
This chapter coheres with the one above, in which He had said: One jot, or one tittle shall not pass of the law, till all be fulfilled. He therefore rebukes the Pharisees, who, despising the commandments of God, established their own traditions, because their teaching among the people does not profit them if they destroy even that which is a small precept in the Law. We can also understand it in another way, that the learning of a teacher, even if he is guilty of a small sin, leads him down from the highest rank, nor does it profit to teach justice, which the smallest fault destroys. And may perfection be the happiness that you fulfill by deed what you have taught in speech.

(Vers. 22.) "That whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgment." In certain codices is added, without cause; but in the true ones the sentence is defined, and anger is removed entirely, the Scripture saying: Whosoever is angry with his brother. For if we are ordered to offer the other cheek to one who strikes us, and to love our enemies, and to pray for those who persecute us (Luke vi, 27-29), every occasion for anger is removed. Therefore, without cause must be erased, because the anger of man does not work the justice of God (James i, 20).
"And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council." This word is properly of the Hebrews: for RACA ריקא empty is called kenos empty, that is, empty or void; which we can call by the common insult, brainless. If we are to render an account for an idle word (Matt. xii, 36), how much more for a reproach! But it is also significantly added: Whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca. For no one is our brother, except he who has the same Father with us. Since

A therefore he believes in God similarly, and has known Christ to be the wisdom of God (I Cor. i, 24); by what reason can he be marked with the label of stupidity? "And whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." Apo koinou Commonly/From the shared context is understood from the preceding: Whosoever shall say to his brother, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell. For he who says "fool" to one who believes equally in God is impious in religion.

(Vers. 23-24.) "If therefore thou offer thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath anything against thee, leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother: and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift." He did not say, if you have anything against your brother, but if your brother has anything against you, so that a harsher necessity of reconciliation is imposed upon you. As long as we cannot appease him, it is necessary to consider original text: "necessio", likely a typo for "necesse" (it is necessary) whether we should consequently offer our gifts to God.

(Vers. 25-27.) "Be at agreement with thy adversary quickly, whilst thou art in the way with him: lest perhaps the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Amen I say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing. You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not commit adultery. But I say to you, that whosoever." For what we have in Latin codices, consenting, in Greek is written eunōn well-wishing/benevolent, which is interpreted as benevolent or kind. From the preceding and following, the sense is manifest, that our Lord and Savior, while we run in the way of this life, exhorts us to peace and concord, according to the Apostle, saying: If it be possible, as much as is in you, having peace with all men (Rom. xii, 18). For in the preceding chapter He had said: If thou offer thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath anything against thee: and this finished, He immediately adds: Be at agreement original: "consentiens" or "benevolent" or kind to thy adversary, and the rest. And in the following He commands: Love your enemies; do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you (Matt. v, 44). Since this is manifest and the consequent understanding, many think it is said of flesh and soul, or of soul and spirit: which does not stand at all. For how would either flesh be sent into prison if the soul had not consented: since both soul and flesh feel equally? Justin in his first Apology to Antoninus omits the word eunoei to be well-disposed.