John Calvin on Matthew 5:19

19. Whoever then shall break Christ here speaks expressly of the commandments of life, or the ten words, which all the children of God ought to take as the rule of their life. He therefore declares, that they are false and deceitful teachers, who do not restrain their disciples within obedience to the law, and that they are unworthy to occupy a place in the Church, who weaken, in the slightest degree, the authority of the law; and, on the other hand, that they are honest and faithful ministers of God, who recommend, both by word and by example, the keeping of the law. The least commandments is an expression used in accommodation to the judgment of men: for though they have not all the same weight, (but, when they are compared together, some are less than others,) yet we are not at liberty to think any thing small, on which the heavenly Legislator has been pleased to issue a command. For what sacrilege is it to treat contemptuously any thing which has proceeded from his sacred mouth? This is to sink his majesty to the rank of creatures. Accordingly, when our Lord calls them little commandments, it is a sort of concession. He shall be called the least This is an allusion to what he had just said about the commandments: but the meaning is obvious. Those who shall pour contempt on the doctrine of the law, or on a single syllable of it, will be rejected as the lowest of men. “Comme 1es plus inutiles du monde;” — “as the most useless in the world.”

The kingdom of heaven means the renovation of the Church, or the prosperous condition of the Church, such as was then beginning to appear by the preaching of the Gospel. In this sense, Christ tells us, that “he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than John,” (Luke 7:28.) The meaning of that phrase is, that God, restoring the world by the hand of his Son, has completely established his kingdom. Christ declares that, when his Church shall have been renewed, no teachers must be admitted to it, but those who are faithful expounders of the law, and who labor to maintain its doctrine entire. But it is asked, were not ceremonies among the commandments of God, the least of which we are now required to observe? I answer, We must look to the design and object of the Legislator. God enjoined ceremonies, that their outward use might be temporal, and their meaning eternal. That man does not break ceremonies, who omits what is shadowy, but retains their effect. But if Christ banishes from his kingdom all who accustom men to any contempt of the law how monstrous must be their stupidity, who are not ashamed to remit, by a sacrilegious indulgence, what God strictly demands, and, under the pretense of venial sin, to overthrow the righteousness of the law. “De mettre la justice de la Loy sous les pieds;” — “to trample the justice of the law under their feet.” Again, we must observe the description he gives of good and holy teachers: that not only by words, but chiefly by the example of life, they exhort “Ils exhortent et incitent les hommes;” — “they exhort and incite men.” men to keep the law.

MATTHEW 5:20-22

Matthew 5:20-22

20. For I say to you, That, unless your righteousness shall be more abundant “Si votre justice n'outrepasse;” — “if your righteousness does not go beyond.” than that of the Scribes and the Pharisees, you shall not enter “Vous n'entrerez nullement, ou, jamais;” — “you shall not at all enter, or, you shall never enter.” into the kingdom of heaven. 21. You have heard that it was said to the ancients, “Aux anciens.” Thou shalt not kill: and he who shall kill shall be liable to judgment. “Sera digne d'estre puni par jugement;” — “shall be worthy of being punished by judgment.” 22. But I say to you, That every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment: and he who shall say to his brother, Racha, shall be liable to the council: and he who shall say, Fool, shall be liable to the hell of fire. “Sera digne d'estre puni par la gehenne du feu;” — “shall be worthy of being punished by the gehenna of fire.”