Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Matthew: Chapter 5].
5:7 {Obtain mercy} (\ele•th•sontai\) "Sal win pitie theirsels"
(_Braid Scots_). "A self-acting law of the moral world" (Bruce).
5:8 {Shall see God} (\ton theon opsontai\). Without holiness no
man will see the Lord in heaven (Heb 12:14). The Beatific
Vision is only possible here on earth to those with pure hearts.
No other can see the King now. Sin befogs and beclouds the heart
so that one cannot see God. Purity has here its widest sense and
includes everything.
5:9 {The peacemakers} (\hoi eir•nopoioi\). Not merely "peaceable
men" (Wycliff) but "makkers up o' strife" (_Braid Scots_). It is
hard enough to keep the peace. It is still more difficult to
bring peace where it is not. "The perfect peacemaker is the Son
of God (Eph 2:14f.)" (McNeile). Thus we shall be like our Elder
Brother.
5:10 {That have been persecuted for righteousness' sake} (\hoi
dedi•gmenoi heneken dikaiosun•s\). Posing as persecuted is a
favourite stunt. The kingdom of heaven belongs only to those who
suffer for the sake of goodness, not who are guilty of wrong.
5:11 {Falsely, for my sake} (\pseudomenoi heneken emou\). Codex
Bezae changes the order of these last Beatitudes, but that is
immaterial. What does matter is that the bad things said of
Christ's followers shall be untrue and that they are slandered
for Christ's sake. Both things must be true before one can wear a
martyr's crown and receive the great reward (\misthos\) in
heaven. No prize awaits one there who deserves all the evil said
of him and done to him here.
5:13 {Lost its savour} (\m•ranth•i\). The verb is from \m•ros\
(dull, sluggish, stupid, foolish) and means to play the fool, to
become foolish, of salt become tasteless, insipid (Mr 9:50). It
is common in Syria and Palestine to see salt scattered in piles
on the ground because it has lost its flavour, "hae tint its
tang" (_Braid Scots_), the most worthless thing imaginable. Jesus
may have used here a current proverb.
5:15 {Under the bushel} (\hupo ton modion\). Not a bushel. "The
figure is taken from lowly cottage life. There was a projecting
stone in the wall on which the lamp was set. The house consisted
of a single room, so that the tiny light sufficed for all"
(Bruce). It was not put under the bushel (the only one in the
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