Matthew 5:25 (WEB)
Agree with your adversary quickly while you are with him on the way; lest perhaps the prosecutor deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be cast into prison.
Catechism · 1
“Going further, Christ asks his disciples to turn the other cheek, to love their enemies.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Mt 5:22-39; 5:44.
Fathers and councils · 33
Tertullian
“…curse you,” lest such a man in any transaction of business be irritated by any unjust conduct of yours, and “deliver thee to the judge” of his own (nation), and you be thrown into prison, and be detained in its close and narrow cell until you have liquidated all your debt against him.” — editor's note: Matt. v. 25.
Read the whole comment“In short, inasmuch as we understand “the prison” pointed out in the Gospel to be Hades, and as we also interpret “the uttermost farthing” to mean the very smallest offence which has to be recompensed there before the resurrection, no one will…” — editor's note: Matt. v. 25.
Read the whole comment“Who that is contemplating a suit against his adversary will compose the matter by agreement, unless he first begin by lopping off chagrin, hardheartedness, and bitterness, which are in fact the poisonous outgrowths of impatience?” — editor's note: Matt. v. 25.
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Irenaeus of Lyons
“Verily, I say unto thee, thou shalt not go out thence until thou pay the very last farthing.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 25, 26; Luke xii. 58, 59.
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Augustine of Hippo
“For the Word of God is thine adversary, as long as thou dost not agree with it.” — editor's note: Matt. v. 25.
Read the whole comment“Both Evangelists have explained this alike.” — editor's note: Matt. v. 25.
Read the whole comment“Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt not go out thence, till thou payest the last farthing.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 25, 26.
Read the whole comment““Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 25.
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John Chrysostom
“Thus, for example, further on also He said, “Agree with thine adversary.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 25.
Read the whole comment““Agree with thine adversary quickly, whilst thou art in the way with him.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 25.
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Jerome
“It is this which makes the Saviour say in the gospel: “agree with,” or be complaisant to, “thine adversary whilst thou art in the way with him.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 25.
Read the whole comment“And you shall by no means come out thence till you have paid the uttermost farthing, that is, till you have expiated your most trifling sins; for we shall give account of every idle word in the day of judgment.” — editor's note: Matt. v. 25, 26.
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Clement of Alexandria
“Jam vero ipse quoque Servator, cui soil censent esse parendum, odio bere, et maledictis insequi prohibuit et, “Cum adversario,” inquit, “vadens, ejus amicus conare discedere.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 25.; Luke xii. 58.
Read the whole comment“Again, it is said, “Agree with thine adversary quickly, whilst thou art in the way with him.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 25.
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Catena Aurea on Matthew
- Hilary of PoitiersCatena Aurea on Matthew
The Lord suffers us at no time to be wanting in peaceableness of temper, and therefore bids us be reconciled to our adversary quickly, while on the road to life, lest we be cast into the season of death before peace…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
The word here in our Latin books is ‘consentiens,’ in Greek, εὐνοῶν, which means, ‘kind,’ ‘benevolent.’
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Let us see who this adversary is to whom we are bid to be benevolent. It may then be either the Devil, or man, or the flesh, or God, or His commandments. But I do not see how we can be bid be benevolent, or agreeing…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
Some, from that verse of Peter, “Your adversary the Devil, &c.” [1 Pet 5:8] will have the Saviour’s command to be, that we should be merciful to the Devil, not causing him to endure punishment for our sakes. For as…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
I do not see again how it can be understood of man. For how can man be said to deliver us to the Judge, when we know only Christ as the Judge, before whose tribunal all must be sisted [?]. How then can he deliver to…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
And how can the body be cast into prison if it agree not with the spirit, seeing soul and body must go together, and that the flesh can do nothing but what the soul shall command?
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Perhaps then it is God with whom we are here enjoined to agree. He may be said to be our adversary, because we have departed from Him by sin, and “He resisteth the proud.” Whosoever then shall not have been…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
But from the context the sense is manifest; the Lord is exhorting us to peace and concord with our neighbour; as it was said above, Go, be reconciled to thy brother.
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
The Lord is urgent with us to hasten to make friends with our enemies while we are yet in this life, knowing how dangerous for us that one of our enemies should die before peace is made with us. For if death bring us…
Read the whole comment - Hilary of PoitiersCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or, the adversary delivers you to the Judge, when the abiding of your wrath towards him convicts you.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
by the Judge I understand Christ, for, “the Father hath committed all judgment to the Son;” [John 5:22] and by the officer, or minister, an Angel, for “Angels came and ministered unto Him;” and we believe that He…
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
“The officer,” that is, the ministering Angel of punishment, and he shall cast you into the prison of hell.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
By the prison I understand the punishment of the darkness. And that none should despise that punishment, He adds, “Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt not come out thence till thou hast paid the very last farthing.”
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
A farthing is a coin containing two mites. What He says then is, ‘Thou shalt not go forth thence till thou hast paid for the smallest sin.’
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or it is an expression to denote that there is nothing that shall go unpunished; as we say ‘To the dregs,’ when we are speaking of any thing so emptied that nothing is left in it. Or by “the last farthing” [margin…
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or, If you will make your peace yet in this world, you may receive pardon of even the heaviest offences; but if once damned and cast into the prison of hell, punishment will be exacted of you not for grievous sins…
Read the whole comment - Hilary of PoitiersCatena Aurea on Matthew
For because “charity covereth a multitude of sins,” we shall therefore pay the last farthing of punishment, unless by the expense of charity we redeem the fault of our sin.
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or, the prison is worldly misfortune which God often sends upon sinners.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or, He here speaks of the judges of this world, of the way which leads to this judgment, and of human prisons; thus not only employing future but present inducements, as those things which are before the eyes affect…
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Cross-references · 19
Parallel passages
Matthew 5:25 and Luke 12:58 share the same wording (14 words).
Cited together with
Cited together in A Treatise on the Soul Chapter 35.
Cited together in A Treatise on the Soul Chapter 35.
Cited together in A Treatise on the Soul Chapter 35.
Cited together in Sermons on New Testament Lessons Sermon 59.
Cited together in Against Heresies I.25 and 1 other place.
Cited together in Against Heresies I.25 and 1 other place.
Cited together in Sermons on New Testament Lessons Sermon 59.
Cited together in A Treatise on the Soul Chapter 35.
Cited together in Against Heresies I.25.
Cited together in The Stromata, or Miscellanies IV.13.
Cited together in The Stromata, or Miscellanies IV.13.
Cited together in John Chrysostom on Matthew 5:25–26 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in A Treatise on the Soul Chapter 35.
Cited together in A Treatise on the Soul Chapter 35.
Cited together in A Treatise on the Soul Chapter 35.
Cited together in Against Heresies I.25.
Cited together in A Treatise on the Soul Chapter 35.
Quotes
Matthew 5:25 takes up the words of Ezekiel 25:4 (8 words in common).