Matthew 5:48 (WEB)
Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Catechism · 5
Life in Christ
“Likewise Christ's disciples are invited to live in the sight of the Father "who sees in secret," in order to become "perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect."” — Catechism footnote: Mt 5:48.
The Moral Law
“…through imitation of the perfection of the heavenly Father, through forgiveness of enemies and prayer for persecutors, in emulation of the divine generosity.” — Catechism footnote: Cf. Mt 5:44,48.
Grace and Justification
“All are called to holiness: "Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."” — Catechism footnote: Mt 5:48.
The Seven Petitions
“This "as" is not unique in Jesus' teaching: "You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect"; "Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful"; "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another."” — Catechism footnote: Mt 5:48; Lk 6:36; Jn 13:34.
"And in Jesus Christ, His Only Son, Our Lord"
“He distinguished his sonship from that of his disciples by never saying "our Father", except to command them: "You, then, pray like this: 'Our Father'", and he emphasized this distinction, saying "my Father and your Father".” — Catechism footnote: Mt 5:48; 6:8-9; 7:21; Lk 11:13; Jn 20:17.
Fathers and councils · 44
Origen
- Origen, Against Celsus IV.29Book IV
“And therefore we are taught to become “perfect,” as our Father in heaven is perfect.” — editor's note: Cf. Matt. v. 48.
Read the whole comment - Origen, De Principiis II.4Book II
“…even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect; for He commands His sun to rise upon the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust,” most evidently suggests even to a person of feeble understanding, that He is proposing to the imitation of His disciples no other God than the maker of heaven…” — editor's note: Matt. v. 48, 45.
Read the whole comment - Origen, De Principiis IV.3Book IV
“…intimates in the Gospel, when He says, “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful;” and, “Be ye perfect, even as your Father also is perfect.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 48.
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Athanasius of Alexandria
- Athanasius of Alexandria, Against the Arians III.3Discourse III
“Again, taking patterns for man from divine subjects, the Saviour says; ‘Be ye merciful, as your Father which is in heaven is merciful;’ and, ‘Be ye perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.’” — editor's note: Matt. v. 48.
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Jerome
“And the Saviour bids the Apostles“Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.”” — editor's note: S. Matt. v. 48.
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Cyril of Jerusalem
“…of God is blasphemous; for we must believe that God is in all things perfect, according to our Saviour’s word, which saith, Your Father in heaven is perfect: perfect in sight, perfect in power, perfect in greatness, perfect in foreknowledge, perfect in goodness, perfect in justice, perfect in loving-kindness: not…” — editor's note: Matt. v. 48.
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John Cassian
- John Cassian, Conferences XI–XVII XI.7Conference XI
“And to this likeness the commands of our Saviour also summon us: “Be ye,” says He, “perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”” — editor's note: S. Matt. v. 48.
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Augustine of Hippo
“And although she, having been “made alive” in Christ even before she was freed from the flesh had so lived as to praise Thy name both by her faith and conversation, yet dare I not say that from the time Thou didst regenerate her by baptism, no word went forth from her mouth against Thy precepts.” — editor's note: For to have done so would have been to go perilously near to the heresy of the Pelagians, who laid claim to the possibility of attaining perfection in this…
Read the whole comment“For, “Be ye,” he saith, “perfect, even as your Father, which is in the heavens, who maketh His sun to rise on the good and evil.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 48, 45.
Read the whole comment“Touching the very perfection of love of enemies, the Lord admonishing, saith, “Be ye therefore perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” — editor's note: Matt. v. 48.
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Ambrose of Milan
““One,” said He, that there be no separation of power and nature; but again, “We are,” that you may recognize Father and Son, forasmuch as the perfect Father is believed to have begotten the perfect Son, and the Father and the Son are One, not by confusion of Person, but by unity of nature.” — editor's note: Cf. S. Matt. v. 48.
Read the whole comment“…way of comparison: “Be ye merciful, as your Father Which is in heaven is merciful;” and elsewhere: “Be ye perfect, as My Father Which is in heaven is perfect.”” — editor's note: S. Matt. v. 48.
Read the whole comment“This we are taught in the Gospel: “Be ye perfect even as your Father Who is in heaven is perfect.”” — editor's note: S. Matt. v. 48.
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John Chrysostom
““Be ye therefore perfect, as your Heavenly Father.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 48. [The text of the Homily has γνεσθε, which is probably imperative, but in Matt. v. 48, ἔσεσθε is the undisputed reading: comp. R.V., “Ye therefore…
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Cyprian of Carthage
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 43–48.
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Tertullian
““Be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 48.
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Clement of Alexandria
“Thence assimilation to God the Saviour arises to the Gnostic, as far as permitted to human nature, he being made perfect “as the Father who is in heaven.”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 48.
Read the whole comment“And is it not the Saviour, who wishes the Gnostic to be perfect as “the heavenly Father,” that is, Himself, who says, “Come, ye children, hear from me the fear of the Lord?”” — editor's note: Matt. v. 48.
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Catena Aurea on Matthew
- Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
The Lord has taught above that we must not resist one who offers any injury, but must be ready even to suffer more; He now further requires us to shew to them that do us wrong both love and its effects. And as the…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
That by the command, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour,” all mankind were intended, the Lord shewed in the parable of the man who was left half dead, which teaches us that our neighbour is every one who may happen at…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
That there were degrees in the righteousness of the Pharisees which was under the old Law is seen herein, that many hated even those by whom they were loved. He therefore who loves his neighbour, has ascended one…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
I ask the Manichaeans why they would have this peculiar to the Mosaic Law, that was said by them of old time, “thou shalt hate thy enemy?” Has not Paul said of certain men that they were hateful to God? We must…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
But it should be known, that in the whole body of the Law it is no where written, Thou shalt hate thy enemy. But it is to be referred to the tradition of the Scribes, who thought good to add this to the Law, because…
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
As that, Thou shalt not lust, was not spoken to the flesh, but to the spirit, so in this the flesh indeed is not able to love its enemy, but the spirit is able; for the love and hate of the flesh is in the sense, but…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Matthew
Love to an enemy is then observed when we are not sorrowful at his success, or rejoice in his fall. We hate him whom we wish not to be bettered, and pursue with ill-wishes the prosperity of the man in whose fall we…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
They who stand against the Church oppose her in three ways; with hate, with words, and with bodily tortures. The Church on the other hand loves them, as it is here, “Love your enemies;” does good to them, as it is,…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
Many measuring the commandments of God by their own weakness, not by the strength of the saints, hold these commands for impossible, and say that it is virtue enough not to hate our enemies; but to love them is a…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
These indeed are examples of the perfect sons of God; yet to this should every believer aim, and seek by prayer to God, and struggles with himself to raise his human spirit to this tempter. Yet this so great blessing…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Here arises a question, that this commandment of the Lord, by which He bids us pray for our enemies, seems opposed by many other parts of Scripture. In the Prophets are found many imprecations upon enemies; such as…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
And the souls of them that are slain cry out to be avenged; as the blood of Abel cried out of the ground not with a voice, but in spirit [margin note: ratione]. As the work is said to laud the workman, when he…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
Note through what steps we have now ascended hither, and how He has set us on the very pinnacle of virtue. The first step is, not to begin to do wrong to any; the second, that in avenging a wrong done to us we be…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
For whoso keeps the commandments of God is thereby made the son of God; he then of whom he here speaks is not by nature His son, but by his own will.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
After that rule we must here understand of which John speaks, “He gave them power to be made the sons of God.” One is His Son by nature; we are made sons by the power which we have received; that is, so far as we…
Read the whole comment - Hilary of PoitiersCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or, the sun and rain have reference to the baptism with water and Spirit.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or we may take it of this visible sun, and of the rain by which the fruits are nourished, as the wicked mourn in the book of Wisdom, “The Sun has not risen for us.” [Wis 5:6] And of the rain it is said, “I will…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
But as we laud Him for His gifts, let us also consider how He chastises those whom He loves. For not every one who spares is a friend, nor every one who chastises an enemy; it is better to love with severity, than to…
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
He was careful to say, “On the righteous and the unrighteous;’ for God gives all good gifts not for men’s sake, but for the saints’ sake, as likewise chastisements for the sake of sinners. In bestowing His good…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
For the good man is not puffed up by worldly goods, nor broken by worldly calamity. But the bad man is punished in temporal losses, because he is corrupted by temporal gains. Or for another reason He would have good…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
To love one that loves us is of nature, but to love our enemy of charity. “If ye love them who love you, what reward have ye?” to wit, in heaven. None truly, for of such it is said, “Ye have received your reward.”…
Read the whole comment - Rabanus MaurusCatena Aurea on Matthew
If then sinners be led by nature to shew kindness to those that love them, with how much greater shew of affection ought you not to embrace even those that do not love you? For it follows, “Do not even the publicans…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
But if you only pray for them that are your kinsfolk, what more has your benevolence than that of the unbelieving? Salutation is a kind of prayer.
Read the whole comment - Rabanus MaurusCatena Aurea on Matthew
Ethnici, that is, the Gentiles, for the Greek word ἔθνος is translated ‘gens’ in Latin; those, that is, who abide such as they were born, to wit, under sin.
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
Because the utmost perfection of love cannot go beyond the love of enemies, therefore as soon as the Lord has bid us love our enemies, He proceeds, “Be ye then perfect, as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”…
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
For as our sons after the flesh resemble their fathers in some part of their bodily shape, so do spiritual sons resemble their father God, in holiness.
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Cross-references · 33
Cited together in Catechism §1693.
Cited together in Catechism §1968.
Cited together in Catechism §1968.
Cited together in Catechism §2842.
Cited together in Conferences XI–XVII XI.7.
Cited together in Conferences XI–XVII XI.7.
Cited together in Conferences XI–XVII XI.7.
Cited together in Catechism §1693.
Cited together in The Stromata, or Miscellanies VI.12.
Cited together in Catechism §2842.
Cited together in On the Duties of the Clergy III.2.
Cited together in On the Duties of the Clergy III.2.
Cited together in The Five Books Against Marcion I.23.
Cited together in Catechism §2842.
Cited together in Catechism §2842.
Cited together in Catechism §2842.
Cited together in On the Duties of the Clergy III.2.
Cited together in On the Duties of the Clergy III.2.
Cited together in Catechism §2842.
Cited together in On the Duties of the Clergy III.2.
Cited together in On the Duties of the Clergy III.2.
Cited together in Remigius of Auxerre on Matthew 5:43–48 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in The Stromata, or Miscellanies VI.12.
Cited together in The Stromata, or Miscellanies VI.12.
Cited together in The Stromata, or Miscellanies VI.12.
Cited together in The Stromata, or Miscellanies VI.12.
Cited together in The Stromata, or Miscellanies VII.13.
Cited together in The Stromata, or Miscellanies VII.13.
Cited together in Against Celsus IV.29.
Cited together in Augustine of Hippo on Matthew 5:43–48 (5) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in On the Duties of the Clergy III.2.
Cited together in The Stromata, or Miscellanies VI.12.
Cited together in On the Duties of the Clergy III.2.