Which despitefully use you, &c.— Who falsely accuse or traduce you, and persecute you. Dr. Doddridge renders it, Who insult you and persecute you. The particulars mentioned in this verse, are certainly the highest expressions of enmity; for what can be worse than cursing and calumny, insults and persecutions? Yet we are commanded to love and bless, and do good to, and pray for, our enemies, even while they persist in their enmity against us. This may seem contrary to the precept, Luke 17:3 where forgiveness seems to be enjoined only on condition that the injurious party repents: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him: but the difficulty will disappear, when it is remembered, that in the two passages different persons and different duties are spoken of. In this sermon, the duty we owe to mankind in general, who injure us, is described; but in Luke we are told how we are to behave towards an offending brother; one with whom we are particularlyconnected, whether by the ties of Christian society, blood, or friendship. The forgiveness we owe to mankind is in this sermon said to consist in the inward affection of benevolence, civil language, and good offices, such as we would have done to them had they never injured us, and hearty prayers; all which men may receive even while they may persist in their enmity; whereas the forgiveness due to a brother implies that he be restored to the place in our friendship and affection which he held before he offended. But in order to this, his repentance is justly required; because, without a sense of his offence, and due evidence of his reformation, he is both unworthy and incapable of being restored. See Macknight, Whitby, and the note on chap. Matthew 6:12.
Related Commentaries of Matthew 5:44
Matthew 5:44
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;