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Matthew 5:45

Adam Clarke
Bible Commentary

That ye may be the children of your Father - Instead of ὑιοι children, some MSS., the latter Persic version, and several of the primitive fathers, read ὃμοιοι, that ye may be like to, or resemble, your Father who is in heaven. This is certainly our Lord's meaning. As a man's child is called his, because a partaker of his own nature, so a holy person is said to be a child of God, because he is a partaker of the Divine nature.

He maketh his sun to rise on the evil - "There is nothing greater than to imitate God in doing good to our enemies. All the creatures of God pronounce the sentence of condemnation on the revengeful: and this sentence is written by the rays of the sun, and with the drops of rain, and indeed by all the natural good things, the use of which God freely gives to his enemies." If God had not loved us while we were his enemies, we could never have become his children: and we shall cease to be such, as soon as we cease to imitate him.

Albert Barnes
Notes on the Whole Bible

That ye may be the children of your Father - In Greek, the sons of your Father. The word “son” has a variety of significations. See the notes at Matthew 1:1. Christians are called the “sons” or “children” of God in several of these senses: as his offspring; as adopted; as his disciples; as imitators of Him. In this passage the word is applied to them because, in doing good to enemies, they resemble God. He makes His sun to rise upon the evil and good, and sends rain, without distinction, on the just and unjust. So His people should show that they imitate or resemble Him, or that they possess His spirit, by doing good in a similar way.

Matthew Henry
Concise Bible Commentary
The Jewish teachers by "neighbour" understood only those who were of their own country, nation, and religion, whom they were pleased to look upon as their friends. The Lord Jesus teaches that we must do all the real kindness we can to all, especially to their souls. We must pray for them. While many will render good for good, we must render good for evil; and this will speak a nobler principle than most men act by. Others salute their brethren, and embrace those of their own party, and way, and opinion, but we must not so confine our respect. It is the duty of Christians to desire, and aim at, and press towards perfection in grace and holiness. And therein we must study to conform ourselves to the example of our heavenly Father, 1Pe 1:15,16. Surely more is to be expected from the followers of Christ than from others; surely more will be found in them than in others. Let us beg of God to enable us to prove ourselves his children.
Ellen G. White
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, 73

“Who gives himself with his alms feeds three,
Himself, his hungering neighbor, and Me.”
MB 73.1

The Saviour's lesson, “Resist not him that is evil,” was a hard saying for the revengeful Jews, and they murmured against it among themselves. But Jesus now made a still stronger declaration: MB 73.2

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Ellen G. White
Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, 30

When Moses asked the Lord to show him His glory, the Lord said, “I will make all My goodness pass before thee.” “And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty.... And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshiped.” Exodus 33:19; 34:6-8. When we are able to comprehend the character of God, as did Moses, we, too, shall make haste to bow in adoration and praise. CT 30.1

The wisdom of God alone can unfold the mysteries of the plan of salvation. The wisdom of men may or may not be valuable, as experience shall prove; but the wisdom of God is indispensable. Miss what you may in the line of worldly attainments, but you must have faith in the pardon brought to you at infinite cost, or all the wisdom attained on earth will perish with you. CT 30.2

Shall we bring into our schools the sower of tares? Shall we permit men who have been taught by the enemy of all truth, to have the education of our youth? Or shall we take the word of God as our guide? Why take the unstable words of men as exalted wisdom, when a greater and certain wisdom is at your command? Why present inferior authors to the attention of students, when He whose words are spirit and life invites, “Come, ... and learn of Me”? Matthew 11:28, 29. CT 30.3

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Ellen G. White
The Desire of Ages, 311

God pours His blessings upon all. “He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” He is “kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.” Luke 6:35. He bids us to be like Him. “Bless them that curse you,” said Jesus; “do good to them that hate you, ... that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven.” These are the principles of the law, and they are the wellsprings of life. DA 311.1

God's ideal for His children is higher than the highest human thought can reach. “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” This command is a promise. The plan of redemption contemplates our complete recovery from the power of Satan. Christ always separates the contrite soul from sin. He came to destroy the works of the devil, and He has made provision that the Holy Spirit shall be imparted to every repentant soul, to keep him from sinning. DA 311.2

The tempter's agency is not to be accounted an excuse for one wrong act. Satan is jubilant when he hears the professed followers of Christ making excuses for their deformity of character. It is these excuses that lead to sin. There is no excuse for sinning. A holy temper, a Christlike life, is accessible to every repenting, believing child of God. DA 311.3

The ideal of Christian character is Christlikeness. As the Son of man was perfect in His life, so His followers are to be perfect in their life. Jesus was in all things made like unto His brethren. He became flesh, even as we are. He was hungry and thirsty and weary. He was sustained by food and refreshed by sleep. He shared the lot of man; yet He was the blameless Son of God. He was God in the flesh. His character is to be ours. The Lord says of those who believe in Him, “I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” 2 Corinthians 6:16. DA 311.4

Christ is the ladder that Jacob saw, the base resting on the earth, and the topmost round reaching to the gate of heaven, to the very threshold of glory. If that ladder had failed by a single step of reaching the earth, we should have been lost. But Christ reaches us where we are. He took our nature and overcame, that we through taking His nature might overcome. Made “in the likeness of sinful flesh” (Romans 8:3), He lived a sinless life. Now by His divinity He lays hold upon the throne of heaven, while by His humanity He reaches us. He bids us by faith in Him attain to the glory of the character of God. Therefore are we to be perfect, even as our “Father which is in heaven is perfect.” DA 311.5

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Ellen G. White
Medical Ministry, 256

We are not our own, to act as we choose. We are called to be representatives of Christ. We are bought with a price. As the chosen sons and daughters of God, we should be obedient children, acting in accordance with the principles of His character as revealed through His Son. MM 256.1

Jesus has said, “Do good to them that hate you.” How much we can accomplish by following this instruction we can never estimate. “Pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” MM 256.2

Are not the principles here brought to view often overlooked? The amount of evil that might be avoided by following them is by no means small: for sometimes the hearts of persecutors are susceptible of divine impressions, as was the heart of the apostle Paul before his conversion. It is always best to endeavor to carry out the whole will of God as He has specified. He will take care of the results.—Manuscript 148, 1902 MM 256.3

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