And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even Gentiles do the same?
The Jewish teachers corrupted God's law. He said love your neighbor; they twisted it to mean only their own nation and friends, then added what He never said: hate your enemy. I come as Peacemaker to teach you differently: love your enemies as I have loved you.
AI summary
Commenting on Matthew 5:43-48
And if you salute your brethren only,.... This does not mean salutation by embraces or kisses, but by words, asking of each other's welfare, and wishing prosperity and happiness to one another. "The manner of salutation among the wise men was this (e); he that salutes says, a good day to my lord; and he replies, saying, a good, and long day to my lord...
Verse 47. And if ye salute your brethren, etc. The word salute here means to show the customary tokens of civility, or to treat with the common marks of friendship. . He says that the worst men, the very publicans, would do this. Christians should do more; they should show that they had a different spirit; they should treat their enemies as well as wicked men did their friends.