SEV Biblia, Chapter 5:28
Mas yo os digo, que cualquiera que mira a la mujer para codiciarla, ya adulter con ella en su corazn.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Matthew 5:28
Verse 28. Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her] epiqumsai authn, earnestly to covet her. The verb, epiqumew, is undoubtedly used here by our Lord, in the sense of coveting through the influence of impure desire. The word is used in precisely the same sense, on the same subject, by Herodotus, book the first, near the end. I will give the passage, but I dare not translate it. To the learned reader it will justify my translation, and the unlearned must take my word. thv epiqumhsei gunaikov massagethv anhr, misgetai adewv, Raphelius, on this verse, says, epiqumein hoc loco, est turpi cupiditate mulieris potiundae flagrare. In all these eases, our blessed Lord points out the spirituality of the law; which was a matter to which the Jews paid very little attention. Indeed it is the property of a Pharisee to abstain only from the outward crime. Men are very often less inquisitive to know how far the will of God extends, that they may please him in performing it, than they are to know how far they may satisfy their lusts without destroying their bodies and souls, utterly, by an open violation of his law. Hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.] It is the earnest wish or desire of the soul, which, in a variety of cases, constitutes the good or evil of an act. If a man earnestly wish to commit an evil, but cannot, because God puts time, place, and opportunity out of his power, he is fully chargeable with the iniquity of the act, by that God who searches and judges the heart. So, if a man earnestly wish to do some kindness, which it is out of his power to perform, the act is considered as his; because God, in this case, as in that above, takes the will for the deed. If voluntary and deliberate looks and desires make adulterers and adulteresses, how many persons are there whose whole life is one continued crime! whose eyes being full of adultery, they cannot cease from sin, 2 Pet. ii. 14. Many would abhor to commit one external act before the eyes of men, in a temple of stone; and yet they are not afraid to commit a multitude of such acts in the temple of their hearts, and in the sight of God!
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 28. But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman , etc.] Many and severe are the prohibitions of the Jews, concerning looking upon a woman, which they aggravate as a very great sin: they say f300 , it is not lawful to look upon a beautiful woman, though unmarried; nor upon another mans wife, though deformed; nor upon a womans coloured garments: they forbid looking on a womans little finger, and say f302 , that he that tells money to a woman, out of his hand into hers, that he may look upon her, though he is possessed of the law and good works, even as Moses, he shall not escape the damnation of hell: they affirm f303 , that he that looks upon a womans heel, his children shall not be virtuous; and that a man may not go after a woman in the way, no, not after his wife: should he meet her on a bridge, he must take her to the side of him; and whoever goes through a river after a woman, shall have no part in the world to f304 come: nay, they forbid a man looking on the beauty of his own wife.
Now these things were said by them, chiefly to cover themselves, and because they would be thought to be very chaste; when they were, as Christ calls them, an adulterous generation in a literal sense: they usually did what our Lord observes, strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. We read in the Talmud f306 , of hjw dysj , a foolish saint and it is asked, who is he? and it is answered, one that sees a woman drowning in a river, and says it is not lawful for me hb ylwktsyal , to look upon her, and deliver her. It was not any looking upon a woman, that is forbid by Christ as criminal; but so to look, as to lust after her; for such an one hath committed adultery with her already in his heart . But these men, who forbad external looking upon a woman, generally speaking, had no notion of heart sins; and which was the prevailing opinion of the Pharisees, in Christs time. A good thought, they allow, is reckoned as if done; as it is said, ( Malachi 3:16). Upon which it is asked, what is the meaning of that, and that thought upon his name? Says R. Ase, if a man thinks to do a good work, and is hindered, and does it not, the Scripture reckons it to him, as if he did it; but an evil thought, the holy blessed God does not account of it as if done, as is said, ( Psalm 66:18).
Upon which words, a noted commentator of theirs has this remark: Though I regard iniquity in my heart to do it, even in thought, yea, against God himself, as if I had expressed it with my lips, he does not hear it; that is, w[ yl bj al , he does not reckon it to me for sin; because the holy blessed God does not account an evil thought for an action, to them that are in the faith of God, or of the true religion.
For it seems, this is only true of the Israelites; it is just the reverse with the Gentiles, in whom God does not reckon of a good thought, as if it was done, but does of an evil one, as if it was in act f309 . It must be owned, that this is not the sense of them all; for some of them have gone so far as to say f310 , that the thoughts of sin are greater, or harder, than sin itself: by which they mean, that it is more difficult to subdue sinful lusts, than to refrain from the act of sin itself; and particularly, some of them say things which agree with, and come very near to what our Lord here says; as when they affirm f311 , that everyone that looks upon a woman hnwwkb , with intention, it is all one as if he lay with her.
And that Pawn arqn wyny[b Pawn , he that committeth adultery with his eyes, is called an adulterer f312 . Yea, they also observe f313 , that a woman may commit adultery in her heart, as well as a man; but the Pharisees of Christs time were of another mind.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 27-32 - Victory over the desires of the heart, must be attended with painfu exertions. But it must be done. Every thing is bestowed to save us from our sins, not in them. All our senses and powers must be kept from those things which lead to transgression. Those who lead others int temptation to sin, by dress or in other ways, or leave them in it, or expose them to it, make themselves guilty of their sin, and will be accountable for it. If painful operations are submitted to, that ou lives may be saved, what ought our minds to shrink from, when the salvation of our souls is concerned? There is tender mercy under all the Divine requirements, and the grace and consolations of the Spiri will enable us to attend to them.
Greek Textus Receptus
εγω 1473 P-1NS δε 1161 CONJ λεγω 3004 5719 V-PAI-1S υμιν 5213 P-2DP οτι 3754 CONJ πας 3956 A-NSM ο 3588 T-NSM βλεπων 991 5723 V-PAP-NSM γυναικα 1135 N-ASF προς 4314 PREP το 3588 T-ASN επιθυμησαι 1937 5658 V-AAN αυτης 846 P-GSF ηδη 2235 ADV εμοιχευσεν 3431 5656 V-AAI-3S αυτην 846 P-ASF εν 1722 PREP τη 3588 T-DSF καρδια 2588 N-DSF αυτου 846 P-GSM
Robertson's NT Word Studies
5:28 {In his heart} (en tei kardiai autou). Not just the center of the blood circulation though it means that. Not just the emotional part of man's nature, but here the inner man including the intellect, the affections, the will. this word is exceedingly common in the New Testament and repays careful study always. It is from a root that means to quiver or palpitate. Jesus locates adultery in the eye and heart before the outward act. Wunsche (_Beitrage_) quotes two pertinent rabbinical sayings as translated by Bruce: "The eye and the heart are the two brokers of Sin."Passions lodge only in him who sees." Hence the peril of lewd pictures and plays to the pure.
