Matthew 5 45

Matthew 5:45 kjv

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.

Matthew 5:45 nkjv

that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

Matthew 5:45 niv

that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Matthew 5:45 esv

so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

Matthew 5:45 nlt

In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.

Matthew 5 verses

Matthew 5 45 Meaning

This verse defines what it means to be a true "son of your Father in heaven" in the context of Jesus' teaching on loving enemies. It highlights God's indiscriminate benevolence, providing universal blessings like sun and rain (essential for life and prosperity) upon all humanity, regardless of their moral standing—the evil and the good, the just and the unjust. The call for believers is to emulate this expansive, impartial love and generosity of God, extending mercy and kindness even to those who are adversaries or undeserving.

Matthew 5 45 Context

Matthew 5:45 is part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, a pivotal teaching where He elaborates on the true meaning of righteousness for His followers. This particular verse concludes a section (Matt 5:43-48) dealing with the command to "love your enemies." Jesus challenges the common interpretation of the Law ("love your neighbor and hate your enemy," v.43), which was a Pharisaic tradition rather than a direct biblical command for hatred. Instead, Jesus elevates the standard by calling for radical love for adversaries (v.44). Verse 45 provides the reason and the pattern for such extraordinary behavior: believers are to emulate God the Father Himself, who displays unconditional generosity by providing universal blessings to both the righteous and the unrighteous. Historically, many Jews believed that God's blessings were exclusively for His covenant people and that divine favor was withdrawn from the wicked. Jesus' teaching here directly contradicts this narrow, conditional view of God's providence, showing a broader, common grace that extends to all. This challenges believers to adopt a more inclusive and merciful worldview, reflecting God's own character rather than societal norms or self-serving legalisms.

Matthew 5 45 Word analysis

• that you may be sons (υἱοί, huios): More than just biological descendants. In Jewish thought, "son of" indicates shared character or nature with the father. Here, it implies living out the attributes and character of God, particularly His love and impartiality, rather than simply having the status of a child. It's about imitation and embodying divine qualities.
• of your Father in heaven (Πατὴρ ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, Patēr ho en tois ouranois): "Father" emphasizes intimate relationship and benevolent authority. "In heaven" highlights His transcendent sovereignty, supreme power, and universal scope, underscoring that His way of blessing is not limited by earthly categories or human prejudices.
• for He makes His sun rise (ἀνατέλλει τὸν ἥλιον αὐτοῦ, anatellei ton hēlion autou): "Makes...rise" (ἀνατέλλει) signifies God's active, direct, and continuous control over nature. The sun is "His sun," belonging to God, indicating divine ownership and a purposeful design for its benefits. It's a fundamental source of life, warmth, and sustenance.
• on the evil (πονηροὺς, ponērous): Refers to those who are wicked, morally corrupt, or actively malicious.
• and on the good (ἀγαθοὺς, agathous): Refers to those who are morally upright, virtuous, or beneficial.
• and sends rain (βρέχει, brechei): Literally, "he rains." Again, highlights God's direct and essential provision, critical for agricultural life and human survival, emphasizing His absolute sovereignty over vital resources.
• on the just (δικαίους, dikaious): Refers to those who are righteous, adhering to divine and human laws, living in right standing with God or within society.
• and on the unjust (ἀδίκους, adikous): Refers to those who are unrighteous, unjust, or disobedient, failing to live up to moral or divine standards.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "that you may be sons of your Father in heaven": This phrase encapsulates the ultimate goal of Jesus' teaching: transformation into the divine likeness. It's a call to moral sonship, where believers, by acting in a manner consistent with God's character of universal love and benevolence, demonstrate their true relationship as His children. This goes beyond mere genetic or covenantal connection; it is about reflecting His nature in action.
• "for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust": This full clause provides the divine precedent and the reason for the radical love commanded in the previous verse. It illustrates God's "common grace," His widespread and impartial beneficence to all humanity. The "sun" and "rain" represent fundamental, life-sustaining provisions that God bestows universally, without discrimination based on moral worthiness. This is a profound statement about God's non-retributive generosity in the created order, setting the example for His children. The pairing of "evil and good," and "just and unjust" emphasizes the complete absence of human categories or judgment in God's universal provision.

Matthew 5 45 Bonus section

This verse highlights the theological concept of "Common Grace," distinguishing it from "Saving Grace." Common Grace refers to God's universal care and benefits extended to all humanity (sun, rain, sustenance, conscience, law, order), while Saving Grace refers to God's redemptive work exclusively available to those who believe in Jesus Christ for salvation. The fact that God's physical blessings are enjoyed by the evil and the good serves as a perpetual, undeniable testimony to His goodness and long-suffering (Rom 1:19-20). The imitation of God presented in this verse is not about mimicking His omnipotence or omnipresence, but specifically His moral character of impartial, unconditional love and benevolence towards all. It sets a very high standard for Christ-followers, one that pushes beyond reciprocal justice to redemptive love. The principle applies not just to literal enemies but to anyone with whom one has a difficult or contentious relationship.

Matthew 5 45 Commentary

Matthew 5:45 encapsulates a radical call to Christian righteousness that mirrors the very nature of God. Far from teaching that God overlooks sin, the verse reveals God's general benevolence, known as common grace. It means that God sustains and provides for all His creation, regardless of their spiritual or moral standing. This is not saving grace, which is for believers, but the foundational goodness that permits life to flourish for everyone.

Jesus urges His followers to be "sons of your Father in heaven" by imitating this divine attribute. In the context of "love your enemies," this means extending kindness and blessing even to those who oppose or persecute you, because God Himself shows active kindness to the unrighteous and the just alike. This challenges a transactional or merit-based understanding of blessings. Christians are not to replicate the world's partiality—loving only those who love them back—but to transcend it with a divine, impartial love. This love doesn't endorse evil but rather aims to demonstrate God's magnanimity, potentially leading the unrighteous to repentance.

• Examples:
  • Praying for a political leader with whom you disagree.
  • Offering a kind word or assistance to a neighbor who has previously slighted you.
  • Showing respect and patience to a difficult colleague, even when it's undeserved.