Albert Barnes Commentary Matthew 5:42

"Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away." — Matthew 5:42 (ASV)

Give to him that asketh thee. This is the general rule. It is better to give sometimes to an undeserving person than to turn away one who is truly needy. It is good to be in the habit of giving. At the same time, the rule must be interpreted so as to be consistent with our duty to our families (1 Timothy 5:8) and with other duties of justice and charity.

It is seldom, perhaps never, good to give to a man who is able to work (2 Thessalonians 3:10). To give to such is to encourage laziness and to support the idle at the expense of the industrious. If such a man is indeed hungry, feed him; if he wants anything further, give him employment.

If a widow, an orphan, a man experiencing misfortune, or a man who is infirm, lame, or sick, is at your door, never send them away empty. (Matthew 25:35–45). The same applies to a poor and needy friend who wishes to borrow. We are not to turn away or deny him.

This deserves, however, some limitation. It must be done consistently with other duties. To lend to every worthless man, would be to throw away our property, encourage laziness and crime, and ruin our families. It should be done consistently, and each one is to be the judge of this. Perhaps our Savior meant to teach that where there was a deserving friend or brother in need, we should lend to him, without usury, and without being overly concerned about the security.