Charles Spurgeon Commentary Matthew 5:48

"Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." — Matthew 5:48 (ASV)

Be you therefore perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect.

Or, "You shall be perfect." We should strive after completeness in love, fullness of love to all around us. Love is the bond of perfectness; and if we have perfect love, it will form a perfect character in us.

Here is what we aim at: perfection like that of God. Here also is the way to obtain it: namely, by abounding in love. This suggests the question of how far we have proceeded in this heavenly direction. It also points to the reason why we should persevere in it even to the end: because as children, we ought to resemble our Father.

Scriptural perfection is attainable; it lies rather in proportion than in degree. A man's character may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing; and yet such a man will be the very first to admit that the grace that is in him is, at best, in its infancy. Though perfect as a child in all its parts, it has not yet attained to the perfection of full-grown manhood. What a standard is set before us by our Perfect King, who, speaking from his mountain-throne, says, "Be you perfect, even as your Father who is in heaven is perfect."!

Lord, give what you command; then both the grace and the glory will be yours alone.

Or, “Ye shall be perfect.” We should strive for completeness in love—fullness of love to all around us. Love is the bond of perfectness, and if we have perfect love, it will form in us a perfect character. Here is what we aim at—perfection like that of God. Here is the manner of obtaining it—namely, by abounding in love.

This suggests the question of how far we have progressed in this heavenly direction and also the reason why we should persevere in it even to the end, because as children we ought to resemble our Father. Scriptural perfection is attainable. It lies rather in proportion than in degree. A man’s character may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing, and yet such a man will be the very first to admit that the grace that is in him is at best in its infancy, and though perfect as a child in all its parts, it has not yet attained to the perfection of full-grown manhood.

What a standard is set before us by our Perfect King, who, speaking from His mountain-throne, says, “Be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”! Lord, give what You command; then both the grace and the glory will be Yours alone.