Who is this adversary?

Wednesday 2020.07.15

Reading from Matthew Chapter 5 ASV

What does the Lord mean by "agree with your adversary quickly"?

What was the Lord talking about when he mentioned the adversary, the judge, the office and finally imprisonment? An imprisonment from which you will not be released until you have paid your adversary "the last farthing"?

The adversary in question may probably be a creditor who has come to collect the debt that you owe him. The teaching that you should agree with "thine adversary" can mean that you should settle your debt with your creditor and not enter into a dispute with him. Otherwise he may drag you to court and the judge may sentence you to debtor's prison. Hence the words in verse 36 saying that you will by no means be released until you have paid the last farthing.

Matthew 5:25 - 26 ASV

25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art with him in the way; lest haply the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.

26 Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the last farthing.

An example of the "adversary" being a creditor to whom one owes a debt, is seen in the Lord's parable of the unforgiving servant in Matthew chapter 18, who grabbed a fellow servant friend by the throat, and threw him into prison for failing to pay just a small debt of a hundred shillings, ignoring his plea for more time to pay up.

Matthew 18:28 - 30 ASV

28 But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred shillings: and he laid hold on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay what thou owest.

29 So his fellow-servant fell down and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee.

30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay that which was due.

Brothers and Sisters in the Lord, today's passages remind us to live at peace with others as far as possible, to pay up our debts, and not wait until we are hauled to court by our "adversary".