And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
We have here, lastly, an exposition of that great fundamental law of the second table, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, which was the fulfilling of the law. I. See here how this law was corrupted by the comments of the Jewish teachers, Mat 5:43.
Commenting on Matthew 5:43-48
And if you salute your brethren only,.... This does not mean salutation by embraces or kisses, but by words, asking of each other's welfare, and wishing prosperity and happiness to one another. "The manner of salutation among the wise men was this (e); he that salutes says, a good day to my lord; and he replies, saying, a good, and long day to my lord...
Verse 47. And if ye salute your brethren, etc. The word salute here means to show the customary tokens of civility, or to treat with the common marks of friendship. . He says that the worst men, the very publicans, would do this. Christians should do more; they should show that they had a different spirit; they should treat their enemies as well as wicked men did their friends.