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Mat 24:51. Διχοτομήσει, shall cut him in twain[1076]) A punishment frequent in ancient times, and an appropriate one for those who were διψύχοι, i.e. double-minded. The Hebrew נתח [to divide or cut in pieces] is thus rendered by the LXX. The hypocrite divides his soul and body in the worship of God; wherefore his soul and body shall be divided in eternal perdition. Eternal perdition is called death: all death, however, has this characteristic, that it deprives the body of its soul. Then neither the soul shall rejoice in the companionship of the body, nor the body in that of the soul, but it shall rather increase its death. Then will each of the damned be able to say with truth, “I am torn asunder” (disrumpor): cf. Heb 4:12, as to the force of the word with reference to the wicked. The twofold punishment corresponds to the twofold offence; viz., the cutting in twain to his smiting the men-servants and maid-servants, the portion with the hypocrites to his gluttony and drunkenness.-ὑποκριτῶν, hypocrites) Hypocrisy is a moral evil: the punishment of hypocrites is a specimen of punishment. In the parallel passage, Luk 12:46, we find ἈΠΊΣΤΩΝ, unbelievers or faithless, i.e. those who are not faithful; cf. Mat 24:45.-θήσει, shall appoint) by a judgment, just, severe, and irreversible.
[1076] E. V. “Shall cut him asunder.”-(I. B.)