Jesus on Enemy Love – Matthew 5:43-48
In a world in which we are encouraged to hate our enemies, Jesus offers a radically different way. His instructions, and his example, are to love those who hate you and to pray for those that actively plot your demise.
Jesus commands us to…
Love through the obedience of the scriptures as fulfilled by Christ
Love by reconciling with all avoiding contempt or long-lasting anger
Love image-bearers of Christ by avoiding the second look of lust
Love your spouse as Christ loved the Church and avoid an easy-divorce culture
Love by being a truth-telling people
Love by seeking a third way to avoid violence
AND FINALLY, Jesus commands us to
Love your enemies as your neighbor
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”
“And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” -Luke 23:34
Love your neighbor- singular
Love your enemies- plural
44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” 45a so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.
“You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” – Leviticus 19:18
45b “For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.”
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?
“To love humans is to love all humans. The idea of prejudicial love is not within Jesus’ kingdom. Even a tax collector can prejudicially love.” – Scott Mcknight
47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
“Be perfect, that is, love both your fellow Jewish neighbors and the Roman enemies in your midst … as your Father makes the sun rise and the rain fall on all humans—both Jews and Romans—so you are to be perfect in love as your Father is perfect in love.” - Scott McKnight
“So then, you folks shall be- as soon as possible- perfectly mature people, just as your heavenly Father is perfectly mature.” – Dale Bruner
This practice comes in the form of two questions:
Who is your enemy?
How are you turning your enemy into your neighbor?
“An enemy is someone whose story you haven’t heard.” -Brian Zahnd
