Author : Keith Sharp
You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect (Matthew 5:43-48).
Once I heard my three-year-old son soberly discuss the difficult subject of hell with a little friend. He solemnly announced, “If you hit someone who didn’t hit you, you’ll go to hell.” Cute? Of course, I thought so. But, sadly, this concept of love to friends and hatred to enemies is only too prevalent among sophisticated adults. The demands of the Lord so far transcend this carnal standard as to be virtually incomparable. What is the law of Christ pertaining to love and hatred of other people?
For the sixth time in his address on the mount, Jesus replaced what his auditors had previously heard with His own doctrine. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy”(Matthew 5:43). There are four key words in this passage. We will define each.
“Love” is at once one of the richest and one of the most abused words in the English language. One youthful wit, sorely smitten with infatuation for a pretty, young thing, described “love” as “an itch you can’t scratch.” What is its true meaning?
Greek is a language which is rich in synonyms; it has words with shades of meaning which English does not possess. In Greek there are four different words for love. (i) There is the noun sterge with its accompanying verb stergein. These words are the characteristic words of family love . . . . (ii) There is the noun eros and the accompanying verb eran. These words describe the love of a man for a maid; there is always passion in them; and there is always sexual love . . . . but as time went on they began to be tinged with the idea of lust rather than love, and they never occur in the New Testament at all. (iii) There is philia with its accompanying verb philein. It describes real love, real affection . . . . It is the word of warm, tender affection …. (iv) There is agape with its accompanying verb agapan. Agape is the word which is used here. The real meaning of agape is unconquerable benevolence, invincible goodwill. If we regard a person with agape, it means that no matter what that person does to us, no matter how he treats us, no matter if he insults us or injures us or grieves us, we will never allow any bitterness against him to invade our hearts, but we will regard him with unconquerable benevolence and goodwill which will seek nothing but his highest good (Barclay.1:171-2).
Thus, the love Christ demands that we exercise toward our enemies is the active desire to do good, not selfish passion, tender affection, or empty words. The test and measure of love is its ability to forego its own selfish pleasure for the good of the object of that love (cf. 1 John 3:16-18). In short, “love” is “active goodwill.” Luke’s parallel account illustrates this by demanding we “do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again,” thus being “merciful, as your Father also is merciful” (Luke 6:35-36), to show our love. The parable of the Good Samaritan is the Master’s own illustration of the meaning of this word (Luke 10:25-37).
The term “neighbor” literally means “the (one) near” (Vine.3:107). The Old Testament and Hebrew concept limited its application to “a member of the Hebrew commonwealth” (Thayer. 518-19; cf. Acts 7:27).
“Hate” carries the meaning “of malicious… feelings toward others whether towards the innocent or by mutual animosity” (Vine. 2:198).
One’s “enemy” is “the person to whom one is hostile…” (Thayer. 265).
The requirements to love one’s neighbor is specifically laid down in Leviticus 19:17-18, and this love was to be extended to the “stranger who” lived among them, whom Israelites were to love as themselves (verses 33-34). And Moses taught Israelites to treat their personal enemies with kindness (Exodus 23:4-5).
But Jehovah required that Israel annihilate the Amalekites (Deuteronomy 25:17-19) and the Canaanite nations that inhabited the land of promise before them (Deuteronomy 7:1-2, 16, 23-26). Pure men of God hated not only the ways of the Lord’s enemies; they abhorred the enemies themselves (Psalm 26:5; 31:6). It easy to envision David clenching his teeth in seething anger as he penned:
Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies (Psalm 139:21-22).
Thus, the law of Moses made a clear distinction between faithful children of Abraham and the friendly Gentiles who lived among them on the one hand, and the ungodly, pagan Gentiles on the other, and the demand for love was limited to those friendly to the Lord and to Israel. This had a dual purpose: protecting the people from their idolatrous enemies and preserving the lineage of the Messiah. Therefore, according to Paul, the law was the basis of enmity between Jew and Gentile (Ephesians 2:14-18). This was one of its defects, which, although it served a legitimate, temporary purpose, necessitated its abrogation.
Evidently the scribes and Pharisees, in their traditions, had abused this principle, which applied to national and religious enemies, by applying it to personal adversaries. This violated the clear, Old Testament statute.
How does the Master teach us to treat our enemies? “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44; cf. Luke 6:27-28). The Son of God requires that we love all kinds of people that we might normally consider enemies, for whatever reasons – personal, religious, racial, ethnic, national – we might feel animosity toward them. This supreme demand has primary but not exclusive application to the personal life of the Christian in relationship to other people. Therefore, that pacifist in international politics who fights and riots for “peace” so far misses the point of this great principle as to be ludicrous.
This ideal treatment of even one’s enemies is the height of the Christian’s character, setting him apart from all unbelievers. Yet, this is not an impossible requirement. Jesus does not demand that we have as much emotional affection for our enemies as for our own families. How does one feel tender affection for those who lie about him, seek to take away his job because of his stand for truth, and even physically abuse him? But, we must always seek the highest good for our enemies, even for those who would persecute us for our faith.
The principle of love toward one’s enemies does not conflict with service as a police officer or soldier. (The distinction between the two is a modern concept. First century soldiers, whether Jewish or Roman, also served as law enforcement officers.) Neither soldiers nor police who kill an enemy combatant or a felon should be acting out of personal enmity but in support of justice. Their actions should be acts of love in behalf of otherwise defenseless civilians endangered by the unjust actions of an alien army or a criminal. The right and obligation of civil government to use lethal force to enforce justice (Romans 13:1-4) does not violate the law of love (Romans 13:8-10). In fact, Matthew 5:43-48 is the ultimate proof serving as a soldier to uphold justice does not violate the principle of love. God Himself is the ultimate standard of love toward which we strive (Matthew 5:44-45,48). “The Lord is a man of war”(Exodus 15:3). Case closed.
The Master is our supreme example of love as of every righteous character trait. Of those who blasphemed, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” (John 8:48), Jesus lamented:
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! (Matthew 23:37)
He died for and offered salvation to even those who crucified Him (Luke 19:10). In behalf of those who cruelly mocked Him on the cursed cross (Matthew 27:39-43), He tenderly prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do”(Luke 23:34). “Greater love has no one than this, to lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Yet, of Christ, the apostle declares:
For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6-8).
What wondrous love! Yet, He is our example to emulate.
This great precept is beautifully exemplified by saints who help compose “so great a cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1; Acts 7:54-60; Romans 9:1-3; 1 Corinthians 4:12-13). The Christian thus defeats his enemies by treating them as friends (Romans 12:17-21). One cannot bless, do good to, and pray for an enemy and still hate him. Why should we love those who mistreat us?
that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?
We should love our enemies that we might truly be the sons of God.
Christ did not teach that loving one’s enemies is a condition of becoming His disciple. We are children of God by consequence of being born again (John 3:3-5; Galatians 3:26- 27). What, then, did he mean?
Hebrew is not rich in adjectives, and for that reason Hebrew often used son of . . . with an abstract noun, where we would use an adjective. For instance, a son of peace is a peaceful man; a son of consolation is a consoling man. So, then, a son of God is a godlike man (Barclay. 175).
To love even one’s enemies is to truly be godlike in character, for, though “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), nevertheless “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Indeed, “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:8).
We all witness daily in the natural realm how God bestows physical blessings alike on both evil and good, just and unjust (cf. Psalm 145:9,15-16; Acts 14:16-17). This is the result and proof of His divine love for all His creation. We should likewise practice love toward friend and foe alike. By so doing we demonstrate our godlike character (cf. Luke 6:35-36; Ephesians 5:1-2).
If we do not practice love toward our enemies, how can we expect God to reward us for our righteousness? We would be evidencing no higher character than the tax collectors, the lowest of sinners to the Hebrews. Even the vilest of the unrighteous love their own friends! Is our morality not to exceed theirs?
Further, if we fail to manifest this higher love, we do no more than those in false and degrading religions. Even the Gentiles, who had corrupted the true worship of God into the grossest system of immorality and error, warmly greeted and graciously accepted their own friends! Even a Muslim who wantonly murders “infidels” and all Muslims of a different sect, loves his own cohorts. Is the righteousness of one walking in the steps of Jesus not to exceed that of an idol worshiper or hate filled follower of Islam?
According to the Master, love fulfills all the demands of divine law (Matthew 22:34-40). According to His inspired apostle, Paul, love fulfills the law (Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 5:13-14) and without it we mean nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1), are nothing (verse 2 ), and are profited nothing (verse 3). According to the apostle John, we must love in order to walk in the light (1 John 2:9-10; cf. 1:6-7 ), to be children of God (1 John 3:10-11), to have life (1 John 3:14-15), to know God (1 John 4:8 ), because God first loved us (1 John 4:9-11,19-20), and to have God dwell in us (1 John 4:12). Love is the greatest quality of the Christian’s character (1 Corinthians 13:13).
The ultimate goal of Christians in relation to our character and conduct is to “be partakers of the divine nature”(2 Peter 1:2-4), sharing and reflecting the moral nature of God as demonstrated in the sinless life of His only begotten Son. One who so is and so lives has reached maturity, completeness, perfection in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 4:11-16). “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
One can pursue any of three courses in his relationship to other people. He can render to others as they render to him – good for good and evil for evil. This is the standard of the world. One can render evil for good – the standard Satan employs. Or, one can do good in return for evil. This is what the Father does, and this is the godlike standard the Master sets for his disciples.
Athletes set goals they want to achieve. I see that New York Giants running back Tiki Barber wants to help take the Giants to the Super Bowl before he retires at the end of this season. That’s a high goal indeed! Our goal must be far higher. Our goal is to love as God loves, to be perfect as our Father is perfect. No higher standard has ever been set.
Works Cited
Barclay, William, The Gospel of Matthew.
Thayer, J.H., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
Vine, W.E., An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words.
