In fact, this phrase, “hate your enemy,” is not even in the Old Testament law. The people had lost sight of what God originally meant by the command. The irony of a command like that is that no one needs to tell us to love those who love us. The teachings of the experts in the law had morphed to the point where they interpreted this idea of loving our neighbors as only loving those that love you only loving your friends, and family, and those who are kind to you. Jesus said that you have heard that it was said “Love your neighbor” Indeed, this would have been the case for Jesus’ listeners as well. Immediately when it comes to this idea of loving our enemies many of us are not ready to sign on the dotted line to do so. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He wants to be sure that we know what it means to follow God faithfully and fully.Īt the end of today’s passage, Jesus will drop a bombshell of a statement to describe how we must follow God.Ĥ3 “You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. Jesus has said repeatedly, “You have heard it said. He has also been clarifying for His hearers the true meaning behind some of the teachings of the Old Testament. Jesus is teaching us to live counter-culturally compared to the world in which we are immersed. Well, church family, we are here at the end of Matthew chapter 5, which has been a monumental chapter in Jesus’ sermon on the mountainside.
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