Matthew 5:43-48

 ““You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be like your Father in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors do the same, don’t they? And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do? Even the Gentiles do the same, don’t they? So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

— ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭43‬-‭48‬‬

Love your neighbor is quote from Lev 19:18, but of course there’s no quote in OT about hating enemy. This must be cultural slogan. It’s only natural.

Jesus has been interpreting the law throughout the section in light of it’s intended meaning (love for the person, not just rote obedience). And if all people reflect the Father in some way, then even loving enemies fulfills the law of love.

There’s an important side note here. Yes, we should love all people. Respect all. Blah blah. But in light of the beatitudes at the beginning of ch 5, these enemies are those who persecute followers of Jesus. This is religious persecution, not the bully at school, or the mean co-worker, or those who disagree with us politically, or even religious or national “enemies.” Again, we should love and seek ways to be kind to all, but this context has a more specific meaning originally.

Jesus’ second phrase clarifies this. “Those who persecute you.”

We could say, “I get a lot out of loving those who love me…safety, security, fulfillment, assurance, and lots of other things.”

But I don’t think Jesus is talking about rewards right now. It’s always about the kingdom and what we gain there. Seeking eternal life (which may not mean what we think it means—more like life in the age to come), seeking the kingdom, seeking righteousness, seeking Jesus. 

And the Sermon is about fulfilling the law (debates as to what that means) and here we imitate God’s character. Loving enemies is God’s specialty.

Be perfect?? Luke’s version of the sermon has be “merciful,” which sounds a bit more palatable. I can show mercy much easier than be perfect.

But again, the word is teleios, which means complete/full and yes, perfect. It’s not so much moral perfection as lacking nothing. That is the ultimate fulfillment of the law of love. Sacrificing, praying, blessing, and serving for those persecuting you? Nothing else reflects the heart of God. That is the highest level of spiritual maturity and imitation of Christ. 

It’s not explicit in the passage, but there’s almost an argument from greater to lesser. Strive for the highest of loving enemies—it is commanded—but in the meantime, how much easier is it not to be angry? Or not lust? Or not break an oath? Or not worry? The ethics of the kingdom depend on this foundation of relying on Jesus and His ways more than our own wisdom and cultural/moral norms.