Love Your Enemies

Introduction

There have been about 150 films produced in the last year who’s central theme is revenge or vengeance.

top 5 in the last 5 years

John Wick 4

The northman

Glass Onion: Knives Out

Wrath of Man

Equalizer Series

Why do we like revenge movies?

Key Point: Because Jesus demonstrated sacrificial love for us while we were his enemies, through faith in him, we can also show sacrificial love to those who are our enemies.

Place in the Passage:

Matthew 5:38–48 concludes Jesus’ instruction in the interpretation of the law. Those who heed it will follow a righteousness that “exceeds that of the scribes” (v. 20).

The fifth and sixth statements continue to compare what they have heard to what Jesus says. The statements push disciples to a deeper grasp of righteousness in varied ways.

The first two press disciples to look beyond deeds to heart motives, from murder and adultery to the anger and lust that drive them.

The next pair examine legal conventions, divorce certificates and oaths, which Moses appointed in order to restrain evil. Unfortunately, Israel perverted them until they permitted, even facilitated, the opposite.

The last two statements contrast two approaches to mistreatment.

First, as his disciples and sons of the Kingdom, Jesus teaches us that sacrificial love for enemies means returning good for evil.

1. Returning Good for Evil (38-42)

Matthew 5:38–42 ESV

38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42 Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

An “Eye for an Eye” was given in Exodus 21:24 to issue proper judgment and restitution based on the crime. Essentially that the punishment would fit the crime.

This code is also known as the “lex talionis” which is Latin for “law of retaliation.”

An “Eye for an Eye” was a good law given by a good God to offer a just punishment that would prevent vendettas and vengeful excess.

Beyond personal mistreatment, Romans 13:4 says that magistrates ought to punish evildoers.

Privately, however, the lex talionis can foster vindictiveness, as victims dream of making a foe suffer everything they have endured.

In this context, Jesus then says in verse 39: “Do not resist the one who is evil.”

Jesus is saying that even though it is right to enact just punishment from the civil system when you are personally wronged, it is better to not seek personal retaliation and vengeance when you are mistreated.

Not resisting evil is not an absolute command for Jesus resisted the Devil. James and Peter command Christians to resist Satan, and Paul resisted Elymas and Peter when necessary.

Therefore, we understand this statement best when we see how Jesus responded when evil people mistreated him.

This is what Jesus, himself, did when he was on the cross.

He was like a sheep led to the slaughter and was silent before his accusers (Matt. 26:63).

He did not revile in return for being reviled, but entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. He looked to God for his vindication (1 Peter 2:23).

Again, he is not ruling out the just judgment of the government or law, but personal vindication (see Luke 3:12-14; Rom. 13:1-4; 1 Pet. 2:13-14 for examples of the need for government to use force).

After the command to “not resist the evil person” Jesus gives three practical examples in verses 40-41 with the phrase “if anyone”. . . of what this means

First, when one slaps you on the cheek, turn to him the other also.

Slapping the person on the cheek refers to back-handed slap as an insult.

The Mishna talks about a right-handed person would use the back of the hand to slap someone on the right cheek.

This was common in Jesus’ day for people to give back-handed slaps for personal insult that would dishonor a man. In our day, it would be the equivalent of being slandered, made fun of, or verbally mistreated.

Jesus already said that if people are reviled, spoken falsely about, or mistreated, they are blessed (Matthew 5:10-12).

Jesus teaches that when a person is offended they should not seek to give the same offense back, but find their peace and solace in God.

We must not pay back evil for evil but good for evil and leave the vengeance to God (Romans 12:17-21)

Again, “In the case of a more serious assault, Jesus’ words should not be taken to prohibit self-defense or fleeing from evil ,for often a failure to resist a violent attack leads to even more serious abuse. Acting in love toward an attacker (Matt. 5:44; 22:39) will often include taking steps to prevent him from attempting further attacks. Jesus’ teaching must be applied with wisdom in the light of related Scriptures that address similar situations.

Second, when one sues you for your tunic, give them your cloak as well.

The tunic was the inner garment worn under one’s cloak.

Jesus commanded his disciples to seek reconciliation with their opponents by going above and beyond the legal requirements in order to make amends.

Based on OT texts such as Ex 22:26–27 and Dt 24:12–13, Jewish law insisted that the coat was exempt from seizure by the courts. Taking the coat was too severe a punishment. Jesus thus commanded his disciples to do even more than the courts allowed when seeking reconciliation with an opponent.

The point is that disciples should not spend their energy defending themselves. Paul himself makes this same point that it is better to suffer wrong than be defrauded when you seek to have a lawsuit with someone (1 Cor. 6:7).

Third, “Go the extra mile”. . . Go above and beyond what is compelled or forced out of love and service for your oppressor or accuser.

Jesus likely had in mind the much-resented practice of compulsion, in which Roman officials could force their subjects to perform menial tasks such as hauling a load on their backs (27:32).

Most likely compulsion was usually limited to a mile simply out of common sense: people are tired after hauling a load for a mile, and soldiers who pressed for more than this risked fostering dangerous resentment among subjugated peoples.

In contrast to this, Jesus said his disciples should carry their oppressor’s pack out of obligation for the first mile, but then exceed all expectations by going a second mile as an act of love and service.

We must not pay back evil for evil but good for evil and leave the vengeance to God. By doing good to others when they mistreat us, God will use it as a witness to help the person see their need for Jesus. (see Romans 12:17-21)

Fire is not quenched by fire, but by water.

In verse 42, Jesus sums up what it means to not resist those who are evil by saying that we must give generously to those who ask.

The righteous give generously and never hold back when someone is in need (Psalm 37:21; Prov. 21:26).

When we give and let others borrow, we should not expect anything in return because we are doing it to serve our neighbor, not earn something back for ourselves. (Psalm 37:26; 112:5; Luke 6:34-35)

The only way we can do this is if we believe this world is not our home but instead we are living for a heavenly kingdom.

So, first, sacrificially loving our enemies means returning good for evil. Second, as disciples of Jesus and sons of the Kingdom, we should love our enemies by blessing and praying for them.

2. Pray for and Bless Your Enemies (43-48)

Matthew 5:43–48 ESV

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, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is 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. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 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.

The first command tells us what we should do in response to people who mistreat us. The second command is how we should treat those who have the intent to harm or mistreat us.

The first is reactive, the second is proactive.

In verse 43, Jesus quotes from Leviticus 19:18-19, but the command “hate your enemy” is found nowhere in the OT. In fact, Exodus 23:4 commands Israelites to care for their enemies possessions. Therefore, this idea of hating one’s enemy was assumed by Jesus’ contemporaries. If one was to love his neighbor, the thought was that they should hate their enemy. This understanding was found in the Qumran Rule of the Community.

Jesus counters this thought in verse 44, and calls his disciples to bless, pray for, and love their enemies and those who persecute them.

Love and pray are mutually reinforcing commands. The more love, the more prayer, and the more prayer, the more love.

Our feelings and attitude toward others change when we pray for them.

Jesus perfectly did this when he prayed for his enemies on the cross (Luke 23:32-37).

Verse 45 teaches that Only people who have experienced the new birth in Christ and are sons of God can imitate their heavenly Father and love their enemies just as he does (Ephesians 5:1).

It does not imply that love earns sonship. Rather, when anyone loves as the Father does, it demonstrates sonship.

Since God blesses and shows common grace to all people, the righteous and the unrighteous (Acts 14:17), his children should do the same.

As he closes out the section in verses 46-48, Jesus’ whole point is that if his disciples are God’s children, then they must live differently from the world and sinners (tax collectors and Gentiles).

Sinners love those who love them back, and sinners greet their friends and family.

Disciples of Jesus and Sons of the Kingdom must go the extra mile, they must not only love and serve those who love them back and who are their friends and family, but they must also do the same to their enemies and those who would show them no love in return.

Alfred Plummer says, “To return evil for good is devilish; to return good for good is human; to return good for evil is divine. To love as God loves is moral perfection.”

This is what God did when he gave his only Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins while we were still sinners! (Romans 5:8).

Response

We must be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. We must love the good and the bad, and show blessing to the just and the unjust just as God shows common grace to all people. Kingdom citizens are God’s sons, therefore, we must act like his children if we are his children.

The only way we can be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect is by trusting in the perfect Son, who perfectly obeyed the Father’s will and gave his life as a ransom for sinners.

So, first, you must be a Son of the kingdom through faith in Christ’s sacrificial love in dying on the cross for your sins to be able to obey these commands.

Second, if you are a son of the Kingdom, you must continually put your faith in Christ, moment-by-moment, to sacrificially love your enemies.

Repent of ways you have not done this perfectly.

Remember Christ’s sacrificial love for you.

Ask the Spirit to help you specifically love and show kindness to those who harm and mistreat you.