Hate Your Enemy

Hating someone is an easy thing to do. It often starts off with being willing to forgive. Forgiveness is not always an easy thing to do. At times we may feel that whatever has been done cannot be forgiven. We might think that we have done such terrible things that God can just not forgive. We may also think the person who committed the offence needs to come and ask for forgiveness. When we forgive, we have been told and taught that the wrong has disappeared. We may also think when I forgive it means that I approve of what was done. Or forgiveness means that the relationship is restored or that it denies that it really happened, normalizes it, minimizes the impact. How about this, forgiveness should not be given if the offender is not sorry and does not apologize. Are any of these ideas about forgiveness true? Do these ideas benefit us in anyway or are they detrimental to our spiritual wellbeing?

In Jesus quotes the common practice of the Jews in His time. Forgiveness was not a pagan virtue. As we read the Old Testament, we see this mindset coming to the fore. We see look at instances of someone asking forgiveness in the Old Testament we see them coming in a position of submission and petitioning for that which he had no right. This attitude towards forgiveness was as a result of how they interpreted the laws they had. these laws said, that they should not seek the prosperity or the peace of those that wronged them , . I do not believe that a non-forgiving attitude is what God wanted Israel to have. Nevertheless, as time passed the unforgiving attitude developed in the culture of Israel so much so that Israel despised those around them especially the Samaritans. When Jesus makes this statement of hate your enemies, He was trying to teach them not to hate by rather to have an attitude of forgiveness.

In Jesus quotes the common practice of the Jews in His time. Forgiveness was not a pagan virtue. As we read the Old Testament we see this mindset coming to the fore. We see look at instances of someone asking forgiveness in the Old Testament we see them coming in a position of submission, and petitioning for that which he had no right. This attitude towards forgiveness was as a result of how they interpreted the laws they had. these laws said, that they should not seek the prosperity or the peace of those that wronged them , . I do not believe that a non-forgiving attitude is what God wanted Israel to have. Nevertheless as time passed the unforgiving attitude developed in the culture of Israel so much so that Israel despised those around them especially the Samaritans. When Jesus makes this statement of hate your enemies He was trying to teach them not to hate by rather to have an attitude of forgiveness.

Later on, in we find some stories of Jesus, the lost sheep, the offended brother, then the instruction on forgiveness. It would be easy enough to tie the offended brother in with the instruction on forgiveness but what would the story of the lost sheep have to do with these two. When we look at the myths mentioned about forgiveness, we see that the one creates the expectation that if someone has wronged me, they must come and apologize then and only then I will forgive them. Jesus turns this upside down and says no. If you have been wronged go in search of the person and show them where they hurt or offended, you. This is not an easy task. I do not know if you have tried this at all, but the mere thought of approaching someone who has upset or hurt you just creates all these emotional feels that justify us in saying no. The one thing that we forget is that the person who has wronged us at times does not even know what they have done. Jesus in points the offended person to go and do everything in their ability to rectify the situation. It is only when he or she has exhausted every effort may the give up.

In forgiveness we must always seek to gain a brother or a sister. When this cannot be done all effort can cease. In the instruction that Jesus give in Jesus responds to Peters boasting by saying that one must forgive 70x7. Thereby telling Peter that the effort in forgiveness goes far beyond human limits. The number is not of importance. What is of greater importance is not the mathematics or the legal regulations but the attitude with which we forgive.

In forgiveness we must always seek to gain a brother or a sister. When this can not be done all effort can cease. In the instruction that Jesus give in Jesus responds to Peters boasting by saying that one must forgive 70x7. Thereby telling Peter that the effort in forgiveness goes far beyond human limits. The number is not of importance. What is of greater importance is not the mathematics or the legal regulations but the attitude with which we forgive.

The extent too which we are to forgive ties into the story of the lost sheep in where the shepherd went looking for the lost sheep until he found it. The effort was great as the shepherd had to go into the mountains once again after a long day in the fields but still, he went. After the expression of the 70x7 in Jesus tells of the king that was willing to forgive a servant a great debt of 10 000 talents and 1 talent equaled 5000 to 6000 denarii to 60 000 days wages. A debt that he could never pay back. But on receiving this great forgiveness this servant was unwilling to forgive a fellow servant the debt of 100 denarii where a denarius was valued at a days labour.

The extent too with we are to forgive ties into the story of the lost sheep where the shepherd went looking for the lost sheep until he found it. The effort was great as the shepherd had to go into the mountains once again after a long day in the fields but still he went. After the expression of the 70x7 Jesus tells of the king that was willing to forgive a servant a great debt. A debt that he could never be able to pay back. Jesus is calling us to have the attitude of the king. Jesus is calling us to rely on His strength for us to forgive those who have caused great hurt in our lives.

The denarius was valued at about a day’s labor .

The debtor of Jesus’ parable owed alternatively 10 thousand talents () or 500 denarii ().

This story express the great forgiveness that is offered to all of us. The result of the great forgiveness that we receive from God should then naturally be extended to those who have wronged us. As we share the forgiveness with others by forgiving them we testify that God’s forgiveness is not merely a judicial act, by which He sets us free from condemnation. It is not only forgiveness from sin, but reclaiming from sin. It is the outflow of redeeming love that transforms the heart. Thoughts from the mount of Blessings 114. As we receive God’s redeeming forgiveness we are called to forgive those who have wronged us. So, to receive the forgiveness from God should cause in us to develop the same forgiving spirit. Jesus is calling us to have the attitude of the king. Jesus is calling us to rely on His strength for us to forgive those who have caused great hurt in our lives.

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible Money

The debtor of Jesus’ parable owed alternatively 10 thousand talents (Matt. 18:24) or 500 denarii (Luke 7:41).

God’s forgiveness is not merely a judicial act, by which He sets us free from condemnation. It is not only forgiveness from sin, but reclaiming from sin. It is the outflow of redeeming love that transforms the heart. Thoughts from the mount of Blessings 114. As we receive God’s redeeming forgiveness there are called to forgive those who have wronged us. so to receive the forgiveness from God should cause in us to develop the same forgiving spirit. Jesus is calling us to have the attitude of the king. Jesus is calling us to rely on His strength for us to forgive those who have caused great hurt in our lives.

As we are celebrating Christ we realise that He is in no way calling us to hate our enemy. Instead He calls us to forgive them with a forgiveness that can only come from Him. Jesus does not expect us to do anything that He is not prepared to do Himself or has already done. The statement of Jesus, “you have heard it said, Hate your enemy” was pointing directly at the Jewish nation because of their attitude to the no Jews and especially to the Samaritans. Jesus was trying to get the Jews to see that they should not hate them because they the Jews were just as sinful in the eyes of Heaven and could therefore along with the whole world be cast aside. But Jesus was saying that this is not the nature of God. He does not hate those who reject Him. Instead, He goes in search of all of those who are lost.

The story in of the lost coin the coin had no idea of it state of lostness but the lady did all she could to find it because of its great value to her. He placed Himself in great danger to find us just as the shepherd put himself in great danger to find the lost sheep who unknowingly got lost The lost son willing chose to leave the father but the father was always waiting in anticipation for his return. When the son came back a new garment was given to the son covering his same. Jesus says to us that He is doing

The statement of Jesus, “you have heard Hate your enemy” was pointing directly at the Jewish nation because of their attitude to the no Jews and especially to the Samaritans. Jesus was trying to get the Jews to see that they should not hate them because they the Jews were just as sinful in the eyes of Heaven and could therefore along with the whole world be cast aside. But Jesus was saying that this is not the nature of God. He does not hate those who reject Him. Instead, He goes in search of all of those who are lost. The story in of the lost coin the coin had no idea of it state of lostness but the lady did all she could to find it because of its great value to her. He placed Himself in great danger to find us just as the shepherd put himself in great danger to find the lost sheep who unknowingly got lost The lost son willing chose to leave the father but the father was always waiting in anticipation for his return. When the son came back a new garment was given to the son covering his same.

for us. He has come in search of us. He does not hate us. He is doing everything He can to gain us as a brother. In our state of unknown lostness and at times of willing turning from Jesus, He is seeking to bring us to repentance through His forgiveness. The cross of Jesus demonstrates the extent of His willingness to search for us.

Jesus says to us that He is doing for us. He has come in search of us. He does not hate us. He is doing everything He can to gain us as a brother.

Amen

amen