Lesson 6: Love your enemy, too.
In the light of verse 19, Jesus continues to explain to his disciples that his teaching does not do away with the law, rather his teaching supersedes the law. In effect Jesus is raising the standard of what it means to be a “righteous” individual. Then He illustrates this point with specific examples related to the Law. In fact, he places anger, lust, divorce, oaths, and retaliation on the same moral plane as murder, adultery, and perjury. Over the next few weeks we will go over these particulars that Jesus has given us.
Note: While Jesus raises the standard of righteous conduct in this passage, he does not reveal the mechanism by which we arrive at this level of righteousness. On its face, Jesus is placing the Kingdom of Heaven out of reach for everyone. Later passages in the New Testament reveal that the Christian’s righteousness is given to him or her by Jesus Christ and acted out in the Christian as he or she walks in the Holy Spirit. This does not mean that Christians are immune to sin, because believers can and do still sin; however, the spirit of the believer longs to not sin, that is, be righteous. A repentant heart can always find restoration to righteousness in Jesus Christ.
The Superiority of Love.
The practical application of living in love.
"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." [Mat 5:43-48 NKJV ]
Establishing the first premise: Hatred is bad.
By definition, hate is an “intense hostility and aversion usually deriving from fear, anger, or sense of injury.” (Merriam-Webster).
Hate is a destructive force. Let’s go all of the way back to Genesis once again, 4:3-12.
- With whom was Cain really angry?
- On whom did he display his anger/hatred?
- What was the result of his unbridled hatred?
- How do you suppose Cain might have justified his outburst?
Defining "love".
The English language does not differenciate between different types of love as do some other languages. We say that we "love" God, our spouse, our children, friends, things, and activities. We use the same word for all of these. "Love" can even mean a score of zero in tennis! In contrast, the New Testament uses at least five different words that are translated into English as "love". These are:
- agape' - affectionate, benevolent, self-sacrificing, based in a concious decision (functions as a noun).
- agapao' - social or moral love (functions as a verb form of agape)* [used here in this passage].
- phileo - friendship, personal affection, based in an emotional connection.
- thelo - preferencial love.
- philoteknos - maternal love.
The Biblical definition of "love" [agape'].
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends...[1Co 13:4-8a ESV]The Purpose of Intentional Love - Imitate the Father
- God is love in his very essence. 1 John 4:8,16
- Love exceeds the Law because it carries it's own sense of obligation.
- First commandment, Love God. Mark 12:29-30
- Second commandment, Love Neighbor. Mark 12:31
- New Commandment, John 13:34
- Does "agape" love require that I have a personal affection for the one to whom I am to show love?
- Can I love someone I do not like?
- Why did Jesus choose to include a call to perfection in this passage? [see James 3:2]
- What is the mark of a true disciple? [see John 13:35]
