Scripture

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say, ‘Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! “

Observation

Jesus continues to push home His points about addressing the state of the heart and not just obedience to the law.

So He says that the principle of eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth must give way to a new law in which we do not resist evil people. We should go further than the law demands.

Rather than loving your neighbour and hating your enemies, Jesus says we must love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. When we do this, we are like our Father who gives sunlight and rain to evil and good people are like. Even tax collectors are kind to their friends.

Application

There is no law in the Old Testament that says we may hate our enemies if we love our neighbours. Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan to teach that we have to love people who might not be our natural friends.

Jesus tells us to do the opposite of what the world teaches and our natural inclinations want. To be a true follower of Jesus means that we learn to love people who are nasty or violent towards us.

This is hard, and in our own abilities it is impossible. But as christians we are connected to the Father, the God who is love. He will give us grace to forgive and to love our enemies

Prayer

Lord Jesus, these words are hard to accept. Please give me grace to love those who hate me. Amen.