Before we dive into examples, lets go into the difference between loving your neighbor and loving your enemies. Enemies in the Old Testament. First of all, Jesus Himself said that His teachings were a development of existing ones in the Old Testament: This looks bad at first glance, but upon close examination, I think it is simply expressing the thought that those whom God judges, I also judge [in agreement with Gods prior decision]; they deserve their condemnation. Its expressing the notion of judgment or proper justice or righteous indignation at those who indeed are among the reprobate, on their way to hell. Remember hes God. Leviticus 19:9-18 ESV. The Arameans no longer came raiding into the land of Israel. (v. 23), [In my next post Ill look at the relationship between Jesus views on revenge and the Old Testament teachings on that topic (e.g., Matt 5:38).]. And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and . Salem Media Group. U The thesis of the book is simply is this: as Jesus forgave those who crucified Him, the cross of Christ was transformed from an instrument of shame to a sign of salvation. Peacock's 'Mrs. Luke 6:27-36 NIV - Love for Enemies - "But to you who - Bible Gateway book of Leviticus taught the Jews to "love your neighbour as you love yourself". Witchcraft is a practice that involves the use of spells, incantations, special objects, symbols, and ceremonies to by Matt Slick | Mar 22, 2023 | Questions, Marriage, Sexuality. Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! what does love your enemies look like in the old testament? And God separated the light from the darkness. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. 6506007), WTC is a Registered Charity (No. Sunday Welfare and Thanksgivng Service | Sunday Welfare and Thanksgivng As Martyn Lloyd-Jones taught, we should not be surprised when unbelievers are converted to Christ. Proverbsand we have to remember that these were popular sayingseven states that those who rejoice over anothers misfortune will not go unpunished (17:15). Often our most profound need as humans is the love of God and to be appreciated by others. God doesnt change. Today's climate makes it easy to harbor feelings of resentment toward others or toward a specific group of people. Moreover, those who persecute us today may, in Gods grace, become those who protect us tomorrow. Examples of Loving your Enemies in the Bible: True Love The fault here, however, is not with Jesus or the Old Testament. However, we need to stop hating one another because hating one another is the easy way out. To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. All rights reserved. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord. It's not Jesus, it's the Jewish law of Moses, it's the Pentateuch of the Old Testament. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. You can love your enemies too. Each time the Syrian King tried to attack Israel, Elisha used his prophetic radar to anticipate his attacks. I did a proximity search in my online Bible of hate+ enemy / enemies and could find only one passage even suggesting hatred of enemies: St. Paul cites and further interprets this teaching: Furthermore, not only is this ethical teaching found in the Old Testament and Judaism, but also in virtually all of the major world religions: C. S. Lewis noted that these affinities with other religions, along with various pagan precursors to Christianity far from being a, Definition of "Radical Catholic Reactionary": Dialogue, "This is, obviously, a very detailed paper on parallels for Solomon's Temple. And Jesus knew this when he said, Forgive them, Father.. In practice, many people felt that they should love fellow Jews and it did not matter if . David was a type of this kind of searching love when he returned to Jerusalem. 23:6; Ps. When you offer a sacrifice of peace offerings to the Lord, you shall offer it so that you may be accepted. Thank you for your interest in supporting CARM. 10:30], Matt. In this passage, Jesus is seated before a crowd and teaching the Word of God that is being fulfilled in His own person. "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:44-45). For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. Love Your Enemies: Old Testament Teaching Too? It simply means moving on from the past. 35 Major Bible Verses About Loving Your Enemies (2022 Love) For more insight, daily prayers, Bible stories, and more, download the pray.com app on the iOS App Store and Google Play. David has served for more than 40 years in vocational ministry, pioneering and pastoring three churches during 20 of those years, and personally ministering in more than 50 of the worlds nations. The command says to love your neighbor, but it never says anything about hating your enemies. This remains a challenge for our generation, as well. The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Learn to think of them with compassion and not contempt. Love for Enemies in the Old Testament - TheoMisc Blog When Jesus says, "You've heard it said," then he says, "You shall love your neighbor, hate your enemy," he's smart enough to know that the second part of that is not in the Old Testament anywhere. Now, therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love, let not all the hardship seem little to you that has come upon us, upon our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria until this day. Actually, those persecuting you are those of your enemies most likely to be convicted by the Holy Spirit and turn to Christ. The result was that they no longer raised Israel: So where do we find love of enemy in the Old Testament? Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? This undesirable state creates a culture of suspicion, intrigue, concealment, treachery, and sabotage casting a shadow on unity, and turning a nation into a divided people. They wanted more teaching, more application for living, more understanding, and, thus, more hope. "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'. What Does it Mean to 'Love Your Enemies'? And that is not only how to love your enemies, but also why we must love them. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.. While no Bible verse explicitly says "hate your enemy," the Pharisees may have somewhat misapplied some of the Old Testament passages about hatred for God's enemies (Psalm 139:19-22; 140:9-11). Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. We must always remember Saint Paul; he was the persecutor of the believers the enemy of the Saints who became the great Apostle to the Gentiles. I am the Lord your God. To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. Some critics challenge, however, that this creates a problem with Jesus ' own teaching, which seems . Verse 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." So what Jesus is doing here in these six commandments is showing his disciples how some of the scribes and Pharisees applied the Old Testament teachings, and then, over against that, what he was calling them . You dont have to love them like you love your parents or children or best friend. [Deut. It is, after all, what comes naturally to us. Love Your Enemies (). Now more than ever, we need to implement these teachings into our lives. Pray for those who persecute you! Typically, theyd expect hatred in response to their hatred, and when you respond to an enemy with kindness, it throws them off their rhythm., The adage, hurt people, hurt people, is not far off. Yet the Lord set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day. Knowledge of the Old Testament should lead us to reject what we might call a docetic ethics, a belief that Jesus ethical teachings just dropped from heaven. [1] In addition to ethical Docetism, attempts to see Jesus as a lone and subversive revolutionary often lead to the anachronistic claim that he taught something completely unprecedented here. [46] For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Maybe theres someone who you resent or even feel hatred toward?, Almost everyone has those kinds of individuals around them at some point in their lives. Love for one's enemy even extended to his animal. It's fascinating that to love one's neighbor is the second commandment. Oba 1:12). We'd love to keep you up to date with what is happening at CARM. Loving your neighbor vs. loving your enemy. This looked like the makings of an execution. Like the man in Luke 10, religious people have compartmentalized who gets God's love through us. How easily a unified people become Balkanized (broken into competing groups, divided) when pride and self-interests supersede love and a common heritage in God. So why does Jesus say that it says to hate your enemies? Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who by understanding made . And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. Indeed, the fact that it forbids vengeance seems to indicate that you are to love your neighbor even if they are your enemy. What Does the Bible Say About Forgiving Your Enemies? - OpenBible.info We will seek to understand the presenting issues and context that brought about that statement from our Lord Jesus and discover the meaning for our lives. Thanks so much! . 43You have heard that it was said, (B)You shall love your neighbor (C)and hate your enemy. 44[a]But I say to you, (D)love your enemies, bless those who curse you, (E)do good to those who hate you, and pray (F)for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for (G)He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 5:8). This also means we dont necessarily have to stay in contact with people who have wronged us. Interestingly, Jesus considered this the second-highest commandment in the law. So, by carelessly altering Jesus words, the Book of Mormon actually creates a false situation where Jesus does accuse the Old Testament of containing the command to hate your enemy. [44] But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, [45 . Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany, Year C,, Hit by friendly fire: what to do when fellow believers hurt you, 3 Real Ways Christians Can Love Their Enemies. Because of the wickedness of their deeds I will drive them out of my house. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Matthew frequently records Jesus challenging the Pharisees with phrases like, Have you not read?1For example, Matthew 12:3, Matthew 12:5, Matthew 19:4, Matthew 21:16, Matthew 21:42 Matthew 22:31 Never, have you not heard? When speaking from the Prophet Daniel, Jesus bids let the reader understand, not let the hearer understand. This pattern is extremely consistent. Love Your Enemies: What It Means And Examples On How To Do So He knows the Bible pretty well. Learn what manipulative behavior looks like and strategies for how to deal with manipulative people. No, the Old Testament never teaches to hate our enemies any more than the New Testament does. Everybody knows Jesus said that in the Sermon on the Mount. When Jesus said to love your enemy, hes asking us to make it our goal to love as our Heavenly Father loves. It can have affectionate, benevolent, strong liking, romantic, or sexual implications. Unless otherwise indicated, all content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. You shall therefore keep my statutes and my rules; if a person does them, he shall live by them: I am the Lord. Part of it was what was said but not all of it. Why will you still be struck down? If we look upon those who oppose, hurt, or persecute us as irredeemable, unchangeable Creatures of the Black Lagoon that are undeserving of our love and our forgiveness, then we must quickly run to the cross! Matthew 5:44, the forty-fourth verse in the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament, also found in Luke 6:27-36, is part of the Sermon on the Mount.This is the second verse of the final antithesis, that on the commandment to "Love thy neighbour as thyself".In the chapter, Jesus refutes the teaching of some that one should "hate [one's] enemies". There are different examples in the bible of people showing love even to their enemies. "1 Samuel 25-26: Love Your Enemies," Old Testament Seminary Student Study Guide . Its not in all caps because its not a quote. "Love Your Enemies." This is one of the few statements Jesus made that is readily accepted by believers and skeptics alike. Jesus gets His teaching on loving enemies from the Old Testament. Humans have feelings of hate, motivated by an idea that another person has harmed us in some way. Jesus says in verse 44, But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Now, some people say, We never heard that before. Hes raising the standard now. But if he says to you, I will not go out from you, because he loves you and your household, since he is well-off with you. God loves his enemies. But Jesus, as he so often does, turns . We read in Proverbs 25:21: If your enemies are hungry, give them bread to eat; and if they are thirsty, give them water to drink. We skipped over the third one, looked at the fourth one last time. Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? Is that something that started with the New Covenant? "Think of what this admonition alone [to love your enemies] would do in your neighborhood and mine, in the communities in which you and your children live, in the nations which make up our great global family. Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. The Old Testament commands to kill entire enemy peoples were specific and limited to particular events. First, just as a beginning, it should be noted that the Israelites were not always commanded to annihilate all their enemies, only certain ones. You may even be surprised at what you find out. Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect., Jesus said that when we love our enemies, we resemble our Heavenly Father, who is perfect and merciful.. No. B Here are some more goodies from the Old Testament: Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: Proverbs 24:17. Oh, okay. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. If possible, take a look at their history and try to understand how they ended up the way they did. [2] John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus, was identified as a new Elijah, who was the forerunner of Elisha. Such radical gospel transformation is, now, the operating hypothesis for the people of God. 24:12; Rom. . When you are facing obstacles, Jesus is always in your corner. That nowhere in the Old Covenant and the Law of Moses that there was any provision for showing mercy and grace for undeserving people and turn the other cheek? The Gospel of Matthew doesnt present Jesus as speaking of the Scriptures themselves as something heard, but rather as something read. So in Matthew 5, when Jesus uses the formula of you have heard it saidbut I say, Jesus is not arguing with the passage itself. Jesus says: You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. In the Old Testament the enemy is our neighbor. 13:9; Gal. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death. To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. Several years ago I wrote a book called Hit by Friendly Fire: What to do when other believers hurt you. How long has God been loving his enemies? The very core of the heart of God is summed up in three words: "love your enemies" ( Romans 5:10 ). To love as Christ loved us is to receive and share the reward of such love: new life. It may come as a surprise that some specific teachings on showing love toward enemies appear only in the Old Testament. So they reward me evil for good, and hatred for my love. Matthew 5:43-48 ESV / 392 helpful votesHelpfulNot Helpful. To the choirmaster. Whos my neighbor? Jesus was consistent with and upheld all that had been revealed before His earthly coming. What are the real ways that believers can love their enemies?, "You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven." Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread. He will love you, bless you, and multiply you. He believed it was nearly as vital as loving God with your whole heart. That's what this guide is all about. Either you can hate what happened in the past and not change a thing, or you can accept it and move forward., Its one thing to feel love for someone, even if you consider that person to be an enemy. No, the Old Testament never teaches to hate our enemies any more than the New Testament does. Benjamin Breckenridge Warfield (1851-1921) of old Princeton reminded us that the greatest truth of John 3:16 is that God pursues those who rebelled against Him that He might bless them. Receive the Daily Devotional, Share prayers with others, and more on the Pray.com app. The Lord said to Moses, Cut for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 22:36-37, 39 ). Why is this message an important one? He will also bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your wine and your oil, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock, in the land that he swore to your fathers to give you. We hope that these will help you better understand the meaning and purpose of God's Word in your life today. He said to the woman, Did God actually say, You shall not eat of any tree in the garden? And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die. But the serpent said to the woman, You will not surely die. 29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. You cant find that anywhere in the Law of Moses? Proverbs 25:21-22 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the LORD will reward you. The fault is with the Book of Mormon and its author. Your lovers despise you; they seek your life. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, I am the Lord your God. When Jesus said we are to love our enemies, He was creating a new standard for relationships. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Matthew 5:44 - Wikipedia Notice that Jesus actual words, you have heard it said, are replaced with the formula behold it is written. Now, whenever Jesus used the words It is written, in Matthew, He is always referring to the words of Scripture. Like the first fruit on the fig tree in its first season, I saw your fathers. That makes it fundamental to our very existence., But, as we all know, there's a huge difference between loving your enemies and loving your friends. Remember he's God. Q Get Your Bible Minute in Your Inbox Every Morning, It is something that is easy to say and nearly impossible to do: love your enemies. Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? love your enemies, bless those who curse you. That's Proverbs 25:21-22. Everybody thinks about it very long because, well, obviously not everybody is not my neighbor that Im supposed to love because how can I be loving to kill somebody under the orders of God? Responding to evil with more evil does not solve the problem. We are also concerned with Luke 6:27: But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. The lessons for their life might not be the same as yours, and thats okay., There's something we have in common with everybody if we look closely enough. I realize this doctrine poses a significant . But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Luke 6:28. These, like Matthew, and Zacchaeus, were tax collectors. A simple way to look at it is everybodys got something. Throughout the Scriptures, we are commanded to treat even those who hate us with dignity and compassion as men and women created in the image of God. The other contextual factor that exists in Jesus statement in the sermon on the mount is pride, position, and power. If thine enemy be hungry, give . I will strike them down. (v. 21a). He knows the Bible pretty well. But along came the prophet Elisha (2 Kgs 6). It exemplifies the deep love that God has for us. You could also have similar jobs, common friends or family members, or similar personality traits., One surefire way to find common ground is by acknowledging your differences. Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations. One way to go about this would be to address them directly. For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. Were going to skip over the fifth one and look at the sixth one. "Love Your Enemies." Seriously? | Kyle Roberts - Unsystematic Theology Love Your Enemies | Theology of Work My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Israel and Syria were locked in conflict (imagine!). ' And in my Bible, those one, two, three, four, five words You shall love your neighbor are all capitalized indicating thats a quote from the Old Testament, from the law. But let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. R Youre proving that youre sons of your father when you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute. Youve heard it was said but it wasnt said. The Twisting and Truth About Jesus' Olivet Discourse Parables, Surprising Biblical Truths About Grace and Works, The Hyper-Grace Twisting of Paul's Teaching About Salvation. Today we come to Matthew chapter five in verse number 43. Just have loving feelings toward them and, if possible, express that through words, by doing something nice, or even with a smile. (Exod 23:4-5). He and his wife, Mae, reside in Western North Carolina. So what about those enemies in the Old Testament? More insights from your Bible study - Get Started with Logos Bible Software for Free! But one of his most notable teachings was his thoughts on loving your neighbor., Its easy to remember Matthew 5:44, But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you., First, in order to understand why Jesus said this, we have to go further back into the Bible, to the Old Testament., In ancient times, there was something known as the Lex Talionis, or the law of retaliation. It was basically An eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth type thinking.