Is that really what the Mosaic Law taught? Love Your Enemies: Old Testament Teaching Too? For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 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. By providing my email I agree to allow Pray.com to use my email for marketing purposes, and I agree to the. by Luke Wayne | Oct 3, 2017 | Questions, Other. And of course, Jesus also condemns wickedness and is appointed by the Father to judge the world at the end of the age. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com. And Elisha wasnt playing by the rules. 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.. Now that weve gone over what it means to love your enemies lets look at some examples.. Blog, A Matthew 5:43-48 NIV. Is that something that started with the New Covenant? Jesus is demonstrating what God really commands over against the teachings and practices of his day. Matthew 5:43-48 ESV / 392 helpful votesHelpfulNot Helpful. 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. 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. 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. Tradwives are heterosexual women who prefer the traditional roles where men work outside the home, and they work by Matt Slick | Mar 8, 2023 | Bible Verses, Questions. Thats how you can tell who your neighbor is, the person who loves you. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Its authenticity is not seriously questioned and yet it is a revolutionary command. And I said, O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments. When you acknowledge that there are differences between you, you can open the door to commonalities., Talk about small things, like hobbies, or films you enjoy even food you like to eat., If you come across a topic that you disagree on, try your best to listen without judgment. Several years ago I wrote a book called Hit by Friendly Fire: What to do when other believers hurt you. However, we need to stop hating one another because hating one another is the easy way out. His most recent book is a second edition release: Hit by Friendly Fire: What to do when Another Believer Hurts You(Resource Publications, 2022). 5:44, "pray for those who persecute you," is a synonymous parallel to "love your enemies." Thus, those persecuting you are included in your enemies. E H Is Ephraim my dear son? For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. For more insight, daily prayers, Bible stories, and more, download the pray.com app on the iOS App Store and Google Play. Hes referring to this commandment, Love your neighbor. Great question. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. Join today!. Proud member First, seek to understand their side and try hard to understand where they're coming from. The Wisdom books warn hearers not to rejoice when enemies face disaster (e.g., Prov 24:17; Job 31:29; cf. Thank you for your interest in supporting CARM. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. And one could support it from the Old Testament ( Lev. It may have been assumed by some Hebrews that to love the neighbor (a fellow member of one's community . TopicalBible Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. So, when Jesus challenges what the people have heard, love your neighbor and hate your enemy, He is not twisting the Old Testament to attack it. The Lord said there, You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor. You shall follow my rules and keep my statutes and walk in them. [1] As with other Jewish teachers of his day, Jesus drew fresh teachings from the deep well of Scripture. But if we keep reading what Jesus said here in the context of the fact that hes correcting pharisaical teaching seems pretty safe to conclude that the scribes and Pharisees had determined your neighbor is the person who loves you. But showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. The Book of Mormon tells a story of Jesus descending from heaven in ancient America and preaching the Sermon on the Mount again to the people there. The command to love your neighbors comes from Leviticus, and reads: You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord, (Leviticus 19:18). The Old Testament nowhere requires Israel to hate its enemies. 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. But the Old Testament will be searched in vain for any precept which required the Israelites to entertain any hatred toward their enemies. The passage in Luke 6 refers to Jesus Sermon on the Plains. The Lord Jesus had descended the mount after a night of prayer. . The proposed idea is that Jesus turns the vengeance-consumed Old Testament on its head. Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Proverbsand we have to remember that these were . Yet as Jesus implied, it's similar to the first. Publication date: Apr 27, 2023. Or is it exclusively a New Testament innovation? But Jesus doesnt stop there. I think its a valid question. You can love your enemies too. The very core of the heart of God is summed up in three words: "love your enemies" ( Romans 5:10 ). 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." 1 app for daily prayer and faith-based media content. N Given the Qumran use of Nahum 1:2 in applying Lev 19, we can see why Jesus grounds his instruction of love toward enemies in the character and example of God (v. 45). It simply means you cant let bitterness and hatred grow in your heart. O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. So they reward me evil for good, and hatred for my love. 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. Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. Peacock's 'Mrs. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. 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. This site and all its content 2023 WTC (Reg. Whether its a loss of a job, a loved one, self-esteem, or their own health, there are plenty of reasons people do what they do., The next step is to accept where they are in their life. You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice, nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit. Youll see that today is no different and that helps then put the other two within context. Is the god of this world Satan or Jesus in 2 Cor. This is consistent with other statements in the law like: If you meet your enemys ox or his donkey wandering away, you shall surely return it to him. God loves your enemies. 27 "But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. To the choirmaster. One way to go about this would be to address them directly. This is the first and greatest commandment. In both passages, Jesus provides the theological necessity for loving our . First, just as a beginning, it should be noted that the Israelites were not always commanded to annihilate all their enemies, only certain ones. Love Your Enemies Matthew 5:43-48 Delivered 11/24/2002. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven,, love your neighbor and hate your enemy,, If you have any issues, please call the office at 385-246-1048 or email us at. Oops! In Matthew 5:43-48, Jesus says, You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. The Old Testament. The assumption is that Jesus contrasts the ethics of the Old Testament with His ethics. 6506007), WTC is a Registered Charity (No. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice., He said, Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you., Then he said, Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your . But the casual, easy interpretation by the Pharisees and the Sadducees led the people of Israel to see all the Gentile nations as prominent and perennial enemies. Were out of time. He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and . Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. The most prominent verses cited as evidence are Jesus you have heard it said but I tell you statements, especially His statements about enemies. Why will you still be struck down? CARM |P.O. Meditate on the truth that is proclaimed throughout all of the Bible and personified in the person of our Lord: But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom. Pray that God will help you to love them and forgive them as you remember how God loved and forgave you. The reasons will be suggested below. Elisha the prophet and Jesus both taught the importance of loving your enemies. Let no flocks or herds graze opposite that mountain. So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first. Something went wrong while submitting the form. "But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.". Hes not correcting the Law of Moses. 2:23, Job 25:3; Ps. Then hed notify the Israelite king Jehoram so he could pull a no-show. It exemplifies the deep love that God has for us. 1 John 4:16; Mal. And David said, Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathans sake (2 Samuel 9:1)? And Jesus knew this when he gave his sermon on the mount in the book of Matthew., On a mountainside, Jesus gave a long sermon on a number of topics ranging from adultery to murder. Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. Other enemies are probably apathetic. Jesus was consistent with and upheld all that had been revealed before His earthly coming. B 3 Lessons on Real Ways to Love Your Enemies. And because you listen to these rules and keep and do them, the Lord your God will keep with you the covenant and the steadfast love that he swore to your fathers. 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. Q I It does not envy, it does not boast, it isn't proud. 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. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Jesus emphasizes the reality of reward in loving others. Oops! 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, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 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 . When we show respect to our enemies, we allow ourselves to become more like the Holy Spirit. Yet, there are those who cry foul here, saying that Jesus statement is predicated on a misquotation of the Old Testament and a false assumption that the Old Testament taught people to hate their enemies. Israel and Syria were locked in conflict (imagine!). In exasperation, the king of Syria laid siege to the city of Dothan, where Elisha lived, hoping to root out the source of his military frustrations. Has anyone in your life constantly annoyed you or upset you in some way? For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and . Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Not just for our own sake, but for the sake of our communities, countries, and all of our fellow human beings on Gods green earth. ", As stated previously, forgiveness doesnt mean you have to invite the person to dine at your table. But God is always there. Enter code SPRINGSTUDY15 and have answers to your Bible questions at your fingertips. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Your submission has been received! Loving your enemies, is that a New or an Old Testament concept? Used by permission. Luke 6:38. 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. There was nothing wrong with the Old Testament teaching of recognizing the enemies of God. 6:35). He is defending the actual teaching of the Old Testament against this popular misrepresentation of its intent! Thats a good question. Do not even the Gentiles do the same?, Luke 6:27-29But I say to you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,[28] bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. Everybody knows Jesus said that in the Sermon on the Mount. 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. As Martyn Lloyd-Jones taught, we should not be surprised when unbelievers are converted to Christ. Verse Concepts. And God said, Let there be light, and there was light. No end was in sight. That they may not teach you to do according to all their abominable practices that they have done for their gods, and so you sin against the Lord your God. 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. It is the belief that you should love your enemies. U But did Israel really live this out this ethos? And I will betroth you to me forever. You don't have any idea who it is and "you shall bring it then to your house and it shall be with thee until thy brother seek after it and thou shall restore it to him again.". 13:9; Gal. In both passages, Jesus provides the theological necessity for loving our enemies, as well as the blessed consequence of obedience. When you love your enemies, you eliminate hatred from your heart and you show that Jesus is the Lord of your life. So why does Jesus say that it says to hate your enemies? For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whos my neighbor? Psalm 136:1-26 ESV / 2 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful. He is the recipient of the Legion of Merit. That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. Contact me: openbibleinfo (at) gmail.com. 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. What does it mean to pray for your enemies? Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Dont misquote me on that. As David Holwerda wrote of Luke 6:17-26: Thus both the beatitudes and the woes [of the Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plains] are intended to shape the lives of disciples who live in this world as citizens of Gods kingdom., In both Matthew 5:44 and Luke 6:27, Jesus calls for believers to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. 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. And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. It is, after all, what comes naturally to us. Because of the love of God in Christ and the transforming power of the gospel, many who curse God today will be preaching His Word tomorrow. Publisher: OpenBible.info. Its not in all caps because its not a quote. He is also founder and president of Heavens Family, a Christian nonprofit that is advancing Jesus kingdom in more than 40 nations around the world. Whos my neighbor? Amen. There are different examples in the bible of people showing love even to their enemies. Matthew 5:43-48 ESV / 168 helpful votesHelpfulNot Helpful. He is addressing faulty interpretations of the Law. You come down from the cross, out of the tomb, and are, like the Lord, renewed to eternal life. Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. Enemies in the Old Testament. Jesus teachings were in deep continuity with the Old Testament. 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. This humbling situation is magnified by the appointed Jewish governors and other public officials who are seen as turncoats. 12:19; Heb. A simple way to look at it is everybodys got something. Matthew 7:12. Learn about religious freedom in the workplace, and read Bible verses about work. Remember he's God. But Jesus, as he so often does, turns . You shall not walk in their statutes. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. And prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die., Because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, declares the Lord. The second part, "hate your enemy," doesn't appear anywhere in the Old Testament. Leviticus 19:9-18 ESV. To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. 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). Yes, and remarkably, toward Syria. So, let's talk about what it means to love one's enemies, as well as some examples of how to do so. Of course I have already talked in previous little lessons about how confusing that must have been if it were true to his disciples because often times people who hold to that premise will say, Well, this is the New Covenant law, but yet Jesus was ministering under the Old Covenant. Of course hes quoting from the Old Covenant law, the Law of Moses and hes making counterpoints but hes not correcting himself. The word perfect, in the original Greek, means complete. God bless you. It has become increasingly commonplace in popular theological works to draw a sharp contrast between Jesus teachings in the Sermon on the Mount and, well the whole Old Testament. It may come as a surprise that some specific teachings on showing love toward enemies appear only in the Old Testament. He forgives you as you come to Him. A crowd awaited. Careers Workplace and Religion Columnists, Recreation Outdoors and Religion Columnists, Religious Music and Entertainment Columnists, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Solomons Temple and its Archaeological Analogies. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. Now more than ever, we need to implement these teachings into our lives. Can we find this teaching of Jesus in the Old Testament? I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. 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. Luke 6:35-36 states, But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. We can learn how to apply Jesus command in our own lives by following the fullness of the teaching. 22:36-37, 39 ). Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. The practical implication of this teaching is clear: There is great reward in loving our enemies and forgiving them for their sins against us. [2] John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus, was identified as a new Elijah, who was the forerunner of Elisha. Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. As the late Dr. John Stott wrote, In each antithesis (You have heard that it was said but I say to you ) he rejected the easy-going tradition of the scribes, reaffirmed the authority of Old Testament Scripture, and drew out the full and exacting implications of Gods moral law.2So, we can say that the presenting issues we observe in the text have to do with a misunderstanding of loving ones enemies. It's stressful when someone you love is undergoing surgery. To continue hating, resenting, or holding a grudge against another person is to remain on the cross. Early Christians sought to take the . The Wisdom books warn hearers not to rejoice when enemies face disaster (e.g., Prov 24:17; Job 31:29; cf. 30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if . New King James Version (NKJV). We greatly appreciate your consideration! You dont have to love them like you love your parents or children or best friend. Indeed, Jesus later cites this very passage love your neighbor as yourself, (Leviticus 19:18) as the second greatest commandment of the whole law.2Matthew 22:39 So, Jesus is not critiquing the words of Scripture, but rather the way those Scriptures were being taught and interpreted by the teachers and practices of His day. Box 1353 |Nampa, ID 83653 USA1-800-803-8093, 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,, For example, Matthew 12:3, Matthew 12:5, Matthew 19:4, Matthew 21:16, Matthew 21:42 Matthew 22:31, For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven,, Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. Moreover, those who persecute us today may, in Gods grace, become those who protect us tomorrow. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. God never commanded anyone to hate their enemies. Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. The question were asking today is about a very familiar commandment, love your enemies. Old Testament The English word "love" has many different meanings. Thus, even as I promise to do as you say, I'm also asking you to give me the strength to do the impossible. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway.
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