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Explanation for:
Matthew
5
:
43
You have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thy enemy.
9
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"Anonymous Commentary (Opus Imperfectum)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":4,"exegesis-text":"It is evident that from anger arises murder, and from lust comes adultery; similarly, from enmity stems a lack of love for friends. If, for a period, you regard someone as an adversary, can you then genuinely view them as a friend, influenced by your nature? I believe Christ issued this command not merely for the benefit of our foes but primarily for our own good. It is not that they merit our affection, but rather that we are unworthy of harboring hatred towards anyone. Hatred embodies a spirit of darkness, tarnishing the clarity of wisdom wherever it resides. Thus, He instructs us to love our enemies, not only that we may extend our love to them, but to ensure that we distance ourselves from all wickedness. Therefore, I assert that even if you merely harbor disdain for your enemy, you inflict greater harm upon your own soul than upon their physical being. You may not cause them direct injury through your hatred, but certainly, you inflict damage upon yourself. Consequently, if you show mercy towards your enemy, you are, in truth, being more merciful to yourself than to them. And if you perform acts of kindness toward them, those deeds ultimately benefit you more than they do them."},{"author-name":"Gregory of Nyssa","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88c197597540c9caa3754_Gregory%20of%20Nyssa.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"One thing that is genuinely detestable is the originator of sin, the adversary of our existence. As the law states, ‘thou shalt hate thine enemy.’"},{"author-name":"Michail (Lusin)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c89550c567e172d15b3055_Michail%20(Lusin).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Love your neighbor (Leviticus 19:18). A neighbor refers to those who live nearby, as well as those with whom we share spiritual connections; in the context of Christian love, our neighbor encompasses all humanity—loving your neighbor is equivalent to loving every individual. The notion of hating one's enemy is not found in the divinely inspired Law of Moses or in the messages of the prophets. It is likely that the Jewish interpretation of this command emerged from the earlier directive to love one’s neighbor, viewing neighbors solely as friends (cf. Proverbs 17:17) and rightly concluding that if we are to love our neighbors, then we must regard enemies with disdain."},{"author-name":"Gladkow B.I.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88bf0ceef8c96e09a6521_Gladkow%20B.I..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Love your adversaries... You have heard it said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your adversary. But I tell you, love your foes, bless those who revile you, do good to those who despise you, and pray for those who mistreat and persecute you, so that you may be the children of your Father in heaven (Matt. 5:43-44). In the Old Testament, it is commanded, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’ (Lev. 19:18), instructing the Israelites not to seek revenge or harbor hatred against their fellow Israelites, but rather to love them as themselves. While many believed this obligation to love extended only to their own kin, regarding outsiders as enemies, this led to a misunderstanding of the command, fostering a belief among some that they should despise their adversaries. Tax collectors, who were often seen as the most sinful, exemplified this attitude of animosity. However, Jesus urged His followers to surpass the moral standards of both Jews and Gentiles, calling them to embody the virtues of their heavenly Father. Just as He, who embodies perfect love and is free from anger and hatred, cares for everyone—both the righteous and the wicked—by allowing His sun to shine on all and sending rain to benefit everyone, so too must His disciples reflect this love by loving all human beings, blessing those who curse them, doing good to those who hate them, and praying for those who mistreat them. Only by fulfilling these commands can they truly be recognized as children of their heavenly Father.\\n\\nAs a prime example of this command to love one’s enemies, Jesus prayed for those who crucified Him: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). To illustrate that God’s love is extended to all—both the righteous and the unrighteous—Christ stated, ‘I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance’ (Matthew 9:13). He came to redeem sinners and demonstrated such profound love for them that He sacrificed His very life on their behalf. By instructing His disciples to embrace such a noble and pure love, which renders them worthy to be called children of their heavenly Father, Jesus contrasted it with the self-serving love that characterizes the sinful and the Gentiles. He cautioned His followers, saying, ‘If you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?’\\n\\nThe Perspective of the Tolstoyans on Loving Enemies The notion of loving one’s enemies is deemed impossible by the Tolstoyans. They argue that this principle represents an unattainable ideal; while one can refrain from harming an adversary, true love for them is beyond reach, and they believe that Christ would not command the impossible (L. N. Tolstoy. What is my faith?). They assert that since personal enmity cannot be loved, the enemies Christ referred to were likely enemies belonging to opposing groups. Thus, while one may not love individual foes, it is conceivable to love the people of an enemy nation just as one loves their own.\\n\\nCounter-Argument to This Perspective If we isolate just Jesus' teaching about loving enemies from the broader context of the Sermon on the Mount, it might be feasible to align with the Tolstoyans’ view. Yet, when this exhortation is considered alongside Jesus' subsequent teachings on blessing those who curse, doing good to those who hate, and praying for those who offend, it becomes evident that His call to love encompasses not only national adversaries but also personal ones, primarily focusing on personal relationships. While we recognize the views of the Tolstoyans, it is vital to demonstrate that love for one’s personal enemy is indeed possible and that Christ does not mandate the unattainable. A person enveloped in constant anger, unable to forgive, who seeks revenge not just for wrongs but even for kindness, surely possesses neither the capacity nor inclination to love their adversary; they can know only hatred. When informed of Christ's command to love their enemies, such individuals may dismiss it, believing that Christ prescribes an ideal beyond human capability.\\n\\nYet, is it not true that Christ introduced His Sermon on the Mount with this very command? His call to love one's enemies was central to His teaching on what it means to attain genuine happiness and eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven. He started with more attainable commandments and, through their gradual exploration, led His listeners to recognize their potential and the essential nature of loving even one’s enemies. Initially, He emphasized virtues like humility, a contrite heart for sin, meekness, a pursuit of divine truth, mercy, purity of thought, reconciliation, endurance through suffering, and patience when confronted with persecution for truth's sake. \\n\\nThen, as if addressing those transformed by adherence to these calls, He required from them not just the avoidance of causing pain but also a release from anger, a prompt resolution to reconcile with their offended brethren, fidelity within marriage, authenticity without the need for oaths, the renunciation of revenge, and a readiness to assist anyone in need. \\n\\nIt follows that a person who embodies these virtues—reaching profound moral integrity and doing good even to those who hate them—will inevitably experience compassion for their adversary’s sins, a genuine desire for their repentance, and a longing to see them freed from condemnation; in essence, they will feel pity. Such compassion is emblematic of love; one who pities an enemy and wishes them well is undoubtedly demonstrating true love. Life experiences affirm that even those not yet achieving high moral ground, who simply express goodness, may completely and unselfishly spare their adversary from harm and thus exhibit love. Consequently, loving one’s enemy is indeed feasible, and for a moral individual who has embraced Christ's directives, it becomes a necessary outcome of the fullness of virtue cultivated in their life. \\n\\nAt the close of His essential teachings, Jesus proclaimed, ‘Be ye perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect.’ This should not be misinterpreted as a command to attain divine perfection—an attribute far beyond human reach and comprehension."},{"author-name":"Philaret (Amphiteatrov)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c896e9b7a2ebaf99e4620a_Philaret%20(Amphiteatrov).png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Here lies the pinnacle of virtues, the testament to genuine, selfless love for humanity, a trait unique to true followers of Christ. The Savior instructs us not merely to tolerate occasional wrongs but to nurture a steadfast love in our hearts for those who have tested our patience, even our adversaries. As a demonstration of this love, we are to bless those who curse us, show kindness to those who despise us, and fervently pray to the all-knowing God for those who offend and persecute us. Prior to His crucifixion, the Lord Jesus Christ inspired His disciples and all who heard His teachings to aspire to this profound quality of love, pointing to the boundless compassion of the Heavenly Father, who commands the sun to rise each day, illuminating both the righteous and the wicked, and sends rain in due season upon both the just and unjust, providing lessons of love to His children daily. Moreover, after the sufferings of Christ, His sacrificial wounds continue to resonate with a message of love for our enemies for all believers. What hardened heart can withstand the call to abandon hatred toward others, even foes, when it regularly contemplates the crucified Savior, who, in His anguish on the Cross, cried out to the Father for the salvation of those who were executing Him? Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34). Therefore, dear friends, this love for our enemies is not just an esteemed virtue but an essential aspect of being Christian; without it, our love resembles that of tax collectors and unbelievers, as stated by the Savior, because even they love those who love them back and do good to their own. In truth, any love for our neighbors devoid of love for our enemies is incomplete. Without this, we find ourselves loving only what we perceive as beneficial in our friends and benefactors, valuing them for the comfort they bring us. However, the Savior desires a love that is pure, free from self-interest and selfish motives—He seeks the kind of love exemplified by the Apostle Paul, who wished and prayed to the Lord that he might be cut off from Christ if only his persecutors, the Jews, could come to faith and be saved (Romans 9:3). This perfect love reflects the perfection of our Heavenly Father, who loved a world hostile to Him so deeply that He sacrificed His only begotten Son, offering eternal life to all who believe in Him (John 3:16). Amen."},{"author-name":"Ivanov A.V.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88db13197efab881aa332_Ivanov%20A.V..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy (Matt. 5:43). The latter part of this verse does not appear in the original text of Leviticus or anywhere in the entire Old Testament. The rabbis interpreted the term neighbor, or beloved, solely as referring to one of their own faith community, based on the commandment against harboring animosity towards fellow believers (Leviticus 19:17-37). Consequently, they concluded that animosity toward all non-Jews was acceptable. Christ, however, provided this instruction in a different understanding."},{"author-name":"Abbot Panteleimon about the Trinity","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"You have heard it said, you shall love your neighbor. The arrogant Jews viewed only their fellow countrymen and believers, the Jews, as their neighbors, regarding all Gentiles, particularly Romans, as outsiders. They took too literally those scriptural passages that express animosity toward those who oppose the Lord. Their directive was to avoid forming alliances and refraining from associating with neighboring idolaters, fearing they would be tainted by their moral corruption. However, they failed to grasp that God commands enmity towards sin itself rather than the sinner. Thus, interpreting the command to love one's neighbor in a strictly confined manner, they arrived at the erroneous conclusion: if the neighbor, meaning the Jew, is to be cherished, then every non-Jew must be despised as a foe of God, though such a phrase as \\"hate your enemy\\" is not found in Scripture."},{"author-name":"Kochomski S.W.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"In the Old Testament, the term \\"neighbour\\" referred to individuals connected through shared lineage or mutual goodwill. Those who extended mercy or compassion to another were certainly seen as neighbours, as illustrated in Luke 10:37. This understanding sheds light on who were considered adversaries; specifically, outsiders whom God commanded to be excluded, as well as those who exhibited hostility or ill-will through wrongdoing or violence, thus meriting retribution. While the phrase \\"Thou shalt hate thine enemy\\" does not appear in the Old Testament law, the underlying concept is reflected in the principle of retribution: an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth."},{"author-name":"Lopuchin A.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c891400ee1341634d2276d_Lopuchin%20A.P..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"That goodness should not remain in a state of suffering when faced with evil, but instead strive to triumph over it with its inherent power, is illustrated through a comparison of the Mosaic law and rabbinic righteousness against the backdrop of the New Testament commandments. “Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.” Humanity, in its compelled resistance to overwhelming evil, has obscured the concept of universal brotherhood, confining it to a narrow circle of “neighbours” and expressing love only towards them while viewing everyone else as adversaries, unworthy of inclusion in the broader community of kinship. This mentality extended even to the most enlightened pagan societies, such as the Greeks, who deemed themselves the sole bearers of human dignity, often dismissing others as inferior and unworthy of respect, regarding them as barbarians. In comparison, the Mosaic law stood out as superior, seeking to instill within the people the notion of universal brotherhood by granting certain rights to foreigners who joined the chosen people. It did not include the phrase, “Thou shalt hate thine enemy,” which is solely a rabbinic interpretation of the commandment to love one’s neighbor; the mere existence of such an interpretation highlights the prevailing mindset behind the international perspective of the chosen people."}]}
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