Saturday 17^th November

Matthew 5:43-48

In one of Jesus’ most profound teachings we find a true golden nugget of Jesus’ perfection and standard that He has set to us, His followers. Here in Matthew 5:43 Jesus quotes an old law found in Leviticus 19:18, “Love your neighbour”. In the context of this passage, neighbour would have been all Israelites. Jesus adds on the common misinterpretation of this law by saying that you should also hate your enemy. However this statement is not found in the Bible, on the contrary the Bible says in Proverbs 25:21 ‘that if your enemy is hungry feed him, thirsty then give him a drink’. In this passage Jesus is not only clarifying the wrong interpretations of this law but turns it on its head by adding a radical teaching.

“But I say to you, love your enemies.” What a hard teaching when we look at this at face value. Jesus I can love my neighbour, my own people but to love someone who I don’t like…HOW?? But Jesus doesn’t just leave it there; He adds 2 others commands that the NLT version misses out. He says, “Bless those who curse you”, “pray for those who spitefully use you” and those who persecute you. This really does seem a contrast from just loving your neighbour.

 A probable question that some may have asked, (without adding to the text what is not there), could be have been “Lord, You don’t really expect this from us”. However in verse 45 Jesus says that He does expect this from us that we may truly live as children of God. He goes on to say that our Heavenly Father shows no partiality in His love for both evil and good or just and unjust. God gives sunlight and rain to all people. So just as He shows no partiality, so should we. Jesus summarises His point but asking 2 rhetorical questions. If you love only those who love you or greet only your own people, what difference are you to the tax collectors (sinners) and what does it profit you??

This lesson stands for us today. In verse 48 Jesus concludes in saying that we are to be perfect as our Father in Heaven is perfect. This is the golden nugget of this passage. On our own we are sinful people but with Christ’s perfect impartial love in us, we can show love to those who curse, persecute, and spitefully use us. On our own, our natural instinct is to be kind to those who are kind to us but with Christ’s love in us not only can we love those we otherwise couldn’t, but we can bless and pray for them. This is true love. This is becoming perfect like Christ, who on the cross practiced what He preached not only in deed but also in His final breath “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”. Although this is a hard lesson with the help of the Holy Spirit we must try to be perfect as He is.

Daily Prayer

Not by my strength but by Yours. Let Your love be the essence of my life.