SOTM 19—Enemies

<p>For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ <a href="https://www.douglasjacoby.com/som-19-enemies/" target="_blank"><strong>website.</strong></a></p><p>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 and pray for those who persecute you,45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?47 And if you greet only your brothers what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?” (Matthew 5:41-47)</p><ul><li>We are called to <i>actively</i> love our enemies and do good to those who hate us.</li><li>Do these words of Jesus nullify the Law? No, because the Law never commanded Israel to hate its enemies—although it only <i>commanded</i> them to love their neighbors (<strong>Lev 19:18</strong>). Still, there are multiple examples of love shown to enemies in the OT.</li><li>We are challenged to go far beyond the minimum standard of social / familial decency (kindness to friends and family). We are to love even our enemies!</li></ul><p>The early church held to this teaching for three centuries:</p><ul><li><i>Justin Martyr:</i> “We used to hate and destroy one another. We would not live with men of a different race because of their peculiar customs. However, now, since the coming of Christ, we live intimately with them. We pray for our enemies and endeavor to persuade those who hate us unjustly to live conformably to the good teachings of Christ.We do this to the end that they may become partakers with us of the same joyful hope of a reward from God, the Ruler of all.” <i>First Apology</i> 14. Also: “We who formerly murdered one another now refrain from making war even upon our enemies.” ANF 1.176.</li><li><i>Clement of Alexandria</i>: “It is not in war, but in peace, that we are trained.” ANF 2.234.