JESUS' TEACHING ON LOVE

Matthew 5:43-48 Ye have heard that it hath been said; Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them, which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? Do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father, which is in heaven, is perfect.

Having completed His teaching on the evils of personal retaliation that resulted from the misapplied law of an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth (Vs. 38), Jesus now turns to a New Testament law replacing the Jewish tradition that allowed vengeful acts with God's law of love. This, too, the Jewish spiritual leaders misapplied by limiting God's commandment of love to only members of their own people - the nation of Israel. This law is found in Leviticus 19:17-18, which says, Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him. Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the Lord. The fact that God commanded all Jews to love and not hate their kindred appears to have given their spiritual leaders license to infer that all people that were not descendents of Jacob were their enemies, which they were to hate and avenge any threats to their physical being. This sentiment they also could have arrived at by misinterpreting the meaning found in Deuteronomy 23:3-6, where the scripture says of the Ammonites and Moabites, Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days forever.

Although the scribes and Pharisees misapplied this law by restricting it to Jews only, the term neighbor has a much broader meaning that a blood relative. Physically, a neighbor is one living in close proximity to you. Spiritually, a neighbor is one near enough to us that we are able to know their needs, show them acts of kindness, demonstrate compassion, and, at all times, extend the hand of friendship. The latter definition was alien to the Jewish nation, and it was this misunderstanding that Jesus corrected with the words of admonition found in this portion of His "Sermon on the Mount." It would be good to state and review God's law of love as given by His Son, Jesus Christ. Tempting Him, a Pharisee asked Jesus this question, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets (Matt. 36-40). Every law that is given by God to govern mankind on earth has, as its root meaning, one of these two laws of love.

Although much can be said about the first commandment, to love the Lord thy God, the lesson text contains the teaching of Jesus regarding the second of these two commandments, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. The apostle Paul quotes this commandment as fulfilling the law of God. Adultery, murder, stealing, bearing false witness, and covetousness are all sins that will never be committed if one obeys God's law of love for thy neighbor (See Rom. 13:8-10). Paul also gave this admonition to the churches of Galatia when he wrote that it was by love (they were to) serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself (Gal. 5:13-14). James uses this same scripture referring to it as the royal law, saying that all would do well by fulfilling it (James 2:8).

The perfect law of love is boundless; it is not restricted by heritage; national borders do not limit it. Love is universal. Love is even to be expressed toward the enemies of Christians; to those that curse you, ...hate you, ...despitefully use you, and persecute you. Christians are to conquer the world by love. Do you want to be one of God's children? Then love for all mankind is essential. God doesn't restrict His sunshine and rain to those that love Him, and neither are we to restrict our love to our earthly and spiritual families - to those that love us. Examine your heart. If hate exists toward any one, our love for God is made void. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us (1 John 4:12). So be it!