Matthew 5:44

Thursday, 19 December 2024

 

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, Matthew 5:44

 

“And I, I say to you, you love your enemies, bless those cursing you, you do good to those hating you, and you pray for the ‘insulting you’ and ‘pursuing you’” (CG).

 

In the previous verse, Jesus cited precepts from the law that said, “You shall love your neighbor, and you shall hate your enemy.” As in several previous instances, He will now give a higher perspective. He is not contradicting the law when He does so (but). Rather, He is giving a standard that matches how God deals in such matters (and).

 

In other words, “If you want to be like your heavenly Father, I say to you this is how you are to be.” The law is God’s set standard for man. It is what He has determined, but even Jesus says that there are accommodations in the law because of man’s inability to be perfect in all ways. For example, the accommodation for divorce is noted in Matthew 5:32. Understanding this, Jesus next says, “And I, I say to you, you love your enemies.”

 

The law said to wipe out Amalek and other nations found within the borders of Canaan. The people of Israel were to abhor them and their practices. This was a necessary tool of instruction concerning the aberrant ways of these enemies. If they were allowed to live, they would infect Israel with their idolatries and immoralities.

 

But the higher standard of God is to love one’s enemies. For those who find that hard to accept, they should just go look in the mirror –

 

“For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. 10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 11 And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” Romans 5:6-11

 

God loved us even when we were at enmity with Him. This is the higher standard Jesus says exists and which we should emulate. He also says to “bless those cursing you.”

 

The word is kataraomai, to curse. It is derived from katara, to execrate. It is the pronouncement of a curse or a prayer for evil upon someone. God will eventually bring evil upon those who refuse to turn to Him. However –

 

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

 

Mortal man has a set amount of time, after which, his chance to be reconciled to God ends. Until that time, even until his last breath, God is willing to refrain from condemning him. The curse of condemnation only comes when the last breath is complete. Jesus next says, “you do good to those hating you.”

 

Most people know, or at least are familiar with, someone who has claimed he hated God but who is now a faithful follower of the Lord. God didn’t just snuff him out. Rather, He continued to give him life, breath, and good things. Along with this, Jesus says, “and you pray for the ‘insulting you’ and ‘pursuing you.’”

 

Likewise, the same type of people may have not only claimed to hate Him, but they may have openly insulted His name, mocked His being, and so forth. And more, such a person may have pursued and persecuted His faithful followers. The Bible elsewhere shows that to persecute those in the church is to persecute Jesus –

 

“Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.
3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’
5 And he said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’
Then the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’” Acts 9:1-5

 

Jesus says that Paul was persecuting Him, even though it was His people who Paul raged against. And God didn’t just snuff out Paul. Rather, He called him and saved him. This is the higher standard that Jesus speaks of.

 

Of this verse, there are differences in some texts that may be reflected in your Bible, depending on which you read –

 

*But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. (NASB)
*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. (NKJV)

 

Life application: How often do we get so angry at a person, let’s say a politician who has the morals of a sewer rat, and we say something like, “O God, I pray that person comes to an evil end.”

 

Some of the Psalms carry this attitude. They are known as Psalms of imprecation. A curse is called down on the enemies of God. In such a prayer, it is better that we include the Lord’s will in our words. “O God, this person is contrary to everything Your word stands for. If it is your will to save this person, may it be so. If not, I pray that You then give him what he deserves.”

 

We don’t know what will happen in that person’s life. If he turns to the Lord, he could become a great and effective mouthpiece for what is good and right. As with all such things, including a petition for the Lord’s will to be done is the right thing. He will do what is perfect, just, and right.

 

Glorious God, we may despise the wicked around us, but we also need to remember that we were once Your enemies as well. Rather than destroying us, You call us to Yourself through Jesus. Thank You, O God, for Your tender mercies upon us. Help us to remember to pray for this for others as well. Amen.