By James Riley Strange, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of New Testament, Samford University
Love Your Enemies
Luke 6:27–36
Read Luke 6:17–38 for context. Last week we read a passage in which Jesus emphasized loving our neighbors as ourselves. There He spoke of the destitute among us.
Jesus’ most famous lesson on this topic comes in the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37). Because of the bad blood between many Samaritans and Palestinian Jews of Jesus’ day that parable, spoken to an expert in the Torah, sharpens what Jesus says to His disciples.
This passage falls in what some call the “Sermon on the Plain” in Luke (see 6:17). Many teachings also appear in the “Sermon on the Mount” in Matthew 5–7.
Many teachings have to do with how life will be lived in the Kingdom. Even if not fully realized the Kingdom is here (see Luke 11:20). Therefore Jesus’ followers strive to live now as we will then.
Loving those who hate us should be seen in our attitude and actions. (27–28)
Jesus’ audience had many instructions about right treatment of enemies in their Scripture (Ex. 23:5, Job 31:29–30, Prov. 16:7, 20:22, 24:17, 25:21–22), but it’s another thing to hear a respected teacher bring teachings to life. Jesus began by addressing His disciples, but verse 27 and 7:1 show that the audience has grown.
Jesus will follow up with some concrete examples, but these general statements are striking on their own because our instinct is to return hate for hate, curse for curse, abuse for abuse. Even we who have both the Old and New Testaments (see also Rom. 12:14–21) in our Bibles are no better at loving our enemies.
Loving others may require action on our part. (29–31)
“Coat” or “cloak” refers to the outer garment; “tunic” or “shirt” to the inner one. Jesus says, more than not repaying hate for hate, extend grace to your enemy. The examples show how serious Jesus is.
The word “love” is the same word used for loving God in Luke 10:27, and the word “bless” is the same for blessing God in Luke 1:68 and 24:53. How is that possible?
Jesus knew some would be able to feel love toward their enemies. For the rest of us He provided examples so that we could start by doing rather than by feeling. We may feel no affection for our enemies. We may in fact hate them in return. Even so we can perform these acts and we can do more.
This is because Jesus did not provide an exclusive list as if we are obligated only to offer the other cheek, but are free to punch back if struck elsewhere.
Like other teachers of His day Jesus meant for His followers to extrapolate from these examples to their own situations. A “blow” may be an insult, a slight, a betrayal, a look of disgust or a no-confidence vote. Jesus’ instructions still pertain and He gives the interpretive key at verse 31.
Our love flows out of the love Christ has shown us. (32–36)
We are good at loving our own. We may say, “My sister wronged me, but I will forgive her because she is family.” According to Jesus, even those who do not anticipate the full realization of God’s kingdom — even those whose lives have not been transformed by our merciful God — do this.
We are to be as merciful as God — who is “kind to the ungrateful and the wicked” — is to us. Paul said it this way in Romans 5:6–10: “Christ died for the ungodly.” Why? Because God loved us “while we were His enemies.”
With God’s help we will become more like Him — loving all people. Thanks be to God.
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