Matthew 5:44

Matthew 5:44, the forty-fourth verse in the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament, also found in Luke 6:27–36, is part of the Sermon on the Mount. This is the second verse of the final antithesis, that on the commandment to Love thy neighbour as thyself. Jesus has just stated that some had taught that one should "hate your enemies" and in this verse he rejects this view.

Matthew 5:44
← 5:43 5:45 →
"Sermon on the Mount". Altarpiece by Henrik Olrik (1830–1890) at Sankt Matthæus Kirke, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Book	Gospel of Matthew
Christian Bible part	New Testament

Content

The Greek text of Matthew 5:42-45 with a decorated headpiece in Folio 51 recto of Lectionary 240 (12th century)

In the King James Version of the Bible the text reads:

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;[1]

The World English Bible translates the passage as:

But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,[2]

For a collection of other versions see Bible Hub Matthew 5:44.

Precursors

Ulrich Luz states that the ideas expressed in this verse are "considered the Christian distinction and innovation." "Love thy enemies" is what separates Christianity from all earlier religions.[3] Nolland disagrees with this, seeing a number of historical precedents. These include the Babylonian text the Counsels of Wisdom, which says "Do not return evil to the man who disputes with you; requite with kindness your evil-doer... smile on your adversary."[4] Nolland also cites the Egyptian Instruction of Amenemope, which says

Row that we may ferry the evil man away,
For we will not act according to his evil nature;
Lift him up, give him your hand,
And leave him [in] the hands of god;
Fill his gut with your own food
That he may be sated and ashamed.[5]

Similarly, the Book of Proverbs says:

If your enemies are hungry, give them bread to eat;
and if they are thirsty, give them water to drink.[6]

Nolland claims that we should see parallels in the works of Greek and Roman writers such as Cicero, Seneca, and the Cynics.[4] John Piper reports that the Greek stoics also discouraged their followers from retaliating, but Piper says were concerned primarily with maintaining their tranquility, rather than seeking the benefit of the enemy, as Jesus commands.[7]

Historical context

Enemies is a broad term for all manner of foes and adversaries. In this verse persecutors are specifically mentioned. At the time Matthew was writing the Christian community had recently faced considerable persecution under Nero. The entire Jewish community at both Jesus and Matthew's time was subject to persecution by the Romans[8][9] (see History of the Jews in the Roman Empire, Persecution of Christians in the New Testament, and Anti-Christian policies in the Roman Empire).

Interpretations

Love

The meaning of the word love is more restricted in Greek than in English. Barclay notes that Greek had four different words that are normally translated as love. The Greek words for love for a family member, stergein; sexual love, eros; and deep affection, philia; are not used in this verse. Rather the author of Matthew uses agapan, which Barclay translates as continued benevolence. This term occurs seven more times in Matthew, and 140 times in the NT.[10]

Reception

Christian tradition

The author of Matthew places this verse in the final antithesis, a summary of all that been stated in the Sermon. Early church thinkers also saw this as one of Jesus' most important teachings.

Activists and Social Theorists

The German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche argued in his treatise On the Genealogy of Morality (1887) that love of one's enemies is weakness and dishonesty (see Master–slave morality).[11][12][13][14][15][16] Gene Sharp believed that it is not necessary for activists to express love for their opponents or to convert these opponents to their perspective in order for activists to achieve their desired policy changes. Instead, Sharp followed James Farmer in emphasizing that through nonviolent tactics, those in power can be forced by public pressure to concede to popular demands.[17] Martin Luther King Said: "Loving Your Enemies." It’s so basic to me because it is a part of my basic philosophical and theological orientation—the whole idea of love, the whole philosophy of love. In the fifth chapter of the gospel as recorded by Saint Matthew, we read these very arresting words flowing from the lips of our Lord and Master: "Ye have heard that it has been said, ‘Thou shall 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 that despitefully use you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven."

Spiritual Thinkers

The Dalai Lama has expressed support for a certain understanding of love of enemies.[18]

See also

• Christian pacifism
• Tolstoyan movement

References

1. Matthew 5:44 KJV
2. Matthew 5:44 WEB
3. Luz, Ulrich. Matthew 1-7: A Commentary. trans. Wilhem C. Linss. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortess, 1989.
4. Nolland, John. The Gospel of Matthew: a commentary on the Greek text. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2005 pg. 267
5. "The Instruction of Amenemope". Chapter 4. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
6. Proverbs 25:21
7. Piper, J. (2012). Love Your Enemies: Jesus' Love Command in the Synoptic Gospels and the Early Christian Paraenesis. Crossway. p. 54. ISBN 978-1-4335-3478-2. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
8. Sim, D.C. (1998). The Gospel of Matthew and Christian Judaism: The History and Social Setting of the Matthean Community. Studies of the New Testament and Its World. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 236. ISBN 978-0-567-22085-1. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
9. Sim, D.C.; Allen, P. (2012). Ancient Jewish and Christian Texts as Crisis Management Literature: Thematic Studies from the Centre for Early Christian Studies. The Library of New Testament Studies. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 74. ISBN 978-0-567-55397-3. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
10. Barclay, William. The Gospel of Matthew: Volume 1 Chapters 1-10. Edinburgh: Saint Andrew Press, 1975.
11. Souryal, S.S. (2014). Ethics in Criminal Justice: In Search of the Truth. Taylor & Francis. p. 165. ISBN 978-1-317-52264-5. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
12. Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm; Tille, A.; Haussmann, W.A.; Gray, J. (1897) [1887]. A Genealogy of Morals. Macmillan. p. 50. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
13. Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm (1921) [1887]. The Genealogy of Morals . Translated by Samuel, Horace B. Section I.14.
14. Reno, R. R. (2008). "Confession as self-culture: Nietzsche and the demands of faith". In Abraham, W.J.; Gavrilyuk, P.L.; Koskela, D.M.; Vickers, J.E. (eds.). Immersed in the Life of God: The Healing Resources of the Christian Faith: Essays in Honor of William J. Abraham. Eerdmans Publishing Company. p. 148. ISBN 978-0-8028-6396-6. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
15. Reno, R. R. (January 2008). "Nietzsche's Deeper Truth". First Things. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
16. Brandes, Georg (2015). Friedrich Nietzsche (English Edition):. Translated by Chater, Arthur G. William Heinemann. ISBN 978-1-331-58841-2. Retrieved 16 April 2017.
17. Engler, Mark (Fall 2013). "The Machiavelli of Nonviolence: Gene Sharp and the Battle Against Corporate Rule". Dissent Magazine. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
18. Komito, David Ross. "Tibetan Buddhism and psychotherapy: A conversation with the Dalai Lama." The Journal of Transpersonal Psychology 15.1 (1983): 9.