OTKC 11: Love Your Enemy

You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.  Matthew 5:43-45 (ESVUK)

People relate to the word love as a matter of feelings that work themselves out in deeds that reflect something warm and cosy. God recognises from the beginning, however, that love is about the will conformed to act in line with that which is right. That often requires acting by the will to do right, even if the emotions are not strongly in line. The act reflects a will that is transformed to pursue that which is pleasing to God.

This is why the top two commands from God are to love Him and to love the neighbour. These are commands to love, indicating that this is not something we would easily and naturally offer, but these are essential for humans to operate in the manner in which they were created. Humans were created to love, but that love has been misdirected. That command to love neighbour and love God is tough enough, and then Jesus appears to add another level to that when He commands those who live in His Kingdom to love their enemies. It is a radical command, but it’s not unprecedented. It’s a challenging command, but it’s not ordered without an example and essentially the key support to make it happen.

Enemy Love – God’s Precedents

The Old Testament does not command hatred of one’s enemies. In fact, it lays a foundation for loving those who oppose us. Consider Exodus 23:4-5: “If you come across your enemy’s ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to return it… Help him with it.” Even an enemy’s property was to be protected and restored. Proverbs 25:21-22 echoes this: “If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.” Paul later quotes this in Romans 12:20, reinforcing that kindness to enemies is a consistent biblical ethic.

The wisdom literature goes further, warning against rejoicing at an enemy’s downfall: “Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice” (Proverbs 24:17). Job, too, claimed righteousness by saying, “I have not rejoiced at my enemy’s misfortune” (Job 31:29).

The story of Elisha and the Syrian army (2 Kings 6) is a living example: when Israel’s enemies were delivered into their hands, Elisha instructed the king to feed them and send them home, not destroy them. This act of mercy broke the cycle of violence and reflected God’s heart for reconciliation over revenge.

Enemy Love – Jesus’ Challenge

Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:43-47 give a radical clarification of God’s intent. He confronts a common distortion: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”. Nowhere does the Old Testament command hatred of enemies; rather, Jesus exposes how legalistic religion had twisted God’s law.

Jesus’ command is not mere sentimentality. The Greek word for love here, agapao, refers to a determined act of the will—a choice to seek the highest good for another, regardless of their attitude toward us. He calls His followers to love actively: to bless, do good, and pray for those who oppose us (Luke 6:27-28). This is not natural love, but supernatural love—love that imitates the Father, who “causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous”. Loving only those who love us is ordinary; loving enemies is the mark of God’s children.

Enemy Love – Jesus’ Example

Jesus not only taught enemy love; He embodied it. Throughout His ministry, Jesus served and showed compassion to those who would later reject or betray Him. He healed the ear of the man sent to arrest Him (Luke 22:51), dined with tax collectors and sinners, and extended grace to those society despised. His ultimate act of enemy love was at the cross. As He was crucified by Roman soldiers and mocked by religious leaders, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). He did not retaliate or curse His executioners, but interceded for their forgiveness.

The apostle Paul captures the gospel’s essence: “While we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son” (Romans 5:10). God’s love is not reserved for the deserving; it reaches out to the hostile and estranged. Jesus’ death turns enemies into friends, inviting all to be reconciled to God. To love our enemies, then, is to participate in the very mission of Christ—to break the cycle of hatred and extend God’s reconciling love to the world.

Practical Steps for Loving the Enemy

• Pray for Your Enemies: Begin by interceding for those who hurt you. Ask God to bless them, change their hearts, and reveal His love to them (Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:28). Prayer shifts our perspective and softens our hearts.
• Do Good to Them: Seek opportunities to serve your enemies in tangible ways. If they are in need, meet that need (Romans 12:20; Proverbs 25:21). Acts of kindness can melt hostility and open doors for reconciliation.
• Speak Well of Them: Refuse to join in gossip or slander. Instead, bless those who curse you (Luke 6:28; 1 Peter 3:9). Speaking words of blessing breaks the cycle of negativity.
• Forgive Freely: Release the right to revenge. Forgive as Christ forgave you (Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13). Forgiveness is not excusing wrongdoing, but entrusting justice to God and freeing yourself from bitterness.
• Seek Understanding: Listen to your enemy’s story. Try to understand their pain, perspective, and motivations (James 1:19). Empathy can transform adversaries into neighbours.
• Set Healthy Boundaries: Loving your enemy does not mean enabling abuse or injustice. Sometimes love requires confronting wrongdoing or maintaining distance for safety, but always with a heart that desires their ultimate good.
• Depend on the Holy Spirit: This kind of love is impossible in our own strength. Cry out for the Spirit’s help (Romans 8:26; Galatians 5:22-23). Only God can produce in us the fruit of love that goes beyond human limits.

To love our enemies is to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, to reflect the heart of the Father, and to participate in the reconciling work of the gospel. It is a call to radical discipleship—a life not ruled by retaliation, but by redemptive love. To live this out requires us to be like the Father, which leads to the next command …

For His Name’s Sake

C. L. J. Dryden

Shalom

Questions for Reflection

• Who in your life today would be considered an “enemy”? How can you begin to love them?
• What role does the Holy Spirit play in empowering you to love like Jesus?
• How does remembering God’s love for you as His former enemy help you to love others?