Matthew 5:43-44
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Jesus highlights that the instruction to "hate your enemy" wasn't actually in the Old Testament law but was a distorted interpretation by the religious leaders of his day. This shows how easily human traditions can twist even the commands of God, narrowing love to only those who are likable or convenient.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is continuing his Sermon on the Mount, shifting from teachings about actions like giving and praying to addressing the underlying attitudes and motivations. He's contrasting the common understanding of Old Testament commands, as interpreted by religious leaders, with his own deeper, more radical interpretation of God's will. This verse sets up Jesus' direct correction of a popular, though flawed, interpretation that the Law commanded loving one's own people while hating outsiders and enemies.
You've probably heard 'love your neighbor.' But what did that phrase really mean to people thousands of years ago? And who qualified as a 'neighbor'?
Jesus quotes the familiar command, 'You shall love your neighbor.' The Old Testament concept of 'neighbor' (Hebrew: ra') initially referred to fellow Israelites, people within your community. Think of it like the folks you'd share a meal with or help out in a pinch.
But the scholars point out that even in Old Testament times, the idea was broader than just someone living next door. It was about recognizing a shared humanity, a common bond that extended beyond immediate proximity. However, Jesus' contemporaries had narrowed this down, often limiting 'neighbor' to those who agreed with them or acted friendly.
Jesus, by challenging this limited view, was preparing to expand the definition to include everyone, even those who seemed furthest away from Him.
Jesus pairs 'love your neighbor' with a phrase that wasn't in the original command: 'and hate your enemy.' Where did that come from, and why did Jesus bring it up?
Here's a crucial point: the command to 'hate your enemy' wasn't actually written in the Old Testament Law like 'love your neighbor' was. It was a popular interpretation, a conclusion many Jewish people had drawn.
Think of it like this: if the Law said to love those close to you, the common thinking was that it was okay, even expected, to dislike or hate those who were close – your enemies, or even those outside your national or religious group. This became a 'rabbinical addition' or a widely accepted 'deduction' of the time.
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Jesus quotes this popular, but flawed, understanding to set up His radical counter-command. He's not just correcting a minor point; He's exposing a dangerous distortion of God's heart that had crept into their religious practice.
Did Jesus come to create a whole new set of rules? Or was He doing something else entirely with these commands?
It's vital to understand that Jesus isn't inventing new laws here. He's actually restoring the original intent and purity of God's Law, which had been twisted by human interpretation.
Scholars highlight that Jesus is confronting the 'wicked glosses of the Scribes' – the human-made rules and interpretations that had corrupted God's clear commands. The command to love your neighbor was always meant to be expansive, embracing all people. The addition of 'hate your enemy' was a departure from that spirit.
Jesus' teaching here isn't about adding a burden; it's about unveiling the true, radical heart of God's love. He's calling people back to the deeper meaning of righteousness that reflects the character of their heavenly Father.
Understand the original words
agapaō · Greek Verb
To seek the well-being and highest good of another through a choice of the will. It is the primary characteristic of God's relationship with humanity and the greatest commandment for believers.
plēsion · Greek Noun
One who is near or a fellow human being. While traditionally limited to one's own people, Jesus expanded the definition to include anyone in need, even enemies.
miseō · Greek Verb
To regard with strong dislike or to love significantly less by comparison. In a biblical context, it can describe active hostility or the secondary status of one's affections compared to God.
echthros · Greek Noun
An adversary or opponent who is hostile. The term describes those who oppose God’s people as well as the spiritual state of humanity before reconciliation with God.
proseuchomai · Greek Verb
To communicate with God through petition, thanksgiving, and intercession. It is the vital link between the believer and the Father, acknowledging human dependence on divine grace.
diōkō · Greek Verb
To harass, oppress, or pursue with intent to harm, especially due to religious beliefs. The Bible often views persecution as a common experience for those living righteously in a fallen world.
Jesus confronts a common, yet flawed, interpretation of God's Law. While the command to love one's neighbor was ancient, the accompanying idea of hating one's enemy was a human addition that narrowed the scope of God's love. Jesus calls His followers to a much higher standard, reflecting God's own boundless goodness.
c. 1400 BC
Ten Commandments Given
The foundational laws of Israel, including the command to love one's neighbor, are given to Moses on Mount Sinai.
c. 400 BC
Leviticus Canonized
The Book of Leviticus, containing the commandment 'Love your neighbor as yourself,' becomes part of the established Law.
Late 1st century BC
Rabbinic Interpretations Flourish
Scholars and religious leaders known as Scribes and Pharisees develop extensive oral traditions and interpretations of the Law, including how to apply commandments to daily life.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Jesus Teaches the Sermon on the Mount
Jesus delivers his most famous sermon, directly addressing and correcting common interpretations of the Law, including the understanding of 'neighbor' and 'enemy.'
This is the original Old Testament command to 'love your neighbor,' which Jesus quotes and then corrects the common misinterpretation of.
Luke 10:29-37This parable directly answers the question 'Who is my neighbor?' by showing that love extends even to those considered enemies or outsiders, illustrating Jesus' teaching here.
Deuteronomy 25:17-19While not explicitly stating to hate enemies, this passage commands the complete destruction of the Amalekites, an enemy nation, which may have contributed to the Jewish interpretation of permissible hatred towards certain groups.
Romans 12:14This passage echoes Jesus' teaching by directly commanding believers to 'Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse,' reinforcing the idea of responding to hostility with goodwill.
1 John 4:7-8This passage connects love directly to God's nature, stating that 'anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love,' highlighting the divine imperative behind Jesus' command to love even enemies.
vincentMatthew 5:43: "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy."
Neighbor (τὸν πλησίον)Another word to which the Gospel has imparted a broader and deeper sense. Literally it means the one near (so the Eng., neighbor equals nigh-bor), indicating a mere outward nearness, proximity. Thus a neighbor might be an enemy. Socrates (Plato, "Republic," ii., 373) shows how two adjoining states might come to want each a piece of its neighbor's (τῶν πλησίον) l…
calvinMatthew 5:43-48: "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy."
- Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love they neighbor, and thou shalt hate thy enemy. 44. But I say to you, Love your enemies: bless those who curse you: do good to those that hate you: and pray for those who injure and persecute you: 45. That you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth ra…
Jesus highlights that the instruction to "hate your enemy" wasn't actually in the Old Testament law but was a distorted interpretation by the religious leaders of his day. This shows how easily human traditions can twist even the commands of God, narrowing love to only those who are likable or convenient.
Jesus is continuing his Sermon on the Mount, shifting from teachings about actions like giving and praying to addressing the underlying attitudes and motivations. He's contrasting the common understanding of Old Testament commands, as interpreted by religious leaders, with his own deeper, more radical interpretation of God's will. This verse sets up Jesus' direct correction of a popular, though flawed, interpretation that the Law commanded loving one's own people while hating outsiders and enemies.
Jesus is continuing his Sermon on the Mount, shifting from teachings about actions like giving and praying to addressing the underlying attitudes and motivations. He's contrasting the common understanding of Old Testament commands, as interpreted by religious leaders, with his own deeper, more radical interpretation of God's will. This verse sets up Jesus' direct correction of a popular, though flawed, interpretation that the Law commanded loving one's own people while hating outsiders and enemies.
"“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you," — Jesus highlights that the instruction to "hate your enemy" wasn't actually in the Old Testament law but was a distorted interpretation by the religious leaders of his day. This shows how easily human…
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Last reviewed October 2026
