43. You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44. But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45. So that you might be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous
Matthew likely wrote his Gospel in the 60s AD with the intention of providing evidence to the people of Israel about the Messiah they had been waiting for all their lives (according to the Bible Handbook by Robert Boyd). The book of Matthew is often referred to as the book of Christ the King, but Jesus was not only a King of the Jews; He is the King for everyone, including Jews and Gentiles.
Matthew was a tax collector under the Romans, which was a position of low status among Jews. Tax collectors were often seen as traitors or betrayers. Some historians believe that Rome aimed to create a free country with different ethnicities living together, but with so many nations living in Rome, the Jews were difficult to live with because they resisted paying taxes to the Gentiles and often rebelled against the government. Many zealots started a revolution against the Roman government and were killed as a result. Matthew knew that the Jewish community saw him as an outsider because of his work with the foreigners. The Israelites were meant to be the light of the world and a blessing to all, but they failed in this regard. Matthew showed that Jesus is the true Israel and that everyone who believes in Him shall be saved. Through Jesus, everyone can be blessed by God. Jesus condemned some of the Jewish traditions and their interpretations of Moses’ law. In these verses, He confronted their teachings and challenged them to unlearn them. He did not offer them a choice, but rather issued a decree as their King.
In verse 43, Jesus addresses the issue of the Jewish traditions and teachings by saying “You have heard,” indicating that these teachings were commonplace in Jewish culture. The phrase “You shall love your neighbor” comes from Leviticus 19:18. In this context, the “neighbor” referred to a fellow Israelite, but there is no mention of hating enemies or other nations. However, non-Israelites were to be welcomed, as we can see in Leviticus 19:34. (This information is from the TNTC Matthew by R.T. France, page 163.)
“Hate your enemy” is not a direct quotation from the Old Testament, but it was a teaching that was commonly held among Jews during that time period.
Chip Bell, in an article on bible.org, quotes a teaching that was prevalent among Jews during that time: “If a Jew sees that a Gentile has fallen into the sea, let him by no means lift him out. Of course, it is written, ‘Do not rise up against your neighbor’s life.’, but this man is not your neighbor.
Both love and hate are adverbial, meaning that they are actions rather than just feelings.
In verse 44, Jesus emphasizes the phrase “I say to you,” which is reminiscent of the Old Testament when God would say “Thus says the Lord” or “God says to you.” Matthew is showing that Jesus is the King proclaiming His kingdom values. Jesus is giving this command as both God and King. The words “Agapate” (Love) and “Proseuchesthe” (Pray) are in the imperative mood, which means that Jesus is commanding His followers to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them. This was not something they were accustomed to hearing, and it may seem bizarre to us as well to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. However, just as they were a minority, we too may be a minority in our country. It is not an option for us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, but rather a command from the King that requires our obedience.
In verse 45, the phrase “Hopos genesthe” (You may become) shows the purpose of what has been said: that you may become sons of your Father who is in heaven, because the son shares the father’s character. This points to the character of God, who is love and does not take pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:23). He causes the sun to rise on the good and evil and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous. It is God’s desire that everyone comes to Him and be saved. His Son, Jesus, died for everyone, not just for Jews but for Gentiles as well. He showed what the Father’s intention has been all along: He wants everyone to be saved. This is why when Jesus died and rose from the dead, He became the King not just for Jews but for everyone who believes in Him. We were enemies of God (Romans 5:10), but still, Christ died for us so that we could be part of His family. He loved us not just in words, but by dying for us.
As Matthew For Everyone by N.T. Wright notes on page 66, we should not fret, fume, or plot revenge. Instead, we should emulate our generous God. What can we do in light of these verses? We can love (αγαπατε), pray (προσευχεσθε), and become (γενησθε). We can love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, and become the sons of our Father who is in heaven. Find someone in your area or community whom you can bless today, even if they think differently than you or might be considered your enemy. Pray for those who hate you, dislike you, or persecute you so that you can become a son of your Father who is in heaven.