Matthew 5:44
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
But I tell you
This phrase marks a significant transition in Jesus' teaching, contrasting His divine authority with the traditional interpretations of the Law. The Greek word for "tell" is "λέγω" (legō), which implies a declaration or proclamation. Jesus is not merely offering an opinion; He is asserting a truth with authority. In the historical context, rabbis would often cite other teachers to support their interpretations, but Jesus speaks on His own authority, underscoring His divine nature and the new covenant He is establishing.

love your enemies
The Greek word for "love" here is "ἀγαπάω" (agapaō), which refers to a selfless, sacrificial love that seeks the best for others, regardless of their actions towards us. This command was revolutionary in the historical context of first-century Judaism, where the prevailing thought was to love one's neighbor but hate one's enemy. Jesus challenges His followers to transcend natural inclinations and societal norms, embodying a love that reflects God's unconditional love for humanity.

and pray for those who persecute you
The act of praying for one's persecutors is a profound expression of love and forgiveness. The Greek word for "pray" is "προσεύχομαι" (proseuchomai), which denotes a deep, earnest communication with God. In the historical and scriptural context, persecution was a real and present danger for early Christians. By instructing His followers to pray for their persecutors, Jesus is teaching them to respond to hostility with grace and to entrust their struggles to God, who is just and merciful. This command not only transforms the believer's heart but also has the potential to transform the hearts of those who oppose them.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jesus Christ
The speaker of this verse, delivering the Sermon on the Mount, a foundational teaching moment in His ministry.

2. Enemies
Those who oppose or are hostile towards believers, representing a challenge to the natural human inclination to retaliate.

3. Persecutors
Individuals or groups who actively seek to harm or oppress believers, often because of their faith.

4. Disciples
The immediate audience of Jesus' teaching, representing all followers of Christ who are called to live out His commands.

5. Sermon on the Mount
The setting of this teaching, a collection of Jesus' teachings that outline the ethics of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Teaching Points
Radical Love
Jesus calls His followers to a radical form of love that transcends human instincts. This love is not based on emotions but is a deliberate choice to act in the best interest of others, including enemies.

Prayer as a Tool for Transformation
Praying for those who persecute us not only aligns our hearts with God's will but also opens the door for transformation in both the persecutor and the believer.

Reflecting God's Character
By loving our enemies, we reflect the character of God, who shows love and mercy to all, regardless of their actions towards Him.

Breaking the Cycle of Retaliation
Jesus' teaching breaks the cycle of retaliation and revenge, promoting peace and reconciliation instead.

Practical Steps
Implementing this command involves practical steps such as forgiving offenses, seeking reconciliation, and actively doing good to those who oppose us.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Jesus' command to love our enemies challenge our natural inclinations, and what steps can we take to align our actions with His teaching?

2. In what ways can praying for those who persecute us change our perspective and attitude towards them?

3. How does loving our enemies reflect the character of God, and why is this important for our witness as Christians?

4. What are some practical ways we can show love to those who oppose us in our daily lives?

5. How do the teachings in Romans 12:14-21 and 1 Peter 3:9 complement Jesus' command in Matthew 5:44, and how can these passages guide us in dealing with conflict?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Luke 6:27-28
This passage parallels Matthew 5:44, reinforcing the command to love enemies and pray for those who mistreat you.

Romans 12:14-21
Paul echoes Jesus' teaching by instructing believers to bless those who persecute them and to overcome evil with good.

1 Peter 3:9
Peter advises believers not to repay evil with evil but to bless others, aligning with Jesus' command to love and pray for enemies.

Proverbs 25:21-22
The Old Testament wisdom literature that speaks to the concept of treating enemies with kindness, which is consistent with Jesus' teaching.

Acts 7:60
Stephen's prayer for his persecutors as he is being stoned, exemplifying the application of Jesus' command.
The Authority of Jesus Over Human Nature and History Resembles the Lordship of the Sun Over the EarthNewman Smyth, D. D.Matthew 5:44
The Imperatives of JesusNewman Smyth, D. D.Matthew 5:44
Sermon on the Mount: 3. Exceeding RighteousnessMarcus Dods Matthew 5:17-48
Loving One's EnemyW.F. Adeney Matthew 5:43-48
PerfectionJ.A. Macdonald Matthew 5:43-48
The Perfect Fulfilling of Law: Christ's Sixth IllustrationP.C. Barker Matthew 5:43-48
People
Jesus
Places
Galilee, Jerusalem
Topics
Accusing, Bless, Command, Cruel, Curse, Cursing, Despitefully, Enemies, Falsely, Hate, Hating, Insult, Love, Mistreat, Persecute, Persecuting, Persecutors, Prayer
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Matthew 5:44

     2360   Christ, prayers of
     5492   restitution
     6672   grace, in relationships
     6718   reconciliation, believers
     8241   ethics, basis of
     8611   prayer, for others
     8737   evil, responses to
     8786   opposition, to sin and evil
     8797   persecution, attitudes

Matthew 5:3-48

     1660   Sermon on the Mount

Matthew 5:17-48

     2042   Christ, justice of

Matthew 5:38-45

     5495   revenge, and retaliation

Matthew 5:38-48

     6655   forgiveness, application

Matthew 5:43-44

     2048   Christ, love of
     5875   hatred
     5972   unkindness

Matthew 5:43-45

     5053   responsibility, for world

Matthew 5:43-47

     8765   grudge

Matthew 5:43-48

     5931   resistance

Matthew 5:44-45

     1085   God, love of
     1620   beatitudes, the
     5013   heart, divine
     5350   injustice, hated by God
     7115   children of God
     7622   disciples, characteristics
     8301   love, and enemies
     8730   enemies, of believers

Matthew 5:44-47

     5501   reward, human

Library
Agree with Thine Adversary
Eversley, 1861. Windsor Castle, 1867. St. Matthew v. 25, 26. "Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing." This parable our Lord seems to have spoken at least twice, as He did several others. For we find it also in the 12th
Charles Kingsley—All Saints' Day and Other Sermons

June 9. "Ye are the Light of the World" (Matt. v. 14).
"Ye are the light of the world" (Matt. v. 14). We are called the lights of the world, light-bearers, reflectors, candle-sticks, lamps. We are to be kindled ourselves, and then we will burn and give light to others. We are the only light the world has. The Lord might come down Himself and give light to the world, but He has chosen differently. He wants to send it through us, and if we don't give it the world will not have it. We should be giving light all the time to our neighbors. God does not put
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

The Eighth Beatitude
'Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.'--MATT. v. 10. We have seen the description of the true subjects of the kingdom growing into form and completeness before our eyes in the preceding verses, which tell us what they are in their own consciousness, what they are in their longings, what they become in inward nature by God's gift of purity, how they move among men as angels of God, meek, merciful, peace-bringing. Is anything more needed
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Salt Without Savour
'Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.'--MATT. v. 13. These words must have seemed ridiculously presumptuous when they were first spoken, and they have too often seemed mere mockery and irony in the ages since. A Galilean peasant, with a few of his rude countrymen who had gathered round him, stands up there on the mountain, and says to them, 'You,
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The First Beatitude
'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.'--MATT. v. 2. 'Ye are not come unto the mount that burned with fire, nor unto the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of "awful" words.' With such accompaniments the old law was promulgated, but here, in this Sermon on the Mount, as it is called, the laws of the Kingdom are proclaimed by the King Himself; and He does not lay them down with the sternness of those written on tables of stone. No rigid 'thou shalt' compels, no iron 'thou
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Second Beatitude
'Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.'--MATT. v. 4. An ordinary superficial view of these so-called Beatitudes is that they are simply a collection of unrelated sayings. But they are a great deal more than that. There is a vital connection and progress in them. The jewels are not flung down in a heap; they are wreathed into a chain, which whosoever wears shall have 'an ornament of grace about his neck.' They are an outgrowth from a common root; stages in the evolution of Christian
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Fourth Beatitude
'Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.'--MATT. v. 6. Two preliminary remarks will give us the point of view from which I desire to consider these words now. First, we have seen, in previous sermons, that these paradoxes of the Christian life which we call the Beatitudes are a linked chain, or, rather, an outgrowth from a common root. Each presupposes all the preceding. Now, of course, it is a mistake to expect uniformity in the process of building
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Fifth Beatitude
'Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.'--MATT. v. 7. THE divine simplicity of the Beatitudes covers a divine depth, both in regard to the single precepts and to the sequence of the whole. I have already pointed out that the first of the series Is to be regarded as the root and germ of all the subsequent ones. If for a moment we set it aside and consider only the fruits which are successively developed from it, we shall see that the remaining members of the sequence are arranged in
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Sixth Beatitude
'Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.'--MATT. v. 8. AT first hearing one scarcely knows whether the character described in this great saying, or the promise held out, is the more inaccessible to men. 'The pure in heart': who may they be? Is there one of us that can imagine himself possessed of a character fitting him for the vision of God, or such as to make him bear with delight that dazzling blaze? 'They shall see God,' whom 'no man hath seen at any time, nor can see.' Surely
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Seventh Beatitude
'Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.' MATT. v. 9. This is the last Beatitude descriptive of the character of the Christian. There follows one more, which describes his reception by the world. But this one sets the top stone, the shining apex, upon the whole temple-structure which the previous Beatitudes had been gradually building up. You may remember that I have pointed out in previous sermons how all these various traits of the Christian life are deduced from
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The New Sinai
'And seeing the multitudes, He went up into a mountain: and when He was set, His disciples came unto Him: 2. And He opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Lamp and the Bushel
'Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.'--Matt. v. 14-16. The conception of the office of Christ's disciples contained in these words is a still bolder one than that expressed by the preceding metaphor, which
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The New Form of the Old Law
'Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20. For I say
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

'Swear not at All'
'Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: 34. But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: 35. Nor by the earth; for it is His footstool; neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. 36. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Non-Resistance
'Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39. But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 41. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.'--MATT. v. 38-42. The old law
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Law of Love
'Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44. 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; 45. That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Redemption
"Ye shall therefore be perfect, as your Father in Heaven is perfect."--MATT. V. 48. "Wretched man that I am! who shall deliver from the body of this death? Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord."--ROM. VII. 24, 25. We have studied the meaning of reconciliation through the Cross. We have said that to be reconciled to God means to cease to be the object of the Wrath of God, that is, His hostility to sin. We can only cease to be the objects of this Divine Wrath by identifying ourselves
J. H. Beibitz—Gloria Crucis

On that which is Written in the Gospel, Matt. v. 16, "Even So Let Your Light Shine Before Men, that they May See Your Good Works,
1. It is wont to perplex many persons, Dearly beloved, that our Lord Jesus Christ in His Evangelical Sermon, after He had first said, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven;" [1934] said afterwards, "Take heed that ye do not your righteousness [1935] before men to be seen of them." [1936] For so the mind of him who is weak in understanding is disturbed, is desirous to obey both precepts, and distracted by diverse, and contradictory
Saint Augustine—sermons on selected lessons of the new testament

On the Words of the Gospel, Matt. v. 22, "Whosoever Shall Say to his Brother, Thou Fool, Shall be in Danger of the Hell of Fire. "
1. The section of the Holy Gospel which we just now heard when it was read, must have sorely alarmed us, if we have faith; but those who have not faith, it alarmed not. And because it does not alarm them, they are minded to continue in their false security, as knowing not how to divide and distinguish the proper times of security and fear. Let him then who is leading now that life which has an end, fear, that in that life which is without end, he may have security. Therefore were we alarmed. For
Saint Augustine—sermons on selected lessons of the new testament

Upon Our Lord's SermonOn the Mount
Discourse 3 "Blessed are the pure in heart: For they shall see God. "Blessed are the peacemakers: For they shall be called the children of God. "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: For great is your reward in heaven: For so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you."
John Wesley—Sermons on Several Occasions

The Christian Aim and Motive.
Preached January 4, 1852. THE CHRISTIAN AIM AND MOTIVE. "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."--Matthew v. 48. There are two erroneous views held respecting the character of the Sermon on the Mount. The first may be called an error of worldly-minded men, the other an error of mistaken religionists. Worldly-minded men--men that is, in whom the devotional feeling is but feeble--are accustomed to look upon morality as the whole of religion; and they suppose
Frederick W. Robertson—Sermons Preached at Brighton

A Call to Holy Living
Too many persons judge themselves by others; and if upon the whole they discover that they are no worse than the mass of mankind, they give themselves a mark of special commendation; they strike a sort of average amongst their neighbors, and if they cannot pretend to be the very best, yet, if they are not the very worst, they are pretty comfortable. There are certain scribes and Pharisees among their acquaintance, who fast thrice in the week, and pay tithes of all they possess, and they look upon
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 18: 1872

Persistency in Wrong Doing.
6th Sunday after Trinity. S. Matt. v. 25. "Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art in the way with him." INTRODUCTION.--I spoke to you the Sunday before last about the obstinacy of persisting in an opinion after you have good cause to believe that this opinion is unjust, or unreasonable. I am going to speak to you to-day of another form of obstinacy. SUBJECT.--My subject is Persistency in doing wrong, because you have begun wrong. This is only another form of the same fault. The other
S. Baring-Gould—The Village Pulpit, Volume II. Trinity to Advent

"That the Righteousness of the Law Might be Fulfilled in Us,"
Rom. viii. 4.--"That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us," &c. "Think not," saith our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, "that I am come to destroy the law,--I am come to fulfil it," Matt. v. 17. It was a needful caveat, and a very timeous advertisement, because of the natural misapprehensions in men's minds of the gospel. When free forgiveness of sins, and life everlasting, is preached in Jesus Christ, without our works; when the mercy of God is proclaimed in its freedom and fulness,
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

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