Love Enemies

 Jesus said to “love your enemies ... [and] do good to those who hate you,” Matthew 5:44, and this is seen by some as a contradiction to the accounts in the Old Testament where Israel was to kill all the inhabitants of certain peoples of the land of Canaan. Some may seek to explain the extermination of the inhabitants of Canaan as a myth, or it was God accommodating the brutal ancient Near East culture, while God himself was opposed to such measures. Yet, I would suggest that not all enemies are the same and not all circumstances are the same.

Not all enemies are the same in that not all enemies are a threat in the same way. Some enemies are only those who disagree with what you believe, or they just don't like you for some reason. You can have enemies in your own family due to differing beliefs. Jesus said, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. ... a man's enemies will be those of his own household,“ Matthew 10:34-36. You would not treat such enemies the same as you would someone who sought to do bodily harm to someone in your family. There may be circumstances where you have to do bodily harm to someone else. In times of war, you may have to kill the enemy, though in different circumstances, you could respond in a less lethal way, and maybe, even show compassion. It depends on the circumstances and the kind of enemy involved.

The “kind” of enemy is an issue. There are times when the enemy has to be dealt with in a just, legal way. And in some cases, the enemy is of such a disposition that they reap the judgment of God. This is the case several times in the Old Testament in which God destroys a people because they have reached a certain degree of evil or injustice. Israel was not to go into Canaan until the people's sins have a reach a full point: “...in the fourth generation they [Israel] shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete," Genesis 15:16. The Amorites, being the people of Canaan, were Divinely appointed to destruction, and God would use Israel to carry out that judgment. God uses nations to judge other nations. Though God could do it directly through natural disasters, as in the days of Noah or the cities of the plain (Sodom, etc.), he could do it with nations against nations. One does not have to explain the killing away as myth or some accommodation by God of evil cultures.

In the event of war, involving nations, one is not able to love his enemy, for he may have to kill him lest the enemy kills his countrymen and possesses his country. And some enemies have reach a point of opposition to God that makes them hardened to the point of no return. These types of enemies are the ones who are God's enemies and are “the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,” Romans 9:22. Though there are circumstances where an individual can show acts of love to their enemy, there comes a point where the enemies of God become objects of His vengeance and wrath. We can see this in the book of Revelation with the Christian martyrs: "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" Revelation 6:10. Prayers in the Psalms that are harsh against the enemy, praying for their destruction, could be understood in this light, that they are enemies of God, and they shall not prosper against the people of God. Depending on the circumstances, one could show grace to their enemy, or they could seek their destruction.

When Jesus seemed to contradict the Old Testament [OT], it should be kept in mind that the Laws of the OT set limits, and one was not to go beyond those limits, but also, one was not obligated to go even that far. The “eye for an eye” set a limit: if someone knocked your eye out, you were not to take both of his eyes out as a consequence; however, one didn't even have to take one eye out—you could chose to forgive them instead. One did not have to exact revenge or seek justice, but if they did, there were limits. The ideal is not to return evil with evil but with good. But again, it depends on the circumstances. The Apostle Paul should be considered as well: “¹⁷ Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. ¹⁸ If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. ¹⁹ Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord. ²⁰ Therefore 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.' ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:17-21