Answer
In Matthew 5:43, Jesus challenges a common teaching of His day: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’” This verse appears in the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus reinterprets many familiar teachings and elevates the moral expectations of His followers. But where did the saying “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy” come from?
The first part of this teaching, “Love your neighbor,” originates directly from the Old Testament. In Leviticus 19:18, God commands, “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” This command was foundational to the ethical life of ancient Israel and shaped much of the moral instruction in Jewish society.
In its original context, neighbor was generally understood to mean “one’s fellow Israelite” or “member of the covenant community.” The command to love one’s neighbor as oneself was a call to seek the welfare of others within the shared religious and national identity of Israel. The command was clear: instead of holding grudges or seeking revenge, people were called to extend love, compassion, and fairness to their fellow Israelites.
There are glimpses in the Old Testament of the idea of neighbor love being broadened. For instance, in Leviticus 19:34, God commands, “The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt.” This command expands the definition of neighbor to include even those outside of Israel’s covenant community, particularly the vulnerable or marginalized.
However, by the time of Jesus, many in Israel interpreted neighbor more narrowly, excluding foreigners, Gentiles, or perceived enemies. This limited interpretation made it easier to justify hostility or hatred toward those not part of their group.
Unlike the command to “love your neighbor,” there is no explicit Old Testament command to “hate your enemy.” However, Israel’s tumultuous history may have contributed to an attitude of hatred toward enemies. The Israelites were frequently at war with neighboring nations, and some Old Testament texts describe actions that seem harsh by modern standards. For example, in Deuteronomy 7:2, God instructs Israel to destroy the Canaanite nations and show them no mercy. Such passages focused on the preservation of Israel’s holiness and may have influenced a mindset that viewed enemies with contempt and hatred.
Additionally, certain psalms express a strong emotional response toward the enemies of God. In Psalm 139:21–22, David writes, “Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.” This psalm reflects the intensity of righteous indignation against those who oppose God and may have given rise to the teaching that hatred toward personal enemies was justified.
While these Old Testament texts express strong language about enemies, they are not commands to harbor personal hatred. Instead, they reflect moments in Israel’s history or specific attitudes toward the enemies of God. Over time, however, some Jewish teachers and interpreters may have taken these ideas to mean that hating one’s enemies was permissible or even virtuous, especially in contrast to the command to love fellow Israelites.
In Matthew 5:43–44, Jesus acknowledges this common belief: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Here, Jesus completely overturns the accepted norms of His day. Rather than limiting love to one’s immediate community and allowing hatred for enemies, Jesus commands a revolutionary love that extends even to those who oppose or harm us.
