Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
Matthew 5:43-45
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;
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven…
Jesus’ instruction at the Sermon on the Mount that we should love our enemies is very difficult for most of us. It seems to defy common sense because we tend to feel that hating our enemies is part of the very definition of “enemy.”
Jesus is serious about this
When one reads this scripture, it is easy to react, “Love our ENEMIES? Seriously?” Jesus seems to be asking us to do the impossible. But if you read the version of this teaching recorded in Luke, the admonition is even stronger. There, Jesus says that if someone steals your cloak, give them your coat as well!!
But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
Luke 6:27-29
Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.
Offering the other cheek to one who has just slapped you is quite a strong challenge. It is clear that Jesus expects a lot from His followers.
What makes an enemy?
What makes an enemy? Did the person do or say something that upset, displeased, or hurt you? Does it matter if they did it on purpose or inadvertently? Does the severity of the offense matter? Is it more serious if the offense was illegal?
Or is an enemy just a tribal thing – perhaps beginning in generational, or even ancient, history? The roots of the conflict between the Arabs and the Jews can be traced all the way back to Abraham’s sons Isaac and Ishmael. Is one obligated to hate another group of people simply because one’s ancestors did?
Vengeance belongs only to God
Whatever wrong (or perceived wrong) has been done to you, or your family, or your tribe, the scriptures teach that it is NOT your place to judge or to seek revenge.
Behold what the scripture says—man shall not smite, neither shall he judge; for judgment is mine, saith the Lord, and vengeance is mine also, and I will repay.
Mormon 8:20
We are responsible for our reactions as well as our actions
One always has a choice about how to regard and treat other people. Your tribal traditions may be strong, or a personal offense toward you may be egregious. Yet, how you react is always under your control.
In fact, your reaction is your personal responsibility – no matter what may have provoked it. You will be judged and held accountable, not for what was said or done TO you, but by what YOU chose to say and do in response.
Judge not, that ye be not judged.
Matthew 7:1-2
For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
We are commanded to not judge others – even when we have been offended. In fact, we are cautioned frequently by our leaders to not “take offense” at all. What we “take” from any situation is our choice.
Those who have offended us will be judged by a higher power. And a just reckoning will take place. We must remember that we, ourselves, will ALSO be judged. How we treat others, especially those who may have offended us, will be a consideration in how WE will be treated when WE are judged.
If we want to be better than our enemies in the eyes of God, our behavior must be better than the behavior of our enemies – even when, especially when, we are provoked.
Sources:
Russell M. Nelson, “Peacemakers Needed,” General Conference, April 2, 2023.
Dallin H. Oaks, “Love Your Enemies,” General Conference, October 2020.