Daily Devotional For Tuesday, October 1, 2024
Today is Terrific Tuesday and you’re well into your week. We are making our way through Jesus’ Sermon On The Mount. We are currently making our way through six statements Jesus makes in Matthew 5 that begin with, “You have heard that it was said . . . but I say to you . . .” We are statement number six and as with the previous five, Jesus repeats this same phrase with the topic of love. In Jesus’ day, love was reserved only for those who were family and who you got along with in life. When it came to your enemies, you were to hate them, despise them and do nothing to help them.
As the devil did in the Garden of Eden, he took a snippet of God’s truth and then distorted it with a lie. This way a little truth makes deception more believable and acceptable. So, how in the world did the religious leaders take Leviticus 19:18, “You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord” (NASB), and distort it?
This is why Jesus says what He does in Matthew 5:43, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy’” (NASB). What the religious leaders did with Leviticus 19:18 was omit “as yourself,” which omits a very huge understanding and application of Leviticus 19:18. Later in Mark 12:28-33 Jesus is asked by a Jewish religious leader called a scribe which is the greatest commandment. Read it below:
“One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the [q]foremost of all?” (29) Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; (30) and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ (31) The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (32) The scribe said to Him, “Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that He is One, and there is no one else besides Him; (33) and to love Him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as himself, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices” (NASB).
Notice in verse 32 this scribe affirmed that Jesus’ answer was correct. In Luke 10:25-29, a Jewish lawyer questioned Jesus about the greatest commandment and Jesus turned the question on him. This Jewish lawyer answered correctly:
“And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (26) And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?” (27) And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”(28) And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” (29) But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” (NASB).
This Jewish lawyer quoted Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 and this gave Jesus an opportunity to teach the Parable of the Good Samaritan to this Jewish lawyer. The religious leaders loved to be loved by the people. We see this in Matthew 6:2, 5, & 16. They believed they deserved this and were better than other people (see Luke 18:11). We have come through an era where self-love has been a theme. As a result, many people, even some Christian people only think of themselves first and their interests before others. The Jews were no different in Jesus’ day – so they removed “as yourself” from God’s commands.
In addition to that, the religious leaders and the Jews had limited the word “neighbor” only to those you preferred, approved and accepted into your life. As we saw in our last sermon series, “Combating The American Culture”, Jesus used the Parable of the Good Samaritan to teach us that a neighbor is anyone we meet. In Jesus’ day, the religious leaders and Jews saw Jews who had become Roman tax collectors as oppressors, not neighbors (See Luke 18:11). This is one of the things the religious leaders and Jews hated Jesus for – He associated with tax collectors and had even called one to be one of His disciples – Matthew.
So, in Matthew 5:43, Jesus quotes directly the teaching of the religious leaders – “love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” Obviously, Gentiles were not neighbors and were enemies. Pastor and author John MacArthur quotes from an ancient Jewish Pharisee text:
“If a Jew sees a Gentile fallen into the sea, let him by no means lift him out, for it is written, ‘Thou shalt not rise up against the blood of thy neighbor,’ but this man is not thy neighbor.” It is little wonder that the Romans charged Jews with hatred of the human race” (Source: John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, “Matthew,” p. 341).
So, where did the religious leaders get the foundation to teach this? Ironically by misinterpreting the Old Testament. When God gave the Jews under Abraham, the Promised Land and then later through Moses and Joshua, they were commanded to drive out the pagan people who lived there such as the Canaanites, Midianites, Moabites, Ammonites, and other pagan peoples. These were some of the most immoral, sinful and idolatrous people ever. They even sacrificed their own children to their pagan gods by burning them alive. These people were a cancer that had to be eradicated less they eventually corrupt the Hebrews – which later they did.
German pastor and opposer of Adolf Hitler, Dietrich Bonhoeffer who was martyred by Hitler wrote this about this:
“Were the only ‘holy wars’ in history, for they were the wars of God against the world of idols. It is not this enmity which Jesus condemns, for then He would have condemned the whole history of God’s dealing with His people. On the contrary, He affirms the Old Covenant” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, 2nd Revision, p. 163).
Even today well meaning people misquote the Bible all together. They say, “Well, you know what the Good Book says: `God helps those who help themselves.’” Sadly, the Bible never says that but just the opposite. We are in no position or condition to help ourselves. That is why we need Jesus Christ – Savior. Israel’s harsh dealing with those people was entirely as the instrument of God’s judgment. God’s people were never to return evil for evil, cruelty for cruelty, hatred for hatred. The idea that Gentiles, even wicked ones, were to be personally despised and hated originated from the heretical Jews’ own pride and self-righteousness, not from God’s Word. Some of these religious leaders took verses from the Psalms by David and used them wrongly to imply that one was to hate their enemy:
- Psalm 69:22-25, “May their table before them become a snare; And when they are in peace, may it become a trap. (23) May their eyes grow dim so that they cannot see, And make their loins shake continually. (24) Pour out Your indignation on them, And may Your burning anger overtake them. (25) May their camp be desolate; May none dwell in their tents” (NASB),
- Psalm 137:9, “God, remember those Edomites, and remember the ruin of Jerusalem. That day they yelled out, “Wreck it, smash it to bits!” And you, Babylonians—ravagers! A reward to whoever gets back at you for all you’ve done to us; Yes, a reward to the one who grabs your babies and smashes their heads on the rocks!” (MSG).
Context is everything and when the religious leaders took out of context these quotes from the Psalms by David they do seem to imply a hatred of one’s enemies. Such words did not represent David’s personal vendetta but his concern for God’s holiness and justice to be executed on those who despised the Lord’s glorious name and persecuted the Lord’s people. The basis for David’s imprecations is found in Psalm 69:9 of that same psalm: “For zeal for Your house has consumed me, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me” (NASB). David was angered because of what was done against God.
Let me remind you when Jesus cleansed the Temple the first time, His disciples remembered these words of David in John 2:17, “His disciples remembered that it was written, “ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME” (NASB). Pastor and author John MacArthur writes this:
“It is one thing to defend the honor and glory of God by seeking the defeat of His detracting enemies, but quite another to hate people personally as our own enemies. Our attitude toward even the worst pagans or heretics is to love them and pray that they will turn to God and be saved. But we also pray that, if they do not turn to Him, God will judge them and remove them in order to prepare the way for His Son Jesus Christ as the rightful ruler of this world.
We are to share God’s own balance of love and justice. God loved Adam, but He cursed him. God loved Cain, but He punished him. God loved Sodom and Gomorrah, but He destroyed them. God loved Israel, but He allowed her to be conquered and exiled, and He set her aside for a while.
The scribes and Pharisees had no such balance. They had no love for justice, but only for vengeance. And they had no love for their enemies, but only for themselves. After David declared of God’s enemies, “I hate them with the utmost hatred; they have become my enemies,” he also prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way” (Ps. 139:22–24).
The scribes and Pharisees, by contrast, knew nothing either of righteous indignation or righteous love. Their only indignation was that of personal hatred, and their only love was that of self-esteem” (Source: John MacArthur: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, “Matthew,” p. 343).
That is the context for Jesus’ sixth “You have heard that it was said . . . but I say to you . . .” Pastor and author Chuck Swindoll writes this:
“Human reason tainted by depravity made the logical leap that if you were to love your neighbor, there must be non-neighborly people—namely, your enemies—who must be hated. But Jesus’ response toppled such human reasoning: Love your enemies and pray for your persecutors (Matt. 5:44) – Source: Charles R. Swindoll, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament, “Matthew 1-15,” Vol. 1A, p. 104).
We will deal more with this tomorrow but for now, I leave you with this from New Testament scholar Bruce B. Barton: “We are, more often than not, guilty of avoiding the extreme sins while regularly committing the types of sins with which Jesus was most concerned. These six examples expose our real struggle with sin. Jesus explained how He required His followers to live. Are you living as Jesus taught?”
Look at the table as the graphic for this devotional above. Source For Table as graphic: Bruce B. Barton, Preaching The Word New Testament Commentary, “Matthew,” p. 105.
Questions To Consider
- Is there any person you consider as an enemy not as a neighbor? Why? If Jesus asked you to justify this, what would you tell Him and why?
- Many Christians are like the Jews – they do not know the Word of God. God gets quoted for saying things He never did. For example, some will tell you that the Bible says “Charity begins at home” or “money is the root of all evil” or “God forgives those who forgive themselves” or “Cleanliness is next to godliness” or “God helps those who help themselves.” None of these statements are in the Bible. None. If we do not know God’s Word, we can be misled by others who act as if they do. Why do you think many people, including some Christians, feel these statements above are in the Bible when in reality they are not?
- What Bible passages have you ever taken out of context and used it to your advantage like the Jewish religious leaders and Jews did in their day?
- When justice is done to you or someone you love, do you have a balance between God’s love and God’s justice? Why or why not?
- Tomorrow we will look more at Jesus’ words about loving people we consider to be our enemies, but for today, where and how do you need to grow spiritually in this and why?
Scripture To Meditate On: Galatians 5:13-14, “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. (14) For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (NASB).
Prayer To Pray: “Dear Jesus, I hate to say this, but You’re beginning to hit too close to home now. There are people who have hurt me and people I love. I don’t like them and most of the time I don’t even love them. I know that my sin gives You every reason not to love me also. I want my heart to be like Your heart. I beg You to help me in this area. I love You Jesus. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
I love you Southside!--Pastor Kelly