Matthew 5: 43-48
“You have learnt how it was said, you must love your neighbour and hate your enemy, but I say this this to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”. The people of Israel had a very narrow view of who was their neighbour. For them it was their fellow Israelite. Jesus insists that his disciples transcend traditional and cultural norms and imitate God the Father who gives grace to everyone just as he causes the rain to fall on honest and dishonest men alike.
We are called to model our behaviour and life on the benevolent Father and then we can be perfect, complete and whole like Him. Jesus has shown us the original intention of the law, the commandments, throughout this discourse of chapter 5 in Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus’s words are intended to help us mature spiritually so that we can serve God more authentically and sincerely and demonstrate our true receptivity to God. Jesus has simply shown us a new understanding of what was already there in the commandments by developing for us their complete or perfect meaning.
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