As Christians, we alter some Christian concepts. Our desire is to make Christian concepts compatible with the "realities of our world and our culture." This is not the suggestion that Christians deliberately convene groups [classes or committees] with a conscious intent to alter basic Christian concepts or teachings. It suggests our studies often include assumptions that powerfully influence our conclusions and concepts.
Few concepts illustrate this practice more clearly than do Jesus' teachings concerning a disciple's attitude toward an enemy. As we begin, we acknowledge this is a complex concept. Over simplification results in distortions. However, assumptions frequently influence the concept. We often assume our definition of an enemy. We often assume the type of enemy under discussion. We often assume in what ways these individuals or groups are our enemies. The problem is illustrated by two questions: "What enemy should I love?" "What enemy should I destroy?"
Jesus made the statements in our texts to Jewish people who had enemies. Many of their recent ancestors were killed by enemies. Jewish patriotic fervor ran high. Some devoutly believed God willed the destruction of Jewish enemies.
Jewish people from the fall of Jerusalem in 597 B.C. until Jesus' ministry [and beyond!] had a long, difficult history of interaction with enemies. For more than 600 years, they experienced severe suffering with relatively few periods of peace. When Jesus taught about enemies, probably the majority of the listeners had recent ancestors who were killed by enemies.
In their fairly recent history, their domination by the Selucid rulers of Syria produced suffering, death, and destruction. Jews who owned or read the Torah [Jewish scripture] were executed. Jewish mothers who allowed their children to be circumcised were executed with their infants. Since Jews kept the Sabbath, Syrian forces attacked on Sabbaths and slaughtered them. [Jewish leaders decided defending oneself on Sabbaths did not violate Sabbaths.]
From 198 B.C. to 143 B.C. Jewish resistance forces fought a war for independence under Maccabean leadership. The nation achieved and enjoyed independence until inner turmoil resulted in Roman oversight from 63 B.C. After 63 B.C. anyone, including Herod, who ruled Palestine did so with Roman approval.
After Herod's death, Rome directly controlled Palestine. Palestine in Jesus' day was under a Roman governor and Roman troops. Jesus taught people who hated Roman domination. They hated their loss of independence. They hated Roman taxation. They hated the presence of Roman soldiers. Some believed that Roman domination and taxation defied God's rule. When Jesus taught about the proper treatment of enemies, those in his audience knew by experience the quality of life under an enemy.
For American Christians, American freedom and American civil rights often distort Christian concepts. Jesus challenges us to understand facts we often fail to see. God used the cruelty and death inflicted by enemies to achieve victory. As Jesus died, he prayed, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34). No human witness of Jesus' death realized God was victorious as Jesus died. "Your son's cruel death produced life?" History and traditional sources declare all the apostles but one were killed. Stephen, a Christian martyr, prayed aloud at his execution, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" (Acts 7:60)
In numerous situations, early Christians were persecuted. Yet, never does a New Testament writing suggest that they use hostility against an enemy. Contrarily, (1) Paul urged Christians in Rome to understand that kindness defeats an enemy and doing good defeats evil (Romans 12:17-21). (2) Paul assigned good results to his imprisonment because his imprisonment resulted in more people talking about Jesus (Philippians 1:12-14). (3) Peter urged suffering Christians to realize their attitude and behavior while suffering could create opportunities to explain their hope (1 Peter 3:14-16). (4) Peter also declared suffering caused by faith in Jesus was an avenue of blessing (1 Peter 4:12-14). To American Christians, those are strange perspectives.
Jesus' statement, "My kingdom is not of this world . . . ," (John 18:36 ) has greater significance than many American Christians realize. Jesus' kingdom exists to extend hope to ungodly people, not to destroy ungodly people. "Love your neighbor as yourself" is relevant in understanding this concept.
Jesus' definition of godly behavior for those devoted to godly character and integrity:
Link to Teacher's Guide
Lesson 7