Scripture, in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, always directs us back to God’s command to love Him above any person, place or thing and to love others and treat them as we should be treated. God does not change according to the demands of our culture or our religious doctrines.
1 John 1:5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Everything rest on these commands…and are only fulfilled in LOVE.
The Rules of the Kingdom at this times were directed to Jewish believers in Jesus. The fullness of the message to the Gentiles was not yet understood completely to the followers of Jesus they only knew Him as their Messiah and King. He was promised to them in the Abrahamic Covenant. God is unchanging. Now it applies to all of us who believe in Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He is the gift of God’s mercy and grace in the salvation in Jesus to all who choose to accept Him.
Luke 6:27–37
27 “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. 29 To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. 31 And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. 32 “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. 35 But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. 36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. 37 “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” The New King James Version
John 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus as the Lamb of God. His light would remove the darkness that Adam’s sin had brought on mankind.
Isaiah 60:1
Arise, shine;
For your light has come!
And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.
For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
And deep darkness the people;
But the Lord will arise over you,
And His glory will be seen upon you.
The Gentiles shall come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising.
700 years prior to His being born Isaiah proclaimed Christ coming for the covenant of the people and a light for the Gentiles.
The light had come to Israel and the gentiles will be drawn to Messiahs’ light.
Matthew 9:35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
Jesus taught in the synagogues about the Good News of the Kingdom He fulfilled all of the Old Testament Scriptures relating to His coming.
Zechariah 14:9
And the Lord shall be King over all the earth.
In that day it shall be
“The Lord is one,”
And His name one.
God the Son, the Messiah of Israel, shall be King over all the earth.
John 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
Jesus declared that He is the resurrection and the life, he that believe in Him will never die. Martha believed. Her salvation was based on faith in Him as the promised King and Messiah to the Jews. She believed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God.
Acts 9:20 Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. Then all who heard were amazed, and said, “Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?”But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.
Paul was saved under the Old Testament Gospel of the Kingdom that Jesus Christ was the Christ, the promised Messiah to Israel. The light of the world knocked him to the ground. Now Paul preached in the synagogues that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. Carla
Jesus teaches His followers that they must love all people, including their enemies. This love involves more than tolerance; it expresses itself in doing good even to enemies who are hostile and full of hatred. This is known as the Golden Rule: treating others with respect regardless of their conduct.
In comparison to similar expressions recorded in ancient writings, Jesus’ version of this rule emphasizes its positive effect. He demands that His followers show love to all people—neighbors and enemies alike—regardless of their behavior toward them.
Love your enemies do good and lend is summary statement for this section that is unique to Luke. Followers of Jesus who freely give away and share their material goods not only obey Jesus’ teaching but demonstrate they are true followers of God by acting according to His ways.
God’s character and actions are the ethical standards for His followers. Jesus is calling for righteous behavior and emphasizing love, forgiveness, and generosity. In response to God’s forgiveness of them, Jesus’ followers should offer forgiveness to those who have wronged them. As with His teaching in Luke 6:27–36, Jesus calls His followers to imitate God by displaying sacrificial love. Faithlife Study Bible
The threat of religious persecution was very real when Jesus presented His command for extraordinary love. The reference to a cursing enemy suggests a context of religious persecution. This is a description of being repeatedly vulnerable in the face of injustice. The one who seeks to love will always remain exposed and at risk.
Jesus’ instruction here is to forgive and forget. The commands are expressed in such absolute terms that they force the listener to reflect on them by contrasting them with the normal responses people would have to such injustices.
“As you want men to do to you” is the “golden rule.”
Note that Jesus’ command is stated in the positive.
Such love as Jesus describes recognizes the preferences of others and is sensitive to them. The NKJV Study Bible
Matthew 5:39–42 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also…
Matthew 5:44–6:1 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust…
Matthew 7:12 Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.
Matthew 6:14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
Matthew 7:1–5 “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you…
According to Daniel 11:35, those who refused to abandon God during persecution would "be refined, purified, and made white." Using similar language, the Apostle Peter would later write to Christians across the Roman Empire about being refined through trials: "You have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith-more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire-may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 1:6-7). Here, Peter compared faith to gold that is refined by fire, heated until it becomes molten so that, as the temperature climbs, impurities separate and rise to the surface. The refiner scrapes off and discards these impurities until all that remains is pure gold. First5
To be human is about gardening the soul.
To be human is about being gentle with yourself, a restorative mainlined straight to the heart. Is your heart glad in the presence of compassion and grace and mercy? I love prayers that begin with the words, “Thank you…”
I love friends who remind me that I’m not on this journey alone, and that my opinion of myself needs some work.
I love it anytime someone says, “Let’s have a moment of silence,” and then makes it two.
I love cleansing tears that don’t need to be explained away. I love it when I make decisions from a soft heart.
I treasure the certainty that grace gives us all many second chances. And I love to lose track of time in my garden.
Yes. And this is important. To be human (open to awe and wonder, and to stay hydrated in our soul) is a spiritual (and self-compassionate) endeavor.
Sabbath Moments
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