Matthew 5:44Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

He instructs us not just to love our enemies, but to pray for them as well. Can you see how greatly He has elevated the standards of virtue? Let us enumerate these stages: The first is to avoid initiating an offense; the second is to refrain from responding to harm with equal malice; the third urges us not only to avoid returning the wrong we have suffered but to maintain our composure; the fourth encourages us to willingly accept suffering; the fifth calls for us to offer even more than what has been taken; the sixth teaches us not to harbor hatred; the seventh asks us to love the offender; the eighth urges us to perform acts of kindness towards them; and the ninth inspires us to pray to God on their behalf. Do you see how lofty the heights of common sense become? Yet, the reward for such virtue shines brilliantly.

As St. Chrysostom remarks, this love for our enemies and the kindness we show them will serve as an intercession and a great atonement for our sins on the Day of Judgment. Love for our adversaries opens the gates of hope for approaching God. There is nothing that so pleases God as our love for those who oppose us and our acts of kindness toward those who harm us. To pray against our enemies contravenes God’s law. Those adversaries we have treated with grace will become our advocates at the last judgment. It is not our friends who truly benefit us through praise, but our foes through their marring of our character. To love, bless, and pray for our enemies constitutes a profound act of atonement for our transgressions.

Yesterday, I noted that many approach prayer carelessly, yawning and stretching, showing a lack of respect for the sacred act. Today, I have identified an even graver misstep linked to prayer. Many prostrate themselves, beating their chests, shedding tears, and expressing fervor, yet they misdirect that zeal against their own salvation. They neglect to seek forgiveness for their own sins but concentrate their fervor on seeking vengeance against their enemies, much like someone sharpening a sword not to defend against foes but to harm themselves. When praying, they ask not for their transgressions to be forgiven, but for retribution against their antagonists, effectively drawing the sword that harms themselves. This is a trap set by the adversary, aiming to cause our destruction through negligence and misguided zeal. Some offend God through their carelessness in prayer, while others misuse their fervor for selfish aims. The devil finds it easy to lead the negligent astray, but for the fervent, he schemes to misdirect their zeal towards sin, for praying for the harm of others is a lawless act. As such, the fervent one departs without gain and incurs a greater loss than negligence alone would bring.

It is crucial to listen to the very prayers uttered, for they reveal a childish mentality and an immature spirit. I am reluctant to voice such sentiments but feel compelled to mimic this foolish talk. What do they say? "Avenge me against my enemies; show them that I, too, have a God." However, let it be known that we do not reveal the presence of God through our indignation and anger, but through our humility, gentleness, and the practice of wisdom. The Lord articulated, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matt. 5:16).

Do you understand that praying for harm against your enemies is to insult God? You may wonder how this could be construed as an offense. It is in the very outline of the command He gave: "Pray for your enemies." When you request the Lawgiver to violate His own commandments and plead with Him to act against His own decrees, you neither offer a true prayer nor a genuine request; you offend Him who grants prayers.

When you make your petition heard by God while simultaneously provoking Him with insincere intentions, how can your supplication ever be received? In so doing, you jeopardize your own salvation and throw yourself into destruction by striking against the adversary in the presence of the King. Though you do not attack physically, you lash out verbally, which you wouldn't dare do even to your equals. Before a ruler, you would withhold such offenses, yet you have no fear or trembling when doing so with God, allowing yourself to be more cruel than one who demands a mere hundred denarii. Consider the parable of the servant who owed ten thousand talents; unable to repay, he implored his lord for mercy. Upon receiving forgiveness, he subsequently sought to strangle another servant for a mere hundred denarii. The master took back his mercy upon learning of this act and reinstated the debt he had initially released. Thus, he faced punishment for his mercilessness.

Notice how this servant's request finalizes his own judgment, seeking harm from one who owed him far less. While he did not demand gratitude, your prayer embodies the very contradiction before the King. If one, without making demands, strangles a fellow servant, what punishment will you face when directing your plea to the Lord? Your soul may be consumed with rage against those who wronged you, your heart troubled, and your thoughts restless in recalling their offenses.

Contrast the intensity of this anger regarding others’ transgressions with your consciousness of your own sins and the fear of impending judgment. Remember your own guilt before the Lord and know that you must account for it all. This realization can quell your anger far more effectively than any passion against others. Focus on eternal consequences, punishment, and torment in prayer, and your adversary will recede from your thoughts. Bring your mind low, remembering your own offenses, and anger will lose its hold on you.

The root of all evil lies in scrutinizing the faults of others while allowing our own sins to slip by unnoticed. In truth, we ought to do the opposite: remain conscious of our shortcomings while dismissing the sins of others. If we adopt such an attitude, God will show mercy towards us, and we will cease to harbor resentment against our neighbors, thereby nullifying enmity. When we practice such forgiveness, we quickly find remission for our own failings. Truly, one who holds grudges against others cannot escape sentencing for their sins, while one free from anger shall find relief from their transgressions.

If we, burdened with flaws and easily angered, were to forgive all offenses committed against us at God's behest, how much more readily will He, who embodies mercy and purity, absolve our wrongs? In response to our compassion towards others, He will grant us forgiveness for our own shortcomings, a gift we are able to receive through the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom belongs glory and authority, forever and ever. Amen.

Moreover, consider that the reward for such immense virtue is unparalleled. Since this act surpasses all others, it merits a reward greater than any. He affirms: ‘As many as are sons of your Father who is in heaven: as His sun shines on the evil and on the good, and rains on the just and on the unjust’ (Matthew 5:45).

" The philosopher continued, "God commanded, 'Pray for those who hurt you.' He also declared, 'There is no greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.' We do this for the sake of our friends, so that through the suffering of the body, their souls may also be safeguarded from captivity."

By adversaries, I refer to those who offend us through words or actions, who curse, hate, injure, and alienate us. These are the individuals whom Christ instructs us to love. In the section concerning love for our neighbor—meaning every person—it is clarified what Christian love entails and its resultant blessings; thus, it need not be elaborated upon here. For among our neighbors, we include not only our friends but also our foes, whom Christ commands us to love: “Love your enemies” (Matt. 5:44).

Here, only reasons encouraging us to love our adversaries are indicated: 1) Even if we see no other motivation to love our enemies, the simple fact that Christ commands it should compel us to do so, which applies to every divine commandment He has given. Christ desires and commands us to extend love to our enemies. He embodies eternal Truth, revealed to us by the will of the Heavenly Father, whom we are instructed to heed: “Hear Him” (Matt. 17:5). Consequently, what Christ, the Son of God, commands, what the Heavenly Father wishes for us, and what God’s eternal truth demands is ultimately beneficial for us. 2) If we acknowledge Christ’s command to us to “Love your enemies,” we must always be ready to respond to that command and even to face death for His name. Christians should recognize that Christ is the utmost expression of Love we can know—our Deliverer, Redeemer, Intercessor, and Reconciler to God, as well as our eternal hope and trust. This supreme Benefactor commands us: “love your enemies.” If you found yourself in such dire circumstances that a decree from the king sentenced you to death, and a virtuous man intervened, not only saving you from execution through his sacrifices but also restoring you to favor with the monarch, you would undoubtedly comply with his wishes, unless you wished to appear exceedingly ungrateful to such a great benefactor. However, this love and favor, while considerable, pales in comparison to the love of Christ, which He has manifested toward us; it is fleeting, and none can evade natural death. For Christ did not rescue us from temporal death but from eternal death: “not with corruptible silver or gold, but with His own precious blood” He redeemed us from that eternal sorrow (1 Pet. 1:18-19). “Christ died for our sins” (1 Cor. 15:3). Moreover, He did not merely extract us from peril but also empowered those who received Him, those who believe in His name, to become children of God (John 1:12), thus granting access to the inheritance of the eternal kingdom. This profound love necessitates that we love not only our friends but also our adversaries, in accordance with His command, if we are to express our gratitude towards Him. Open His holy Gospel, and it will reveal His love. It will show you how for our sake He “took the form of a servant” (Phil. 2:7), “became poor” (2 Cor. 8:9), “had no place to lay His head” (Matt. 8:20), worked tirelessly, traveled from town to town, preached the gospel of the kingdom, wept, endured sickness, and faced persecution, scorn, slander, mockery, and suffering, leading ultimately to His death and burial. He endured all these things innocently, spurred solely by His love for us, redeeming us from death, hell, and the devil, restoring us to the mercy of His heavenly Father. This love can and must soften our hearts and inspire us to love our adversaries. Would we not heed a gracious person who saved us from temporal death in every circumstance, wishing to express our gratitude? Is not the Son of God, who by His own death redeemed us from eternal death, and unlocked the door to everlasting joy? Whoever desires to love Christ, his Redeemer, will abide by His word. “Whoever loves Me,” He says, “will keep My word” (John 14:23). Anyone who does not love Christ cannot authentically claim to do so, regardless of appearances. Therefore, if one who does not love his enemies lacks love for Christ, what can be said of those who do not love others unless they are treated kindly? Oh, how distant they are from Christian faith and from Christ!

3) He Himself cherished us, His adversaries, so deeply that He gave His life for us, reconciling us with our heavenly Father and leading us to eternal bliss. Examine the pages of the holy Gospel, and you will find that Christ died for sinners and the unrighteous. “But God demonstrates His love toward us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” And again, “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son” (Rom. 5:8, 10). Therefore, we too must follow His example and love our adversaries if we wish to be His disciples—that is, Christians. A Christian is fundamentally a disciple of Christ.

He ordains the sun to rise daily, shining upon both the righteous and the wicked, and sends rain in due season upon the just and the unjust, imparting lessons of this divine love to His children each day. Furthermore, after the sufferings endured by Jesus Christ, His salvific wounds continually resonate with the theme of love for our enemies, calling out to all Christians. What hardened heart will not shatter the chains of animosity towards its neighbor, even if that neighbor is an enemy, when it repeatedly gazes upon the crucified Saviour—our God—who, in His profound agony on the Cross, plead with the Father for the salvation of those who crucified Him, saying, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34)? Thus, dear brothers and sisters, the virtue of loving one’s enemies, with all its majesty and rarity, must be fundamentally essential to a Christian’s life; without it, one’s love amounts to nothing more than that of tax collectors and pagans, as the Saviour Himself noted, since they too love their friends and reciprocate kindness to those who do good to them. Truly, all love for neighbors that lacks love for enemies is incomplete. In its absence, we only see ourselves reflected in our friends and benefactors, loving them for the benefits and comfort they provide. However, the Saviour desires from us a selfless love, devoid of selfishness and self-interest—such as exemplified by St. Paul the Apostle, who longed and prayed that he might be cut off from the inheritance with Christ if it meant that his persecutors, the Jews, would come to faith in Christ and be saved (Romans 9:3). He calls us to love with the same perfection as our heavenly Father, who loved the world—despite its enmity towards Him—so much that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). Amen.

Yet, Christ called upon His followers to exemplify a higher moral standard than both Jews and Gentiles, urging them to be worthy children of their heavenly Father. Just as their Father, who embodies perfect love and seeks no wrath or malice, cares for all people, including the unjust and unrighteous—illustrated by His sun shining on both the good and the wicked, and rain falling on the just and unjust—so too, His disciples, desiring to be recognized as children of their heavenly Father, are called to love everyone, including their enemies, bless those who curse them, act kindly toward those who hate them, and pray for those who mistreat and persecute them. Only through this practice can they be truly known as children of the heavenly Father.

In His own example, Jesus epitomized this command to love one’s enemies by praying for those who crucified Him: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). To demonstrate God's love for all humanity, both righteous and sinful, He declared, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Matthew 9:13). Thus, He came to redeem sinners, showcasing such love that in their salvation, He offered His own life for them. After commanding His disciples to embody this high and pure love, which qualifies those who express it to be called sons of the heavenly Father, Jesus contrasted it with worldly love—self-love—for clarity. He cautioned His followers against this self-serving affection, typical of sinners and Gentiles, asking, "If you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?"

Opponents of loving one's enemies, such as the Tolstoyans, contend this is an impossible ideal. They assert that while it is feasible to avoid causing harm to one's adversary, true love is unattainable; they believe Christ could not demand the impossible. They interpret Christ's references to enemies as concerning enemies of the people rather than personal foes, claiming one might love people from an opposing nation as they would their own.

However, if we isolate Christ's teaching on loving enemies from the broader context of His Sermon on the Mount, it might support the Tolstoyan view. Yet, His injunction to love one's enemies must be seen in conjunction with His instructions to bless those who curse, do good to those who hate, and to pray for those who offend, alongside His remarks regarding loving only those who love back and merely greeting one’s brothers. This broader perspective reveals that Christ spoke not only about national adversaries but fundamentally about personal enemies.

In referencing the Tolstoyan perspective, we aim to illustrate that one can indeed love personal enemies and that Christ did not impose an unattainable demand. Those who react with anger at every slight, who lack self-control, refuse to forgive, and retaliate not only for harm but even for kindness, cannot truly love their personal adversaries; their response must be hate instead. When advised of Christ's command to love enemies, such individuals often claim it is an unreachable ideal, representing a purity of virtue beyond human capacity.

Nevertheless, Christ initiated His Sermon on the Mount with this imperative of love for enemies, bringing His teachings on the character that leads to genuine happiness and eternal life into focus. He began with simpler commandments and, by elucidating them progressively, led His followers toward the recognition of the possible—and necessary—call to love even one’s enemies. Initially, He emphasized virtues like humility, contrition, meekness, the pursuit of divine truth, mercy, purity of thought, reconciliation with adversaries, and patience in suffering and persecution for righteousness.

Then, as if addressing those transformed by adhering to such teachings, He demanded more: not just refraining from causing suffering to anyone, but also avoidance of anger, immediate reconciliation with those who harbor grievances against them, faithfulness in marital commitments, unwavering truthfulness, refraining from swearing oaths, retaliating with good instead of revenge, and offering assistance to everyone seeking help. It becomes evident that a person who fulfills these teachings, achieving a high moral standard, and who actively works good toward those who oppose him, will naturally feel compassion for their adversary’s failings. This compassion, or pity, is fundamental to love; one who feels pity for an enemy and genuinely wishes them well undeniably loves them.

Moreover, life experience shows that even those who have not attained exceptional moral virtue often exhibit kindness toward an enemy, revealing a form of love in doing so. Thus, love for enemies is indeed possible, and for one of upright character who embodies all of Christ’s teachings, it is essential, emerging naturally from the fullness of virtues learned. In conclusion, after expounding upon His core commandments, Jesus proclaimed, "Be ye perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect." These words should not be interpreted as a command to equal God in perfection, for God's greatness is beyond human comprehension.

This is what it means to love our enemies, showcasing the profound virtue of those who embrace this quality. “He has reached (such a one) the top of the virtues, for what is higher than this?” (Theophylact; cf. Chrysostom). Bless those who curse you, and so forth. This is a more personal exploration of the broader principle of loving our enemies, demonstrating how that love can be articulated toward those who show hostility in various forms. To bless means not only to refrain from speaking ill of our adversary but also to speak well of them, to acknowledge their positive traits rather than diminish them, and to uplift them in word and deed. To offend involves unjust persecution through judgment, including falsely accusing, insulting, and reproaching someone through words or actions. It is clear that such a love for enemies that involves complicity in their wrongdoings would contradict the commandment to love one’s enemies. Rather, genuine love may at times necessitate rebuke when God’s glory is at stake or when others are led astray due to the actions of the enemy. Hence, both the Lord and His Apostles frequently addressed their adversaries with stern rebuke (Matt. 23:33; Gal. 1:8; Acts 23:3; 1 Jn. 5:16; 2 Jn. 10, etc.). “Do you see to what heights He has elevated us, and how He has positioned us at the pinnacle of virtue? Consider the steps, starting with the first: The first degree is to avoid causing offense; the second, when offended, to refrain from responding in kind; the third is not only to refrain from retaliation but to remain composed; the fourth is to willingly endure suffering; the fifth is to give more than what the offender seeks to take; the sixth is to hold no hatred; the seventh is to actively love; the eighth is to do good to them; the ninth is to pray for them. Do you see what is the peak of any discipline?” (Chrysostom).