This coming Sunday is the 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time in Lectionary Cycle C. Previously we considered the background and verses leading up to this gospel scene, here in the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. The gospel for the 7^th Sunday marks a second part of the “Sermon on the Plain.”

²⁷ “But to you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. ²⁹ To the person who strikes you on one cheek, offer the other one as well, and from the person who takes your cloak, do not withhold even your tunic. ³⁰ Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. ³¹ Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Green [270] notes that the structure of this segment of Jesus’ sermon is relatively straightforward. “Verses 27–31 identify behaviors becoming those who have fully embraced Jesus’ message, while vv 31–38 summarize those behaviors and develop their motivational bases. Love your enemies’ is the heading for all behavior, but this is amplified as ‘doing good’ and as giving (true) gifts. These three actions are interwoven: Love your enemies: (vv 27b, 32, 35a); Do good: (vv 27c–29, 33, 35a); and Give (true) gifts: (vv 30, 34, 35a.)

I think most readers would recognize the “golden rule” in v.31. It has a distinguished pedigree in Hellenistic and Jewish literature long before the time of Jesus. In the Hellenistic discussion of ethics, it was ordinarily contextualized within an ethic of consistency and reciprocity: act in such-and-such a way so that you will be treated the same. It has a bit of the quid pro quo about it or in more modern language, tit-for-tat. But if one looks at the verse preceding v.31, the usual understanding seems to not be applicable herein. In fact, almost out of place; the action and reaction don’t point to a reciprocity.

The admonition to “love our enemies” (v.27) has no grounding in conventional wisdom – at best ancient sources counsel compassion for an enemy in need. This is perhaps why this section begins with “But to you who hear I say…” The initial part of the Sermon on the Plain (v.18) identified Jesus’ audience as those who “came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured” But what followed was not an account of more miraculous healings, but rather a series of blessings and woes that made some clear distinctions among the listeners. As Stoffregen points out, the opening words may well be “addressed to those who want to continue to hear Jesus’ words, and presumably do them, in contrast to those who want, what we might call, a ‘quick fix’ for what ails them, and then have nothing more to do with Jesus.” Those who want a ‘quick fix,’ when they hear love of enemies, they are no longer listening.

Image credit: Sermon on the Mount | Carl Block, 1887 | Museum of Natural History at Frederlksborg Castle – Hillerod, Denmark | PD-US