This coming Sunday is the 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time and our gospel is the second part of Luke’s Sermon on the Plain. In a previous post we noted the radicalness of Jesus’ preaching – perhaps not to our ears – but certainly to the listeners in the first century whose norm was lex talionis or “law of retaliation,” a familiar ethic from the Old Testament or at least how it was understood. In our reading Jesus is commanding a different ethic: “But to you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” (Luke 6:27)

Culpepper [147] notes that the “imperative to love one’s enemies an have a range of meanings, depending on its context: Win over your opponent by kindness; take the moral high road; shame our enemy by your superior goodness; deflect hostility or prevent further abuse by offering no resistance; rise above pettiness; or demonstrate a Christ-like character as a Christian witness. These interpretations are neither exhaustive nor mutually exclusive, but they do suggest the range of means the command can have. Especially when taken individually, the exhortations in this section can be applied widely and virtually indiscriminately. The problems for interpretation concern the source of these teachings, their settings in the ministry of Jesus and in Luke, and the determination of contemporary contexts in which their application would be appropriate.”

Green [272] adds to that idea: “Jesus’ words, “‘Love your enemies,’ lack any commonly held ethical base and can only be understood as an admonition to conduct inspired by God’s own graciousness (vv 35d–36). This is not love for all humanity in general, but more specifically for those who stand in opposition to Jesus’ followers—those whom Luke has already noted in narration [religious leaders who opposed Jesus’ healings, religious practices, associating with sinners and tax collectors, etc.] and about whom Jesus has already spoken [“those who hate you…exclude…denounce”]. The centrality of the love-command is marked by its appearance as a heading, followed by references to particular actions that embody its content more concretely.Love is expressed in doing good—that is, not by passivity in the face of opposition but in proactivity: doing good, blessing, praying, and offering the second cheek and the shirt along with the coat.”

And this all then raises the questions of the identification of an “enemy.” In Luke’s narrative, “enemies” can be understood both broadly and specifically: 

Oppressors and Persecutors: Jesus speaks to a community that is familiar with oppression, particularly under Roman rule. The enemies here could be: the Roman authorities, who governed harshly and taxed the people as well as local leaders who collaborated with Rome or exploited the vulnerable.

Personal Enemies: the term “enemies” also includes those who harm, hate, or mistreat individuals personally. In Luke 6:28, Jesus elaborates: “Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” This suggests that the “enemies” are not limited to political or societal oppressors but include anyone who acts with hostility toward believers.

Religious Opponents: Luke frequently portrays tensions between Jesus and religious leaders (e.g., Pharisees, scribes). The admonition to love one’s enemies might also extend to those who oppose Jesus’ teaching or challenge His followers.

Outsiders: the category of “enemies” may include others. For example, because the beggar is habitually defined as outside the circles of companionship of all but other beggars, they would not be classed as “friends” but as “enemies,” outsiders.

It is especially in this context that Luke addresses “patronage.”

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