The Law of Moses commanded Israel: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19:18).

In its immediate context, the “neighbor” is identified as one of “the sons of your own people,” i.e., another Israelite. The Torah also commands love for the resident foreigner living among Israel (Lev. 19:33–34), as well as acts of kindness toward an enemy in distress (Ex. 23:4–5). At the same time, Israel was sometimes divinely commanded to “show no pity” toward an enemy (Deut. 7:1–2, 16; 20:10–18) and even to carry out what today could only be described as genocidal warfare (Deut 20; Ex 17; 1Sam 15). On a more personal level, and under certain circumstances, an Israelite could kill someone without being guilty of bloodshed (Ex. 22:2–3).

It seems clear, then, that under the Law given to Moses at Sinai, God did not command the type of unqualified enemy-love later preached and practiced by Jesus and his apostles. Jesus therefore deliberately raised the standard and henceforth changed the Law on these points.

In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus contrasts what had previously been heard and practiced according to the Law with his own command:

“You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5:43–44; cp. 5:38–48; Luke 6:27–36).

Jesus was certainly not merely repeating, and therefore simply keeping, Old Covenant law. He gives a new command that makes enemy-love unqualified: any follower of Jesus must do good to those who hate, mistreat, persecute, and even seek to kill them. We can see the clear antithesis to Mosaic commands such as “show no pity,” as well as provisions permitting lethal force in defense of one’s home (Ex. 22:2–3). Jesus now commands:

• “Do not resist an evildoer,”
• “Turn the other cheek,” and
• “Pray” for your enemies.

His apostles carry this teaching forward, commanding the churches:

• “Bless and do not curse” those who persecute you (Rom. 12:14),
• “Do not pay back evil for evil or insult for insult, but bless” (1 Pet. 3:9).

The writer to the Hebrews likewise reminds persecuted Christians why they must endure, even in the face of severe suffering:

“Think back on those early days when you first learned about Christ. Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrible suffering. Sometimes you were exposed to public ridicule and were beaten, and sometimes you helped others who were suffering the same things. You suffered along with those who were thrown into jail, and when all you owned was taken from you, you accepted it with joy. You knew there were better things waiting for you that will last forever” (Heb. 10:32–34).

The next chapter, the famous “Hall of Faith” chapter, describes the “better things” we are waiting for as a place not yet seen, called “the city with firm foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” (Heb 11:10) That is, the coming Kingdom of God established when Jesus returns (Heb. 13:14), on the renewed earth.

The unqualified enemy-love command is dramatically illustrated in Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37). Note how, just before this parable, a Samaritan village had rejected Jesus. James and John responded by asking Jesus for permission to call down fire upon the village and kill everybody, reflecting the way enemies could at times be treated during the Old Covenant prophetic era. Jesus, however, rebuked them:

“You do not know what manner of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man came not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them” (Luke 9:55–56).

This shows the profound theological contrast between the spirit that is now to guide Jesus’ disciples and the Old Covenant prophetic spirit exemplified by Elijah. At one time, God’s holiness and judgment could require a lethal response. Such acts were governed by principles of divine justice revealed under the Old Covenant Law and carried out through God’s appointed agents.

In the parable, a Jewish lawyer, quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18, asks Jesus:

“Who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10:25–29).

Jesus expands the previously narrow definition of an Israelite neighbor and now makes a Samaritan—a member of a group ethnically and religiously despised by many Jews—the model of obedience. Jews and Samaritans generally did not associate with one another (John 4:9). Jesus’ choice was therefore deliberate, because it stands in perfect harmony with his Sermon on the Mount teaching about loving enemies regardless of who they are.

As a result, Jesus effectively reverses the lawyer’s question from, “Which people qualify as my neighbors?” to:

“Which of these three proved to be a neighbor?” (Luke 10:36).

The lawyer answers:

“The one who showed mercy,” kindness.

Jesus then concludes with a clear, unambiguous, and unqualified command:

“Then go and do the same” (v. 37), whether toward neighbor or enemy.

Thus, the Good Samaritan is the practical counterpart to Matthew 5:44.

Jesus did not merely tell his followers to enlarge their inner ethnic circle of loving neighbors; he changed one of the key boundary markers separating neighbor from enemy, and ultimately Jew from Gentile. The person whom Messiah commands us to love may be our own enemy or someone entirely outside Israel’s covenant community.

This is one of the hallmarks of the New Covenant Law of Messiah (1 Cor. 9:21; Gal. 6:2), in which unconditional enemy-love is now to govern the people of God. It proves once again that Jesus came not merely to repeat or keep the Law of Moses, but to “fulfill” it—that is, to bring the Law and the Prophets to their intended goal and purpose (Matt. 5:17). As Paul and the writer to the Hebrews make clear:

“For Messiah is the fulfillment and end of the Law, to make right everyone who believes…. For the Law, having a shadow of the good things to come, but not the reality itself, can never with the same sacrifices offered continually, year after year, make perfect the worshipers” (Rom. 10:4; Heb. 10:1).

God commands us to listen to His Son (Matt. 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35; cp. Matt. 3:17) and to imitate the Messiah (1 Cor. 11:1), not Moses. Jesus himself explains why:

“So that you may be children of your heavenly Father. He makes His sun rise on the evil and the good, and He makes rain fall on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do that? If you only speak kindly to your family, are you doing more than anyone else? Do not even the Gentiles do that? So be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matt 5:45-48)