Mat 5:44, Eph 4:32 | Barnes | STEP | Verse 44. Love your enemies . There are two kinds of love, involving the same general feeling, or springing from the same fountain of goodwill to all mankind, but differing still so far as to admit of separation in idea. The one is that feeling by which we approve of the conduct of another, commonly called the love of complacency ; the other, by which we wish well to the person of another, though we cannot approve his conduct. This is the love of benevolence ; and this love we are to bear towards our enemies. It is impossible to love the conduct of a man that curses and reviles us, and injures our person or property, or that violates all the laws of God; but though we may hate his conduct, and feel deeply that we are affected by it, yet we may still wish well to the person; we may pity his madness and folly; we may speak kindly of him, and to him; we may not return evil for evil; we may aid him in the time of trial; and seek to do him good here, and to promote his eternal welfare hereafter, . This seems to be what is meant by loving our enemies; and this is a peculiar law of Christianity, and the highest possible test of piety, and probably the most difficult of all duties to be performed. Bless them that curse you . The word bless here means to speak well of or to. Not to curse again, or to slander, but to speak of those things which we can commend in an enemy; or if there is nothing that we can commend, to say nothing about him. The word bless , spoken of God, means to regard with favour, or to confer benefits, as when God is said to bless his people. When we speak of our blessing God , it means to praise him, or give thanks to him. When we speak of blessing men , it unites the two meanings, and signifies to confer favour, to thank, or to speak well of. Despitefully use you . The word thus translated means, first, to injure by prosecution in law; then, wantonly and unjustly to accuse, and to injure in any way. This seems to be its meaning here. Persecute . See . (k) "pray for them"

Matthew 5:44

Verse 44. Love your enemies. There are two kinds of love, involving the same general feeling, or springing from the same fountain of goodwill to all mankind, but differing still so far as to admit of separation in idea. The one is that feeling by which we approve of the conduct of another, commonly called the love of complacency; the other, by which we wish well to the person of another, though we cannot approve his conduct. This is the love of benevolence; and this love we are to bear towards our enemies. It is impossible to love the conduct of a man that curses and reviles us, and injures our person or property, or that violates all the laws of God; but though we may hate his conduct, and feel deeply that we are affected by it, yet we may still wish well to the person; we may pity his madness and folly; we may speak kindly of him, and to him; we may not return evil for evil; we may aid him in the time of trial; and seek to do him good here, and to promote his eternal welfare hereafter, Rom 12:17-20. This seems to be what is meant by loving our enemies; and this is a peculiar law of Christianity, and the highest possible test of piety, and probably the most difficult of all duties to be performed.

Bless them that curse you. The word bless here means to speak well of or to. Not to curse again, or to slander, but to speak of those things which we can commend in an enemy; or if there is nothing that we can commend, to say nothing about him. The word bless, spoken of God, means to regard with favour, or to confer benefits, as when God is said to bless his people. When we speak of our blessing God, it means to praise him, or give thanks to him. When we speak of blessing men, it unites the two meanings, and signifies to confer favour, to thank, or to speak well of.

Despitefully use you. The word thus translated means, first, to injure by prosecution in law; then, wantonly and unjustly to accuse, and to injure in any way. This seems to be its meaning here.

Persecute. See Mt 5:10.

(k) "pray for them" Lk 23:34, Acts 7:60

Ephesians 4:32

Verse 32. And be ye kind one to another. Benignant, mild, courteous, polite--χρηστοι. 1Pet 3:8. Christianity produces true courteousness, or politeness. It does not make one rough, crabbed, sour; nor does it dispose its followers to violate the proper rules of social intercourse. The secret of true politeness is benevolence, or a desire to make others happy; and a Christian should be the most polite of men. There is no religion in a sour, misanthropic temper; none in rudeness, stiffness, and repulsiveness; none in violating the rules of good-breeding. There is a hollow-hearted politeness, indeed, which the Christian is not to aim at or copy. His politeness is to be based on kindness, Col 3:12. His courtesy is to be the result of love, good-will, and a desire of the happiness of all others; and this will prompt to the kind of conduct that will render his intercourse with others agreeable and profitable.

Tenderhearted. Having a heart disposed to pity and compassion, and especially disposed to show kindness to the faults of erring brethren, for so the connexion demands.

Forgiving one another. Mt 6:12.

As God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. As God, on account of what Christ has suffered and done, has pardoned you. He has done it

(1.) freely--without merit on our part--when we were confessedly in the wrong.

(2.) Fully; he has forgiven every offence.

(3.) Liberally; he has forgiven many offences, for our sins have been innumerable. This is to be the rule which we are to observe in forgiving others. We are to do it freely, fully, liberally. The forgiveness is to be entire, cordial, constant. We are not to rake up old offences, and charge them again upon them; we are to treat them as though they had not offended, for so God treats us. Learn,

(1.) that the forgiveness of an offending brother is a DUTY which we are not at liberty to neglect.

(2.) The peace and happiness of the church depend on it. All are liable to offend their brethren, as all are liable to offend God; all need forgiveness of one another, as we all need it of God.

(3.) There is no danger of carrying it too far. Let the rule be observed--"As God has forgiven you, so do you forgive others." Let a man recollect his own sins and follies; let him look over his life, and see how often he has offended God; let him remember that all has been forgiven; and then, fresh with this feeling, let him go and meet an offending brother, and say, "My brother, I forgive you. I do it frankly, fully, wholly. So Christ has forgiven me; so I forgive you. The offence shall be no more remembered. It shall not be referred to in our intercourse to harrow up your feelings; it shall not diminish my love for you; it shall not prevent my uniting with you in doing good. Christ treats me, a poor sinner, as a friend; and so I will treat you."

(e) "one another" Mk 11:25,26