"You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy." (AGP)
Posted : 25 Dec, 2011 09:26 AM
Matthew 5:43 �You have heard that it was said, �You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.� 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?
To ALL who proclaim Christ or his teachings: How do you reconcile the way that you act towards others who are considered "enemies of the gospel of Christ" WITHIN your faith?
Shouldn't your "fruits of the Spirit" be manifest towards them more than your brethren? After all, Jesus said, "For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?"
A Related Word by BDB/Strong�s Number: apparently from the same root as H1465
English-Nations
Greek-ethnos
G1484
ἔθνος
ethnos
Thayer Definition:
1) a multitude (whether of men or of beasts) associated or living together
1a) a company, troop, swarm
2) a multitude of individuals of the same nature or genus
2a) the human family
3) a tribe, nation, people group
4) in the OT, foreign nations not worshipping the true God, pagans, Gentiles
5) Paul uses the term for Gentile Christians
Part of Speech: noun neuter
A Related Word by Thayer�s/Strong�s Number: probably from G1486
Citing in TDNT: 2:364, 201
Yeshua is telling the Hebrews that their neighbors are those that are cosest to their left and right sides.
This includes their wives,children and immediate families.
Those within my neighborhood,school,and where i work.
Those within my state,and country.
That whereever i happen to be,the person which is closest to my lefy and right hand,that person is my neighbor.
In the Great Commission Yeshua is speaking to the Hebrew men,and He commands them to go make disciples of the
'NATIONS',THE GOYIM,THE UNCLEAN ONES;
By teaching the Ghoyim the NAME of YHWH,along with His compound names.
Because they were not going to the Ghoyim,YHWH sent persection and dispursed them around the world.
We as believers in Yeshua are to 'AGAPEO' others,and to FORGIVE others as we have been forgiven.
We are to AGAPEO not in words only,but in word and deeds.
So to answer the question.
Whereve i happen to be,the person closest to me is my neighbor.
Shalom
The Farmer
Luk 10:25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up, testing Him and saying, Teacher, What shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
Luk 10:26 And He said to him, What has been written in the Law? How do you read it?
Luk 10:27 And answering, he said, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength," and with all your mind, and "your neighbor as yourself." Deut. 6:5; Lev. 19:18
Luk 10:28 And He said to him, You have answered rightly; do this, and you shall live.
Luk 10:29 But desiring to justify himself, he said to Jesus, And who is my neighbor?
Luk 10:30 And taking it up, Jesus said, A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell in with plunderers, who both stripping him and laying on blows, went away, leaving him being half dead.
Luk 10:31 But by a coincidence, a certain priest was going on that road; and seeing him, he passed on the opposite side.
Luk 10:32 And in the same way, a Levite, also being at the place, coming and seeing him, he passed on the opposite side.
Luk 10:33 But a certain traveling Samaritan came upon him, and seeing him, he was filled with pity.
Luk 10:34 And coming near, he bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. And putting him on his own animal, he brought him to an inn and cared for him.
Luk 10:35 And going forth on the morrow, taking out two denarii, he gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, Care for him, and whatever more you spend, on my return I will repay to you.
Luk 10:36 Who, then, of these three seems to you to have become a neighbor to the one having fallen among the plunderers?
Luk 10:37 And he said, The one doing the deed of mercy with him. Then Jesus said to him, Go, and you do likewise.
"You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy." (AGP)
Posted : 25 Dec, 2011 10:44 AM
Thank you, PassedOverinChrist, for that wonderful exposition of Scripture. I read the and have studied the Koine Greek for years now to know the truths of Scripture, but thank you for posting a few of the words to clarify a few things. :peace:
With what you have stated, and i agree that Jesus was speaking to the Jews in those verses (which we, the believers in Christ, can gleam from), but to AGAPE is also a command from our Lord. Is it not (Jn. 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you AGAPE one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to AGAPE one another. )? With that being said, how can we the believers in Christ act so maliciously hateful towards others WITHIN our faith when we are commanded to love enemies and even pray for them?
I mean even the book of James has wisdom that we, the believers, should take into account when it is said;
"James 2: 7 Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called? 8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, �You shall love your neighbor as yourself,� you do well; 9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
James 3: 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.
James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."
So we, the believers in Christ are still to AGAPE one another no matter what the differences between the faith are. Correct?
"You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy." (AGP)
Posted : 25 Dec, 2011 11:26 AM
POIC, Thanks for sharing, brother.
I too see a big change in the body and don't understand it. I am not called to dispute things amongst the brethren. I am called to love them and the world around them because of the One who showed me the same type of unconditional love. It is a daily chore and a struggle to even think what I said, much less do it. but it is something that we are called to do no matter what. Whether we are like minded or not is not the question, nor the fact that disputes will happen. The question is; how do we act during all of it?
I too may have some unorthodox views of Scripture (as I'm sure that we all do in the faith) to someone else. I can point out why the regular Sunday and Wednesday attendance of the brethren is nothing like that of the way it should be structurally and most of all, Scripturally. But do I pound it on someone or do I merely present it and not separate myself from this person as far as the love and forgiveness that has been freely granted me, or do i just shun the person after rebuking?
I just want to see what responses I get in order to learn, challenge and stress upon others, as well as myself without pounding theology down people's throats because theology doesn't bring us to know Christ. His love does
"You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy." (AGP)
Posted : 25 Dec, 2011 12:47 PM
Agapeton:
As you have written,to be doing as YHWH tells me / us the believers in the Scriptures,These are completely impossible wihtout the Holy Spirit EMPOWERING me / us to be doing.
Not matter how much teaching could be expounded on htis Scripture,UNLESS the Holy Spirit Empowers me i cannot do as the Word says.
This though does not diminish me responsibilty to do accordingly.
Just as it is impossible to be Loving Yeshua and my neighbor except as the Holy Spirit Empowers.
For it is the Holy SPirit which Loves / Agape' Yeshua,you, myslef and my neighbor.
How am i able to tell if what i have been doing is of YHWH or not.
First of all, is What i do in the Word of YHWH.
Second with the Empowerment of the Holy Spirit in spite of opposition, what i do will be easy,like a car going downhill.
Third,is this to the Glory of Yeshua,or am i doing this to be noticed.
"You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy." (AGP)
Posted : 25 Dec, 2011 01:13 PM
POIC, I agree. Without the Spirit we cannot do anything. But we are also commanded to WALK by, and be FILLED with the Spirit also, brother.
With that being said, we also know that we can quench the Spirit within us by not listening to Him while He speaks (ot at times commands) within us. So there is a sort of responsibility that we, the believer in Christ, has to walk within His precepts. For even Paul said for as much as it is in us, we are to be at peace with all men. So, since we do know that the Spirit of God is love and that we are to filled and walk in him in all things, then why is it that there are contentions between the brethren, and how do we react to it instead of what Scripture says we should?
It is surely not the Spirit that compels us to do so, but our flesh. And which part of our flesh has to do with reasoning or any sort of cognitive behavior exactly? Is it not a compulsory thing that we should even respond to someone in an unloving manner and give credit to the Spirit without fully checking the spirit that we may be in?
Again, how do we, as followers and fervent preachers of an all loving God, seek, preach, expound, and promote such a thing if we cannot show it towards those within our very faith?
Even the example of the Samaritan in the Luke chapter you used, Jesus used a religious believer in YHVH to the devout Jews he was preaching to. Surely the Samaritans worshiped YHVH differently than the Jews did.
His whole point was about people of the faith as well as people without it. Agree?
What are your thoughts on this?
Thanks again for your input, by the way. I am enjoying this immensely, brother.
"You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy." (AGP)
Posted : 25 Dec, 2011 03:42 PM
Hey Sal:
Before i continue,I will be posting Scripture from Matthew 5.
I will be dealing with Yeshua,the people and the Pharisees.
Yeshua is dealing with the Hebrews at this time,Yet what He has to say applies to myself and EVERYONE which is trusting Yeshua.
The title of your topic:
"You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy"
I do not want to break our conversation,but let us look at what Yeshua was dealing with in His teaching and correcting of the people.
In the following Scriptures,Yesuha expounds upon what it means to being Blessed / Content.
Mat 5:1 But seeing the crowds, He went up into the mountain, and seating Himself, His disciples came near to Him.
Mat 5:2 And opening His mouth, He taught them, saying:
Mat 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit! For theirs is the kingdom of the Heavens.
Mat 5:4 Blessed are the ones mourning! For they shall be comforted.
Mat 5:5 Blessed are the meek! For they shall inherit the earth. Psa. 37:11
Mat 5:6 Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness! For they shall be filled.
Mat 5:7 Blessed are the merciful! For they shall obtain mercy.
Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart! For they shall see God.
Mat 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers! For they shall be called sons of God.
Mat 5:10 Blessed are they who have been persecuted for righteousness' sake! For theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
Mat 5:11 Blessed are you when they shall reproach you, and persecute you, and shall say every evil word against you, lying, on account of Me.
Mat 5:12 Rejoice and leap for joy, for your reward is great in Heaven; for in this way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
The folowing verses Yeshua pronounces an admonition and a warning to those listening to Him.
Mat 5:13 You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt becomes tasteless, with what shall it be salted? For it has strength for nothing any more but to be thrown out and to be trampled under by men.
Mat 5:14 You are the light of the world. A city situated on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Mat 5:15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under the grain measure, but on the lampstand; and it shines for all those in the house.
Mat 5:16 So let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works, and may glorify your Father in Heaven.
The LAW,the law was not the relationship YHWH had intended to be having with man.
The law is IMPOSSIBLE to keep,and is even more IMPOSSIBLE to becoming rigtheous by the law.
Gal 3:19 Why the Law then? It was for the sake of transgressions, until the Seed should come, to whom it had been promised, being ordained through angels in a mediator's hand.
Gal 3:20 But the Mediator is not of one, but God is one.
Gal 3:21 Then is the Law against the promises of God? Let it not be! For if a law had been given which had been able to make alive, indeed righteousness would have been out of Law.
A warning against not teaching the Word of YHWH rightly.
Mat 5:19 Therefore, whoever relaxes one of these commandments, the least, and shall teach men so, he shall be called least in the kingdom of Heaven. But whoever does and teaches them, this one shall be called great in the kingdom of Heaven.
An admonition to having a righteousness which exceeds that of man.
Mat 5:20 For I say to you, If your righteousness shall not exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of God, never!
In verses 21-27-31-33-38- and 43 ,Yeshua says to the people.
You have heard that it was said to the ancients:
Who are these acients,probably the scribes and pharisees,maybe Yeshua is refering to the writers of Scripture.
Yet Yeshua deals with the teachings of these acients,by correcting their wrong understanding of the Scriptures.
Mat 5:21 You have heard that it was said to the ancients: "Do not commit murder!" And, Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the Judgment. Ex. 20:13; Deut. 5:17
Mat 5:22 But I say to you, Everyone who is angry with his brother without cause shall be liable to the Judgment. And whoever says to his brother, Raca, shall be liable to the sanhedrin; but whoever says, Fool! shall be liable to be thrown into the fire of Hell.
Mat 5:23 Then if you offer your gift on the altar, and remember there that your brother has something against you,
Mat 5:24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go. First, be reconciled to your brother, and then coming, offer your gift.
Mat 5:25 Be well intentioned toward your opponent quickly, while you are in the way with him, that the opponent not deliver you to the judge, and the judge deliver you to the officer, and you be thrown into prison.
Mat 5:26 Truly, I say to you, In no way shall you come out from there until you pay the last kodrantes.
Mat 5:27 You have heard that it was said to the ancients: "Do not commit adultery." Ex. 20:14; Deut. 5:18
Mat 5:28 But I say to you, Everyone looking at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Mat 5:29 But if your right eye offends you, take it out and throw it from you, for it is profitable to you that one of your members should perish and all your body not be thrown into Hell.
Mat 5:30 And if your right hand causes you to offend, cut it off and throw it from you, for it is profitable to you that one of your members should perish and all your body not be thrown into Hell.
Mat 5:31 It was also said, Whoever puts away his wife, "let him give her a bill of divorce." Deut. 24:1
Mat 5:32 But I say to you, Whoever puts away his wife, apart from a matter of fornication, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever shall marry the one put away commits adultery.
Mat 5:33 Again, you have heard that it was said to the ancients: "You shall not swear falsely, but shall give your oaths to the Lord." Lev. 19:12; Num. 30:2
Mat 5:34 But I say to you, Do not swear at all, neither by Heaven, because it is God's throne; Isa. 66:1
Mat 5:35 nor by the earth, because it is the footstool of His feet; nor by Jerusalem, because it is the city of the great King. Isa. 66:1; Psa. 48:2
Mat 5:36 Nor shall you swear by your head, because you are not able to make one hair white or black.
Mat 5:37 But let your word be Yes, yes; No, no. For the excess of these is from evil.
Mat 5:38 You have heard that it was said: "An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth;" Ex. 21:24; Lev. 24:20; Deut. 19:21
Mat 5:39 but I say to you, Do not resist the evil; but whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also.
Mat 5:40 And to him desiring to sue you, and to take your tunic, allow him also to have the coat.
Mat 5:41 And whoever shall compel you to go one mile, go two with him.
Mat 5:42 He asking you to give, and he wishing to borrow from you, do not turn away.
Mat 5:43 You have heard that it was said, "You shall love your neighbor" and hate your enemy; Lev. 19:18
Mat 5:44 but I say to you, Love your enemies; bless those cursing you, do well to those hating you; and pray for those abusing and persecuting you,
Mat 5:45 so that you may become sons of your Father in Heaven. Because He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and unjust.
Mat 5:46 For if you love those loving you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same?
Mat 5:47 And if you only greet your brothers, what exceptional thing do you do? Do not the tax-collectors do so?
In the afore pasted Scriptures Yeshua deals with the relation which man has with YHWH and which man has with one another.
Yeshua puts the responsibility of man having a correct understanding of his responsibilities upon man.
The last verse is the one which many people will use to judge others in that persons relationship with YHWH.
This verse also keeps many people from understanding Grace,and living accordingly in Grace.
Mat 5:48 Therefore, you be perfect even as your Father in Heaven is perfect.
Englsih-perfect
Greek-teleios
G5046
τέλειος
Thayer Definition:
1) brought to its end, finished
2) wanting nothing necessary to completeness
3) perfect
4) that which is perfect
4a) consummate human integrity and virtue
4b) of men
4b1) full grown, adult, of full age, mature
Part of Speech: adjective
A Related Word by Thayer�s/Strong�s Number: from G5056
I personally find that IF YHWH actuaaly wants me to be PERFECT with the same PERFECTION with which He himself is perfect,this will never happen.
At least not in this life.
This is the reason Biblical Imputaion needs to be taught to the believers.
For many are ignorant on htis important Biblical teaching.
This is why i await the New Creation,for the Imputed Righteousness of Yeshua will be upon me forever...
"You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy." (AGP)
Posted : 25 Dec, 2011 10:28 PM
POIC, Thanks again for your exposition of Scripture and your posting of the Greek word and it's meaning[s]. As I have stated before, I have studied the language and am pretty fluent in it. The fact that the definitions of one word are several to choose from is because it is to be taken within the context of what it is used at the time.
Now, I understand and admitted that Jesus was speaking to the Jews in those verses, as well as the Luke verses you posted earlier. But the issue still stands the same. The fact that Jesus mentioned the tax collectors in his example was one that the "Law" of Moses had nothing to do with. See tax collectors were looked down upon for several reasons in those times. They collected taxes for the governor and not the Jews. They were considered to be unclean because they were in contact with Gentiles and touched things that the pious Jews would consider to be impure (customarily, even if flour was "contaminated" by anything that was unclean it would be cast out and anything that it came into contact with would be broken, and thrown out. Ovens that even cooked the bread would be broken and thrown away because of the contaminated flour even if the thought of the flour was impure.), and were also crooks one way or another.
When Jesus said this He was making many points to these people using something that they would understand in that day. With that being said, He made it a point to show that these Jewish tax collectors were just as unclean as the Samaritan (the Samaritans believed that the Torah was inspired and not the prophets) Jews who worshiped YHVW differently. So whether He was using the "law" in that effect, is a mute subject at this point.
I appreciate the lesson that you were trying to teach about the law but even Jesus said that the summation of the Law was to love God and your neighbor. That was the foundation of the Law from what He said, as a matter of fact.
So the question still remains as to how can we, the believers and followers of a God of love, NOT show this type of love towards one another and still claim to love and know God when Scripture says otherwise?
"You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy." (AGP)
Posted : 25 Dec, 2011 11:00 PM
Agapeton writes
So the question still remains as to how can we, the believers and followers of a God of love, NOT show this type of love towards one another and still claim to love and know God when Scripture says otherwise?
How do we reconcile this, brother?
Any thoughts?
The Farmer
I believe a person saved by Grace,has two natures abiding within him / her.
The apostle Paul in Romans 7-8 had this very thing in his own life.
He writes about this in Romans 7 & 8 and also in Galations 5:16-25,the Flesh and the Spirit.
There is a story about this.
An American Indian would take his dogs to the dog fighting ring and put them against one another.
Then he would have people place wagers upon the dogs.
He would then place his own wager upon one of the dogs.
After the dogs ahd finished he would collec his money.
This had gone on for about three months,when a man had asked him how he had known which dog would win.
The indian said oh that is easy.
The dog that i feed during the three days before the fight,that is the dog which will win.
The Spiritual application,which part of a man will a man be feeding,His spirit,or his FLESH.
There might be another reason,in the military it has been said that the men of the military will only ascend to the level of those over them.
If men are calling themselves 'Senior Pastor,Pastor,Leaders,
Elders,or any other title,yet they are not able to be used to fulfill that title,then what will you expect the people to be like.
Cofession of sin,asking for repentance as a gift of YHWHs grace.
Empowerment of the Holy SPirit unto being an instrument in the hand of YHWH unto Loving YHWH and my neighbor.
Love your neighbor as you love yourself.
Not what has been told,Love yourself,love your neighbor.
The problem is that we already love ourselves;
We are infatuated with otherselves we worship ourselves.
If we were really honest,we would say that we do not love YHWH,nor do we love our neighbors!
We use people to get things,
Instead of using things to get people.
Maybe there is more,yet this is just a small portion of the problem and an even smaller answer to the prolems.
