27 "But I say to you that hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
²⁸ bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.
²⁹ To him who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from him who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt.
³⁰ Give to every one who begs from you; and of him who takes away your goods do not ask them again.
³¹ And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them.
³² "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.
³³ And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
³⁴ And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
³⁵ But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the selfish.
³⁶ Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.
³⁷ "Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;
³⁸ give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back."

• This passage is an extension to the sermon of beatitudes and woes (6:20-26), it is a contemporary version of that teaching.
• (v.27) Jesus' message is intended for the disciples or would-be disciples, and the audience is the elite who would have two coats (v.29), would be targets of beggars and thieves (v.30) or would have surplus of wealth (vv.34-35).
• "Love of enemies" progresses from attitude (love v.27), to speech (blessing, praying v.28), then to action (offering the other cheek, the shirt v.29). It is a wholesome process of real love.
• (v.31) The ethical value behind the golden rule is reciprocity. This principal can be categorized along three patterns: general reciprocity is the sharing of goods with no hope of return typical in family relationships, balanced or equal reciprocity is an exchange based on mutual and beneficial satisfaction of needs typical in neighborly relations, and in negative reciprocity a party takes advantage of the other party typical in relations with strangers. Jesus' golden rule is to turn the negative and balanced reciprocity toward the general reciprocity.
• Luke and Matthew are slightly different in their accounts for this passage.
  - (v.31) Mt 7:12 adds "this is the law and the prophets." To Luke the real prophet is Jesus (Lk 24:27,44).
  - (v.32) Mt 5:46 compares with the tax collectors rather than the sinners. Luke possibly avoids using the stereotype popular in the Jewish community at that time.
  - (v.36) Mt 5:48 uses "perfect" rather than "compassionate" or "merciful." Perfect in Matthew expresses a legal term, compassionate in Luke indicates a state of the heart.
  Jesus' message in the Gospel of Luke is more intelligible to the Gentiles rather than that of Matthew.
• (v.38) "Overflowing the lap" shows the image of God's superabundant gifts to mere human generosity.

The great reward in loving one's enemies is to become children of the Most High who has loved us unconditionally and expected nothing in return.

1. Don't you think Jesus' message of love (offering the other cheek) is passive? Did you ever take this approach to solve your conflict? What were the end results?
2. Do you have an enemy? How did this person become your enemy? Whose fault was that? What are your real enemies? Can you make peace and pray for this person?

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A synthesis by the Vietnamese Christian Life (Dong Hanh) Community