Answers to Objections
Some Bible passages supposedly contradict Jesus' teaching to love our
enemies. But as we examine, I believe we can show that that is not the case.
The issue of the many Old Testament passages will be dealt with on a separate page.
But didn't Jesus say 'Love Your Neighbour'?
(separate page)
"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth.
I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn
`a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law-- a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'
(Matthew 10:34, NIV)
Jesus is talking about the division that will come from some people become his
followers, and others do not. In other words, the "sword" is metaphorical
- it refers to the divisions his message causes. It does not negate the fact
that his followers are commanded to love all people.
What about when Jesus strongly criticised his opponents,
as in Matthew 23?
Jesus' words in Matthew 23 were not simply name-calling or blind criticism. He named sinful practices, and also pointed out what should be done to remedy it. He was simply telling it like it was.
However Jesus' criticisms of the Pharisees were not unloving. At the end
of his discourse, he said:
'"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.' (Matthew 23:37, NIV).
Jesus allowed anyone to become a follower of him. He visited Pharisees
(Luke 7:36-50, 11:37-50), and
John's gospel records how at least one Pharisee, Nicodemus, became a
follower of Jesus.
In short, Jesus had to criticise sin where he saw it,
but that did not make him unloving.
If anyone does not love the Lord--a curse be on him. Come, O Lord
(1 Cor 16:22, NIV)
The phrase "Let him be anathema" (NIV: "a curse be on him") means "Let him be
delivered over for destruction". It is calling upon God to act as judge: not
anyone else. We are still called to love all people. God, one day, will judge
all people. But the judging will be done by God alone.
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