In Luke 6:17-42, there is an account of the teaching of Christ that strikes great awe in the hearts of those that read it with fairness. It is amazingly similar to that taught in Matthew chapters 5, 6 and 7 and has even been called Luke's account of the sermon on the mount. It seems however, that because of the circumstances and place that Luke describes, that this must be another time in which Jesus enunciated the same principles that He did in that sermon on the mount.
When Jesus taught such principles as these, men were amazed because He did not teach as they were used to hearing. He did not follow the usual course of Old Testament teaching (Matthew 7:29). Jesus had things to say that no one had said before. Some have argued that the sermon on the mount and that in Luke 6 were simply explanations of the Law but the Bible says that they were preachings of the gospel of the Kingdom of heaven (Matthew 4:23). Thus, these thoughts ought to challenge our attention and dwell in our hearts.
The Law of Love
We want to examine a portion of the sermon that Christ preached in Luke 6. One of the foremost problems in life has always been the denial of a proper spirit, one toward the other. But Jesus says that even in cases where there is not the proper spirit toward one, the other is to have love. Read it: "Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you. Bless them that curse you and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smites you on the one cheek, offer also the other, and him that takes away your cloak, forbid not to take your coat also. Give to every man that asks of you; and of him that takes away your goods, ask for them not again" (vs. 27-30).
Jesus teaches something different than the Law had taught. Love your enemies. It is not impossible to love our enemies. Jesus never commands the impossible. However, we must learn that Biblical love is not a passion but a command. It is a principle of service. Love is simply active good will. To love our enemies is simply to do what is best for them, to treat them as God directs. The idea throughout all the Bible is a contrast between love and vengeance. If we love, we will not, "be overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." We will, "render to no man evil for evil." "Avenge not yourselves, beloved, but give place unto the wrath of God; for it is written, 'Vengeance belongs unto Me; I will recompense' says the Lord" (Romans 12:17:21).
Our lives are thus to be a blessing to others. Everything that we do and say is involved. Yea, all that we even think. The idea of retaliation is forbidden by God. This is not to say that we are forbidden in the matter of self-protection. Paul sought such protection in claiming Roman citizenship (Acts 16:37; 22:25-29). But it does forbid revenge. It teaches that a Christian should endure wrong rather than do wrong.
The Golden Rule
"And as you would that men should do to you, do you also to them likewise" (vs. 31). This passage is known to all as the Golden Rule. It is such because its worth to man's happiness can be compared only to the richest of precious things. It affirms that we should do nothing that we would not have done to ourselves.
Everything we do daily should come under the scope of this rule. In our families, we should control our words, our attitudes and our actions so that our actions conform to the actions we desire of the rest of the family toward ourselves. In business, circumstances, trades, transactions and associations, our outlay should compare with our expected intake. In religion, if we expect to get to heaven, we must assume a posture of helping others get there. This does not mean that we must help people to be greedy and selfish but we will do what is just, merciful and right toward them; that which we would desire, should we be in their place.
The Practical Discussion
As in much of the teaching of Jesus, He gives a practical discussion of His topic (vs. 32-36). He says that love is more than loving the ones that love us. That is not hard to do. Many a young man has won the heart of his beloved by showing how much he cared. And it is more than doing good for those that do good to you. Have you ever heard the expression, "It always comes back to you?" It just means that people will do good for those that do good to them and maybe bad for bad. But Christ is teaching more than just that. It is more than lending to those who you know can repay with interest. To Christ, it is going to see sick people who never come to see you. It is helping those who refused to be of assistance to you. It is teaching those who hate you for it and trying to help those who hate your name. It is more than giving the shower gift to the one who gave to you. It is giving to the one who did not give to you and praying for their happiness.
Judge Not
Personal judgment has no place in this spirit of love. As in Matthew 7, Christ is not saying that one cannot speak the judgement of God. Indeed, we are to make such judgments (John 7:24). But we are not to make such judgments as to who is and who is not to receive our love. All are to have it, for God has so ordered that we love one another (Romans 13:7-8).
Blind Guides
If we have not this attitude, we have no place in the kingdom to show to others the way of hope. If we cannot be merciful, we can find no way to lead others to mercy. If we love only those who love us, how can we expect to be loved of God? We are then but blind guides leading the blind to fall with us in the ditch.
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