Exposition of Luke 6:28 on Loving Enemies

Luke 6:28, part of Jesus's Sermon on the Plain, instructs believers to "bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you" ^[1]. This command is an extension of the broader directive given in the preceding verse: "love your enemies, do good to those who hate you" ^[1]. This teaching represents a radical departure from common ancient world ethics, which typically advocated loving friends and family while hating enemies ^[3].

The immediate context of Luke 6:27-36 presents a series of challenging ethical demands from Jesus, often paralleling the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew's Gospel. Jesus calls his followers to a higher standard of righteousness, moving beyond the principle of lex talionis (an eye for an eye) ^[7]. Instead of retaliation, the emphasis is on active benevolence towards those who inflict harm. This includes not only loving enemies but also doing good to them, lending without expectation of return, and praying for them ^{[1, 4]}.

The command to "bless those who curse you" and "pray for those who abuse you" highlights specific actions that embody this enemy-love. To "bless" (εὐλογέω, eulogeō) implies speaking well of someone or invoking divine favor upon them, directly contrasting with cursing. To "pray for" (προσεύχομαι, proseuchomai) those who abuse (ἐπηρεάζω, epēreazō) them means interceding on behalf of those who treat one spitefully or maliciously ^[1]. This active intercession is exemplified by Christ himself, who prayed for his persecutors on the cross ^[2].

Church Fathers like Augustine understood this command as a step beyond the righteousness of the Pharisees, who might hate even those who loved them ^[6]. Augustine also noted that when one hates an enemy, they might unknowingly be hating a potential brother, as only the devil and his angels are definitively beyond amendment ^[8]. Tertullian connected this New Testament teaching with principles found in the Old Testament, arguing that the Creator's scriptures also taught the love of enemies ^[7]. Clement of Alexandria and other early Christian writers similarly emphasized this precept, citing Isaiah and the Gospel to show that believers should be kindly disposed even to those who hate and cast them out ^[5].

The Methodist theologian Adam Clarke described this precept as "the most sublime ever delivered to man," noting its impracticability without supernatural influence ^[9]. Thomas Aquinas, a Scholastic theologian, clarified that charity requires loving enemies in their nature as fellow human beings, but not loving the evil they commit ^[10]. This teaching has been cross-referenced with other biblical passages that encourage kindness and non-retaliation, such as Proverbs 24:17-18 and Romans 12:14-21 ^{[3, 11]}. The call to love enemies and pray for persecutors has been a consistent theme in Christian tradition, even as believers have grappled with its practical application, as seen in discussions about martyrs' prayers for vengeance in God's judgment ^[12].

Sources

Luke ““But I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, -- Luke 6:27”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Enemies — Christ prayed for his -- Lu 23:34. The lives of, to be spared -- 1Sa 24:10; 2Sa 16:10,11. The goods of, to be taken care of -- Ex 23:4,5. Should be Loved. -- Mt 5:44. Prayed for. -- Ac 7:60. Assisted. -- Pr 25:21; Ro 12:20. Overcome by kindness. -- 1Sa 26:21. Rejoice not at the misfortunes of -- Job 31:29. Rejoice not at the failings of -- Pr 24:17. Desire not the death of -- 1Ki 3:11. Curse them not -- Job 31:30. Be affectionately concerned for -- Ps 35:13. The friendship of, deceitful -- 2Sa 20:9,10; Pr 26:26; 27:6; Mt 26:48,49. God defends against -- Ps ”
Luke (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Luke 6:27: 6:27 love your enemies! People were commonly taught in the ancient world to love their family and friends and hate their enemies. Jesus announced a radical new ethic of loving even one’s enemies and overcoming evil through self-sacrificial love for others, not through violence and hatred (cp. Rom 12:14-21).”
Luke (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Luke 6:34: But love ye your enemies,.... As before urged in Luk 6:27 and do good and lend; not to your friends only, but to your enemies; hoping for nothing again; either principal or interest, despairing of seeing either; lending to such persons, from whom, in all appearance, it is never to be expected again. The Persic version renders it, "that ye may not cause any to despair": and the Syriac version, "that ye may not cut off", or "cause to cease the hope of men"; and the Arabic version, "that ye do not deceive the hope of any" that is, by sending such away, without lending t”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 2: Hermas, Tatian, Theophilus, Athenagoras, Clement of Alexandria — CHAP. XIV.--OF LOVING OUR ENEMIES.: And that we should be kindly disposed, not only towards those of our own stock, as some suppose, Isaiah the prophet said: "Say to those that hate you, and that cast you out, Ye are our brethren, that the name of the LORD may be glorified, and be apparent in their joy."(10) And the Gospel says: "Love your enemies, and pray for them that despitefully use you. For if ye love them who love you, what reward have ye? This do also the robbers and the publicans."(11) And those that do good i”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 6: Augustine — Homilies on the Gospels — CHAP. XXI.--69. In the next place, He goes on to say, "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy: But I say unto you, Love your enemies, do good to t (part 1): 70. That there is, however, a certain step [in advance] in the righteousness of the Pharisees, which belongs to the old law, is perceived from this consideration, that many men hate even those by whom they are loved; as, for instance, luxurious children hate their parents for restraining them in their luxury. That than therefore rises a”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. XVI.--THE PRECEPT OF LOVING ONE'S ENEMIES. IT IS AS MUCH TAUGHT IN THE CREATOR'S SCRIPTURES OF THE OLD TESTAMENT AS IN CHRIST'S SERMON. THE LEX TALIONIS OF MOSES ADMIRABLY EXPLAINED IN CONSISTEN (part 5): own sentiments(3) which he would have left to me, binding me to no proper rule of wish or action, in order that I might do to others what I would like for myself, or refrain from doing to others what I should dislike to have done to myself. For he has not, in fact, defined what I ought to wish or not to wish for myself as well as for others, so that I shape my co”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 8: Augustine — Exposition on Psalms — PSALM LV.[5] (part 4): us would be converted, and together with us be exercised! Nevertheless, so long as they are such as to exercise, let us not hate them: because in that wherein any one of them is evil, whether unto the end he is to persevere, we know not; and ofttimes when to thyself thou seemest to have been hating an enemy, thou hast been hating a brother, and knowest not. The devil and his angels in the holy Scriptures have been manifested to us, that for fire everlasting they have been destined. Of them only must amendment be despaired o”
Luke (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Luke 6:35: Love ye your enemies - This is the most sublime precept ever delivered to man: a false religion durst not give a precept of this nature, because, with out supernatural influence, it must be for ever impracticable. In these words of our blessed Lord we see the tenderness, sincerity, extent, disinterestedness, pattern, and issue of the love of God dwelling in man: a religion which has for its foundation the union of God and man in the same person, and the death of this august being for his enemies; which consists on earth in a reconciliation of the Creator with his crea”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Second Part of the Second Part (Secunda Secundae), Of the Object of Charity, Art. 8: Article: Whether charity requires that we should love our enemies? I answer that, Love of one's enemies may be understood in three ways. First, as though we were to love our enemies as such: this is perverse, and contrary to charity, since it implies love of that which is evil in another. Secondly love of one's enemies may mean that we love them as to their nature, but in general: and in this sense charity requires that we should love our enemies, namely, that in loving God and our n”
Proverbs (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Proverbs 24:17: 24:17-18 Saying 28: This saying leads to Jesus’ call to love our enemies (Matt 5:43-48).”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 8: Augustine — Exposition on Psalms — PSALM LXXIX. (4) (part 11): show that much more the just God will speedily make the judgment of His elect, who cry unto Him day and night, Thence is also that cry of the Martyrs under the altar of God(11) that they may be avenged in the judgment of God. Where then is the, "Love your enemies, do good unto them that hate you, and pray for them that persecute you"?[12] Where is also the, "Not rendering evil for evil, nor cursing for cursing :"(13) and, "unto no man rendering evil for evil"?(14) ... For when the Lord was exhorting us to love enemies,”

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