The Law of Love

Psalm 119:33-38; Matthew 5:43-48

GOLDEN TEXT: “Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”—Romans 13:10

THE concluding exhortation of our Lord’s instruction in our lesson today is, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Since the Lord’s followers have fallen, imperfect bodies and brains it is not possible for them to be perfect as God is perfect—except in heart, in intention. But our profession of a pure heart, a godlike intention, must be tested. It must be developed to the point of fixity of character. It must stand tests of temptation; it must endure and prove faithful under stress and pressure.

The Jews had gradually lost sight of the divine standards and had filled their minds with certain traditions which were more or less contrary to the Law. The Great Teacher, ignoring the Rabbis, might have been thought by some to be setting aside the Law, but he assured them, to the contrary, that he was merely setting aside human traditions and seeking to establish the Law and have more clearly understood. The people regarded the scribes and Pharisees as very religious and holy. But Jesus explained to them that they must have greater holiness or they would never enter the kingdom of heaven.—Matt. 5:20

The Mosaic Law laid down the divine principle which the judges of Israel were to follow: “An eye for an eye”—the exaction of strict justice. The people seem to have applied this improperly in their individual relationships, with the result that it cultivated hardness of heart, an exacting disposition which was pitiless, merciless. Our Lord’s teachings showed the error of this and pointed to the more excellent way—love.

Although the heavenly Father had ‘made the law, he had also planned to show mercy and did show it in sending his Son into the world to be the Redeemer of sinners, that they might not perish, but have eternal life through obedience to their Savior. (John 3:16,17; Acts 3:23) How much more proper it is that fellow-sufferers, both imperfect, should be lenient, tender-hearted toward each other. Mark the Lord’s words, I say unto you that by requiring an eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth, in exacting justice of your, imperfect it fellows, you are encouraging an improper spirit in your own hearts.—Matt. 5:7,20-26,38-42

In the context (verse 42) Jesus instructs his hearers to cultivate generosity. As the heavenly Father is always giving and never asking, so all his children should have this disposition and be ready to give something to anyone in need. This does not necessarily mean extravagant gifts, nor all that the petitioner would desire. Judgment, discretion, is to be used.

But the desire to give, to help, should by all means be cultivated in the heart of every follower of Jesus. And from those who would borrow of them (evidently for a temporary need) they should not turn away. They should, on the contrary, do good and lend, hoping for no similar favor in return. The Lord’s people might not thus amass as much money as others, but they would be pleasing and honoring their Heavenly Father, laying up treasure in heaven, and getting their own hearts into that condition which God could approve and bless in the kingdom.

Tradition taught that neighbors should be loved and enemies hated; but the Great Teacher declared that enemies also should be loved and blessed, even though they returned persecution and injury. It was this new and high order of teaching which marked our Redeemer’s utterances as different from all others.

The cultivation of this spirit of love for enemies, as well as for friends, would mark the followers of Jesus as children of God, as having the Heavenly Father’s spirit, or disposition. He sends the sunshine on sinners and on saints; the rain comes down for the just and for the unjust. It is difficult to estimate the amount of harm done to our minds by the traditions of the Dark Ages respecting God’s intention to torment his enemies eternally—all except the elect. Thank God that we have found that these teachings are not in the Bible! They made our forefathers heretic-burners. And again, thank God that we have received such an impetus to our faith in the knowledge of the divine plan which we find in complete harmony with the sublime statement, “God is love”!

Admitting the possibility of his followers exercising this glorious and godlike quality, our Lord asks, If love be extended only to those who love in return, how would it be worthy of any special reward? Do not the heathen, all men, love after this fashion? And if we are courteous merely to those who are courteous to us, wherein are we superior to Gentiles and sinners?

The followers of Jesus, the pupils in his school, are to take the highest standard of excellence for their pattern—their loving, perfect Creator. They are to strive for perfection such as his. They are to attain it in their hearts; and, so far as possible, they are to see that it controls in every thought, word, and deed of their fallen flesh.

QUESTIONS:

Of what well-known sermon is the second section of our Scripture lesson, a part, and to whom was it addressed?

What is indicated in our Lord’s words as to the prevalent misconception at that time, of certain statements of the Mosaic Law?

What standard did Jesus here place before his followers, and how can we attain it?

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