“You must love your fellow as yourself.” But the portion about hating one’s enemy was not from God. Possibly some of the religious leaders unjustifiably inferred from the obligation to love one’s neighbor that they were supposed to hate every non-Israelite as an enemy. The Cyclopædia by M’Clintock and Strong comments: “The Pharisees had restrained the meaning of the word neighbor to those of their own nation or to their own friends, holding that to hate their enemy was not forbidden by the law.”—Vol. VI, p. 929a.

However, the Law actually enjoined upon the Jews acts of love even to a fellowman who, because of his unloving actions, might seem to be a personal enemy. (Ex. 23:4, 5) And the Hebrew Scriptures advised: “When your enemy falls, do not rejoice; and when he is caused to stumble, may your heart not be joyful.” (Prov. 24:17) Of course, being joyful at the downfall of God’s enemies, not personal enemies, was another matter.—Ex. 15:1-21; Judg. 5:1, 31; Ps. 21:8-13.

It may be that there was a common expression in Jesus’ time that carried the import of his words. In The Authentic New Testament, Jewish scholar Hugh Schonfield translates Matthew 5:43: “You have heard how it was declared, ‘You are to love your neighbor, but hate your enemy.’” Then he links the second part with an obligation listed in one of the manuscripts found with the Dead Sea Scrolls. In the non-Biblical Manual of Discipline, generally connected with the Jewish sect called the Essenes, the readers are encouraged “to love all the sons of light, each according to his lot in the counsel of God, and to hate all the sons of darkness.”—The Dead Sea Scrolls, by Millar Burrows, page 371.

Despite the attitude that may have prevailed among many then, Jesus urged: “Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those persecuting you; that you may prove yourselves sons of your Father who is in the heavens.” (Matt. 5:44, 45) He even backed this up with his parable of the good Samaritan. Though the Jewish priest and Levite passed by without assisting the man who had been beaten by robbers, a Samaritan (a people despised by the Jews) stopped and helped. He proved to be a real neighbor. And this well illustrates the loving attitude recommended by God and taught by Jesus.—Luke 10:29-37.

This same spirit of loving one’s neighbor, even if he is a persecutor of true Christians, is cultivated by witnesses of Jehovah today. They recognize that they are not the ones to judge individuals, so they try to help all learn the way of life. As a result former persecutors, ones who were acting like enemies, have been aided to become Christians. (Acts 9:17; Gal. 1:13) And Christians will continue to do this until God himself acts to eliminate those enemies of his who hate him. He will thus clear his name of reproach, and that will be a cause for rejoicing.—Ps. 68:1, 3.

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