在这段经文中，耶稣颠覆了一个从那天起的俗语。
人们通常会把旧约中“爱你的邻舍”的命令和“恨你的仇敌”这样表达复仇的话连在一起。人们通常把外族人都视为仇敌。
他们或许很震惊地听到耶稣竟然说：“我告诉你们，要爱你们的仇敌，为那逼迫你们的祷告。”
耶稣这个命令的激进之处在于，祂的目标不仅仅是“和平共处”，“互不干涉”或“既往不咎”，祂是在命令人主动地、脚踏实地去爱。祂命令我们爱我们的仇敌，并为他们谋求最大的利益——并不仅仅是让他们不要烦我们而已。
耶稣说，爱仇敌很重要的行动是，要为他们祷告。坦白地说，如果我们持续为某人祷告，就不可能持续恨他们。为仇敌祷告帮助我们以神的眼光看待他们。它帮助我们开始关心他们的需要，将他们视为邻舍来对待。
不幸的是，我们各人都有这样或那样的对手，心怀怨怼。耶稣呼召我们去爱那些人，为他们和他们的幸福祷告。毕竟，这正是祂亲自为我们所做的。“因为我们作仇敌的时候，且藉着神儿子的死，得与神和好。”（罗 5:10）
父啊，我们曾是你的仇敌，但现在，在耶稣里，我们成了你的儿女。请帮助我们爱我们的仇敌，并为他们祷告。阿们。
马太福音 5:43-48
43“你们听见有话说：‘当爱你的邻舍，恨你的仇敌。’
44只是我告诉你们，要爱你们的仇敌，为那逼迫你们的祷告，
45这样就可以做你们天父的儿子，因为他叫日头照好人也照歹人，降雨给义人也给不义的人。
46你们若单爱那爱你们的人，有什么赏赐呢？就是税吏不也是这样行吗？
47你们若单请你弟兄的安，比人有什么长处呢？就是外邦人不也是这样行吗？
48所以你们要完全，像你们的天父完全一样。
"I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." — Matthew 5:44
In this passage Jesus flips a common saying from that day on its head.
People would commonly splice the Old Testament command to "love your neighbor" (Leviticus 19:18) with a vengeful phrase: ". . . and hate your enemy." The people typically considered anyone from another nation as an enemy.
And they were probably stunned to hear Jesus say, "I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."
What's radical about Jesus' demand is that it's not just aiming for "peaceful coexistence," "live and let live," or "let bygones be bygones." He's commanding proactive, practical love. We are commanded to love our enemies and to seek the best for them—not just so that they will leave us alone.
An important part of loving our enemies, Jesus says, includes praying for them. Frankly, it's impossible to keep hating someone if we're praying for their good. Praying for our enemies helps us to see them as God sees them. It helps us to begin to care about their needs and treat them like a neighbor.
Unfortunately, we all have antagonists of one sort or another. Jesus himself calls us to love those people and to pray for them and for their well-being. After all, that's what he did for us. "While we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son" (Romans 5:10).
Father, we were your enemies, but now, in Jesus, we are your children. Help us to pray for and to love our enemies. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
