Matthew 5:43

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour, and hate your enemy,

The passage once again commences with a statement made by others. ‘It has been said.' This represents the popular attitude. And what has been said is that ‘love your neighbour' necessarily excludes one's enemy. The statement had thus clearly become somewhat commonplace that ‘you shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy'. Here a central feature of the Law appears seemingly to have been taken up, ‘you shall love your neighbour as yourself' (Leviticus 19:18), but then limited by the addition of what seems a commonsense rider, ‘you shall hate your enemy.' But in fact it will be noted that the whole emphasis of the first statement has by this been altered. The idea of the demanding depth of the love revealed in Leviticus 19:18 is dropped (‘as yourself') so that the cutting edge is removed, while the contrast with the enemy takes away even more force from the idea of love. It has simply become a statement seen as speaking of friendship as against enmity. In this form it is very similar to ideas expressed at Qumran, ‘love the sons of light -- and hate all the sons of darkness'. It has become a parochial representation of national solidarity, and a softening up even of the requirement to a neighbour. And we can also parallel the idea in Rabbinic teaching, where commenting on Leviticus 19:18 we find the comment, ‘against others (who are not your neighbours) you may be revengeful and bear a grudge'. Although that must not necessarily be seen as typical of all Rabbinic teaching.