Luke (6:27) Love of Enemies Reflection essay

Luke (6:27) Love of Enemies Reflection

Over the course of history, many things have come and gone. Throughout these changes, some aspects of life have remained constant. Conflict is a persistent feature that has caused strife in the past, present, and will likely continue in the future. Within these contentious events, opposing sides often label each other the “enemy.” As history shows, these situations are likely to occur in an individual’s life; therefore it’s important to know how one should handle one’s self in such an event. Luke attempts to address this quandary in his passage, “Love of Enemies” (Luke 6:27-36).

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Here, he conveys the idea that when dealing with opposition and enemies, individuals shouldn’t let the oppressor’s degrading actions shape our values, but rather act in accordance of the principles of merciful love that Luke states God exemplifies. This message is evident in the history leading up to the passage, when God acts mercifully towards Israelites who questioned his ways, in the text of the passage, when Luke depicts Jesus’ commands in his disputation speech as part of the Sermon on the Plain, and in our world today as wisdom for ethical living. The World Behind the Text: Historical Background and Social Location The historical time when Luke wrote greatly influenced the central theme he wanted to convey in “Love of Enemies” (Luke 6:27-36). By examining the aspects that made up the historical context such as the characteristics of Luke, the community he addressed, and the conflicts within that community, his theme can be found.

Moreover, these elements show how Luke wanted to convey the message that conflict can be conquered with the same merciful love and care that Luke depicted God acting with. The identification of who the author actually was, is important in showing how he wanted to convey the message that merciful love could be attained in his particular community. Identifying the individual is difficult to pinpoint because multiple sources suggest that the author of this Gospel never actually revealed himself.1 The time period in which he lived is difficult to identify too, but various accounts state that the author wasn’t an eyewitness to the ministry of Jesus. “Rather, he relied on his study of traditions, which came from ‘eyewitnesses and servants of the word’.”2 Due to these notions of unconfirmed authorship, it is assumed that Luke is the author of the Gospel. One scholar states, “after the ascension of Christ, when Paul had taken him along with him as one devoted to letters, he wrote it under his own name from hearsay.”3 These quotes show that although Luke wasn’t a direct eyewitness to the ministry of Jesus, he was still able to comprehend his teachings.

Therefore, in the passage, “Love of Enemies” (Luke 6-27-36), he was able to convey the Word of Jesus to his community that conflict can be overcome with the merciful love that Jesus claims God acted with. Along with who the author actually was, his cultural background related to the message he wanted to convey as well. It has been noted that Luke is a well-educated individual. He has been described as, “A gentile Christian . . . a native of Antioch, where he was well educated in a Hellenistic atmosphere and culture.”4 Many experiences from Luke’s lifetime suggest that he was an extremely selfless person. One scholar claims that he would “show a favoritism for minorities, segregated groups, and the underprivileged. Samaritans, lepers, publican, soldiers, pub……………………………