Love your enemy

THE EDITOR: A great deal of persons fail to realise the importance of Jesus’ sermon on the Plain (Lk 6: 20-49). Luke said Jesus came down to a “level place” and addressed the disciples. It started with Four Beatitudes in the second person— “Ye that hunger . . . ye that weep . . . ye poor . . . ,” followed by four woes on the rich, those who are full, those who laugh and those of whom all men speak well. Then comes a passage on loving one’s enemies and doing good to all concluding with “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” This paragraph is parallel to Matthew, 6. “Ye shall be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

A short statement follows depreciating judgment and condemnation, emphasising, “with what measure you mete it will be measured to you.” This is followed by a statement about the blind leading the blind and the parable of the “Mote and Beam.” Matthew 5-7 mentions eight beatitudes but no woes. Matthew mentions the relation between Jesus’ teaching and the Old Testament Law in which he said that He is not destroying it but “fulfilling” the Law and Prophets. Matthew deals with Jesus’ doctrine on almsgiving, fasting, prayer — and the Lord’s Prayer occurs here. It is imperative to remember this message of Jesus and put it into practice for blessings.

AHAMAD KHAYYAM
Curepe