I. Our Lord does not say here that all men are to be equally dear to us, or equally esteemed by us. He does not substitute a vague principle of universal philanthropy in the room of those special affections which arise either out of kindred or kindness; neither does He teach us to show equal honour to the evil and the good, the just and the unjust. What He means is to assert in all its fulness the law of God, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour," and to deny in all its application the corollary of the scribes, "Thou shalt hate thine enemy." He forbids hate altogether, and will not allow it any rightful place in our hearts.
II. The wonderfully simple and effective parable of the Good Samaritan clears up in a moment the whole matter before us; for it teaches us that the offices of neighbourly love are nowise dependent either on the character of him who claims them, or on his treatment of us. It is in a sense natural to hate our enemies; but it is only natural because our better nature has been miserably changed and corrupted. It is the instinct not of true, but of fallen humanity to burn with wrath and return evil for evil.
III. Observe the reasons Christ gives for this law. It is that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven, and that ye may be perfect, as your Father is perfect. This is the spirit of Christian perfection, for love is the fulfilling of the law. This is the spirit of the Lord, for God Himself is love. Though there is a peculiar love which clasps in a fond embrace the chosen, redeemed, and believing ones, there is also in God's heart a most pitiful, yearning, compassionate love which does good to all, striving to make them good. People sometimes persuade themselves that, while they should love their own enemies, they ought to hate those who are enemies of God, and no sooner does this idea get a footing in their thoughts than it spreads and extends its domain, and under covert of a pious duty all malice, hate, and uncharitableness riot in their deceitful hearts. But the Lord's word is most absolute and without qualification. Love is due to all, good and evil, just and unjust; for our duty does not depend on theirs, neither is our spirit to be regulated by theirs.
W. C. Smith, The Sermon on the Mount,p. 146.
References: Matthew 5:43. Spurgeon, Morning by Morning,p. 72.Matthew 5:43-45. H. W. Beecher, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xxxi., p. 53.Matthew 5:43-48. Ibid.,vol. xx., p. 188; G. Macdonald, Unspoken Sermons,p. 217; J. Oswald Dykes, The Laws of the Kingdom,p. 111; Ibid., The Manifesto of the King,p. 311.Matthew 5:44. C. Taylor, Expositor,3rd series, vol. vi., p. 364.Matthew 5:45. Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. xxiv., No. 1414; S. Cox, Expositions,vol. ii., p. 58; R. W. Dale, The Evangelical Revival,p. 193.Matthew 5:46. H. W. Beecher, Christian World Pulpit,vol. xxiv., p. 356. Matthew 5:46; Matthew 5:47. R. W. Dale, Evangelical Revival,p. 60. Matthew 5:47. Spurgeon, Sermons,vol. xviii., No. 1029.