John Calvin Commentary Matthew 5:44

"but I say unto you, love your enemies, and pray for them that persecute you;" — Matthew 5:44 (ASV)

Love your enemies. This single point includes the whole of the former doctrine. For whoever brings his mind to love those who hate him will naturally refrain from all revenge, patiently endure evils, and be much more prone to assist the wretched. Christ presents to us, in summary, how to fulfill this precept: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself (Matthew 22:39). For no one will ever come to obey this precept until he has given up self-love, or rather denied himself, and until all people, whom God has declared to be connected with him, are held by him in such estimation that he even proceeds to love those by whom he is hated.

We learn from these words how far believers should be removed from every kind of revenge. For they are not only forbidden to ask it from God but are commanded to banish and erase it from their minds so completely as to bless their enemies. In the meantime, they do not fail to commit their cause to God until He takes vengeance on the reprobate. For they desire, as far as it is in their power, that the wicked should return to a sound mind so that they may not perish, and thus they endeavor to promote their salvation.

And there is still this consolation by which all their distresses are soothed: they have no doubt that God will be the avenger of obstinate wickedness, so as to make it manifest that those who are unjustly attacked are the objects of His care. It is very difficult, indeed, and altogether contrary to the disposition of the flesh, to render good for evil. But our vices and weakness should not be pleaded as an apology. We should simply inquire what is demanded by the law of charity, for if we rely on the heavenly power of the Spirit, we will successfully encounter all that is opposed to it in our feelings.

This is undoubtedly the reason why monks, and other clamorous individuals of the same sort, imagined that these were advices, and not precepts, given by Christ. For they took the strength of men as the standard for ascertaining what they owe to God and to His law. And yet the monks were not ashamed to claim perfection for themselves, having voluntarily bound themselves to attend to His advices. How faithfully they support the title to which they lay claim I do not now say:⁴²⁰ but the folly and absurdity of alleging that they are only advices will appear from many considerations:

1. To say that He advised His disciples, but did not authoritatively command them, to do what was right, is to dishonor Christ.
2. To represent the duties of charity, which depend on the law, as matters on which they are left at liberty, is highly foolish.⁴²¹
3. The words ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν, but I say to you, mean in this passage, “I denounce,” or “I command,” and cannot, with propriety, be rendered, I advise.
4. That it is an express command of what must necessarily be obeyed is proved, without any difficulty, from the words of Christ: for He immediately adds,

⁴²⁰ “Je ne touche point pour le present combien ils s'acquittent vaillament et fidelement de ce dont ils se vantent de paroles.” — “I say nothing, for the present, as to the valiant and faithful manner in which they accomplish what they boast of in words.”.” — “I say nothing, for the present, as to the valiant and faithful manner in which they accomplish what they boast of in words.”

⁴²¹ “C'est une chose tant et plus absurde, que les devoirs de charite, qui dependent de la Loy, soyent mis en la liberte des hommes, de les faire, ou de les laisser.” — “It is an exceedingly absurd thing, that the duties of charity, which depend on the Law, should be put in the power of men to do them, or to let them alone.”.” — “It is an exceedingly absurd thing, that the duties of charity, which depend on the Law, should be put in the power of men to do them, or to let them alone.”