| Geneva Study Bible Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. People's New Testament 5:43 Thou shalt love thy neighbour. See Le 19:18. The Jews gave the command a very limited application. For Christ's application, see parable of the Good Samaritan (Lu 10:30-37). It embraces any one so near us as to need and to receive our acts of kindness. Hate thine enemy. A Jewish perversion of the meaning of De 23:6. It exhibits the spirit of the whole heathen world. Plato praises the Athenians because they hated the Persians more than any of the other Greeks. Wesley's Notes 5:43 Thou shalt love thy neighbour; And hate thy enemy - God spoke the former part; the scribes added the latter. Lev 19:18. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary 43. Ye have heard that it hath been said-(Le 19:18). Thou shalt love thy neighbour-To this the corrupt teachers added, and hate thine enemy-as if the one were a legitimate inference from the other, instead of being a detestable gloss, as Bengel indignantly calls it. Lightfoot quotes some of the cursed maxims inculcated by those traditionists regarding the proper treatment of all Gentiles. No wonder that the Romans charged the Jews with hatred of the human race. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary 5:43-48 The Jewish teachers by neighbour understood only those who were of their own country, nation, and religion, whom they were pleased to look upon as their friends. The Lord Jesus teaches that we must do all the real kindness we can to all, especially to their souls. We must pray for them. While many will render good for good, we must render good for evil; and this will speak a nobler principle than most men act by. Others salute their brethren, and embrace those of their own party, and way, and opinion, but we must not so confine our respect. It is the duty of Christians to desire, and aim at, and press towards perfection in grace and holiness. And therein we must study to conform ourselves to the example of our heavenly Father, 1Pe 1:15,16. Surely more is to be expected from the followers of Christ than from others; surely more will be found in them than in others. Let us beg of God to enable us to prove ourselves his children. | 
