Preparing for Pentecost 18

Apr 16, 2008 @ 0:10 By 4 Comments

Only a genuine baptism of the Spirit, the Pentecostal Spirit, empowers us to be what the Sermon on the Mount calls us to be. In 40 Days Living the Jesus Creed I state that loving your enemies — an important command of Jesus in his radical Sermon on the Mount — is what the Jesus Creed calls us to do.
Enemy-love is a wondrous principle to pronounce but a demanding love to live; it is no romantic ideal except when we gather together and imagine how great it would be if we were all to love our enemies. Until the enemy stands at the door.
What do I mean? I draw here on Miroslav Volf’s The End of Memory to make these points:
1. Enemy love means we have enemy.
2. Enemy love means we have wounds in our memory.
3. Enemy love means we welcome the humanity — Eikon-ness — of the enemy.
4. Enemy love means we pray for and bless our enemy.
Enemy love is the Jesus Creed at its extreme limit; enemy love happens when we are empowered by the Spirit.

Filed Under: Jesus Creed 4 Comments
About Scot McKnight

Scot McKnight is a recognized authority on the New Testament, early Christianity, and the historical Jesus. McKnight, author of more than thirty books, is the Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary in Lombard, IL.

  • http://mikerucker.wordpress.com mike rucker

    to me, “enemy” is a strong word.
    but this piece, scot, reminded me of step four in the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (er, uh, a friend told me about it … yeah, that’s the ticket). when we – uh, i mean, they – look at resentments, the step says that, yes, in some cases, all resentments might have some legitimacy. however, what is supposed to be done at that point is to understand that the individual the resentment is against is just as sick as the alcoholic. and what the Big Book of AA says to do at that point is pray for that person just as the alcoholic would hope that person prays for him.
    pretty slick. thanks for this connection.
    mike rucker
    fairburn, georgia, usa

  • http://abisomeone.blogspot.com/ Peggy

    Scot,
    Two things struck me as I read today’s chapter:
    1. Most of the people who are at the center of wounds in my memory are supposed to be my friends, not my enemies. It is an important thing to bring “enemy” closer to home, just as it is an important thing to bring “sin” down to not choosing to love. This is where the rubber meets the road.
    2. As we look at the faces of those who have wounded us, we must recognize the image — the cracked Eikon — of God. I was immediately taken back to the book, The Shack, where Mack is shocked to hear that Papa is also “especially fond of” the man who murdered Mack’s precious daughter. How heartbreaking it is for Papa to have an Eikon who has so forgotten his identity that he can do these despicable things. And how much Papa yearns for the day when this broken Eikon might come home.
    …the road home, both for the killer and for Mack, had to begin with Mack’s choice to forgive and trust Papa’s justice to truly be just — to make things right — for everyone.
    Tall order, this!
    Here’s to extreme love, brother! May I have the courage, first, to call the name “enemy” where, in truth, it lies … and then to ask the Holy Spirit to do a work in my heart and memory that results in power for forgiveness of and love for and restoration of the name Eikon where Enemy once sat … sometimes in the same pew!
    Christ, have mercy.

  • http://abisomeone.blogspot.com/ Peggy

    …as I was processing my comment further at my blog, it occurred to me that all too often, the Enemy is looking back in the mirror….

  • Scott

    Part of the problem with this command is that we are not fully converted about who YHWH actually is,the One who loves ALL! According to Jesus,to love as YHWH loves defines YHWH’s perfection, not unlimited knowledge,power or omniscience.
    The god we often worship,through whom we project our anger and wrath onto others who wrong us,is an idol. The true love of God (YHWH) is the most deconstructive force in the universe;it unmasks all our self-centered strivings which we ascribe as righteous indignation and judgment.