Luke 6:27–36: Reflecting the Father

July 17, 2026

The Ten Signposts of the Bible
CAMDE—400—CALY
Creation. Abraham. Moses. David. Elijah. 400. Christ. Apostles. Letters. Yet-to-Come.

Sometimes we like what Jesus says. Who doesn’t want the abundant life he promises? Who doesn’t desire the comfort of his constant presence? What weary person doesn’t long for his rest? We look forward to a resurrected life and the promise of heaven. 

And then Jesus says things we don’t really want to hear—much less put into practice in our daily lives. Love your enemies and pray for them? Why do we have to do that!? Turn the other cheek–really? Lend to people without expecting anything in return–that just feels like being taken advantage of, doesn’t it? 

So why does Jesus give us these instructions? Consider his bold message with this in mind: what he asks us to do is radical, but never unreasonable. Let me say that again: It is radical but it is never unreasonable.

Love Your Enemies
In Jesus' “Sermon on the Plain,” he told his followers, “...Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” (Luke 6:27-28). This is undoubtedly a challenging message. An enemy is someone who is actively opposed or hostile to us. How are we supposed to “love” a person whose goal is to tear us down? 

Part of our struggle is that we often think of love as passive—like “falling in love.” But the New Testament presents love more as a responsibility than a feeling. As someone has said, “We may not be able to control how we feel about them, but we certainly can control what we do about those feelings.”^[1] Sometimes that love may even involve confronting our enemy about the way they have treated us. 

At first glance, this seems to clash with David’s words In Psalm 139:22, where he says that he hates his enemies with “complete hatred.” A “complete hatred” hates the evil that harms and destroys, while still entrusting the person to God. David’s hatred is directed at his enemies’ wickedness, not a desire for their destruction. So we ask God to help us pray for our enemies— not that they would be destroyed, but that they would have a heart change. 

Turn the Other Cheek
But what happens when someone actually tries to physically hurt you? Jesus said, “To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also… (Luke 6:29). In Matthew’s account, he specifies the “right cheek.” For a right-handed person to strike someone’s right cheek would require a backhanded slap. 

In Jesus’ day, a backhanded slap was a deep insult and a public humiliation. So Jesus is likely not speaking primarily about physical aggression, but about being insulted and shamed. His point is that we are not to trade insult for insult. 

Give to the One Who Takes
Jesus continued by saying if a person “takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either” (Luke 6:29). The cloak was the outer garment that kept a person warm, and the tunic was the inner layer of clothing. Was Jesus saying we should end up walking  around naked because we have given away our garments? Of course not. He is expounding on generosity and caring for the needs of others. 

Jesus went on to say, “Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back” (Luke 6:30). Does this mean we should turn our homes into  shelters for the needy? No, but we are to share our blessings with others, exercising wisdom to meet those needs in ways that do not cause further harm to them or bring harm to our own family. 

The Golden Rule
Jesus said, “And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them” (Luke 6:31).  What we now call “the golden rule” did not originate with Jesus. A well-known rabbi, Hillel, had said, “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. That is the whole Torah, while the rest is the commentary.”^[2]

Jesus restates this truth in a positive way, giving us a clear standard for how we should live. Rather than simply avoiding harm, he calls us to actively do for others what we would want them to do for us. This question should continually guide our actions: Would I be pleased if someone treated me this way?  

Although Jesus’ statements are challenging, they reveal deeper truths that shape how we obey him. While we rightly hate the wickedness of our enemies, we ask God to transform our hearts and to help us pray for those who seek to harm us. Although we don’t stand by and allow others to physically hurt us, we are not to answer insult with insult. And while we are not commanded to give everything away so that our family is left destitute, we are called to generously steward the blessings God has graciously given us. 

This teaching is transformational for those who follow Jesus. Sinners love those who love them and do good to those who treat them well—that’s not costly (Luke 6:34). But when you “love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return,” then “your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:35–36). 

That is what it all comes down to. As children of “the Most High” we are to imitate the kindness, mercy, and love of our Father—even toward “the ungrateful and the evil.” We have been called to:

• Imitate God, as beloved children (Eph. 5:1).
• Follow in the steps of Jesus (1 Pet. 2:21; 1 John 2:6).
• Have the mind of Christ (Phil. 2:5–8).
• Love one another as God loved us (John 13:34–35).

Because Jesus empowers us to do what he commands, we can dare to love as he loves—even our enemies—and in doing so, the watching world catches a glimpse of the heart of God. 

PERSONAL TIME WITH GOD
Read and reflect on Luke 6:27–36. Who is the most difficult person in your life to love right now? 

Talking to God: Pray that your heart would be changed toward that person. 

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