Introduction
Over the course of history, many things have come and gone. Throughout these changes, some aspects of life have remained constant. Conflict is a persistent feature that has caused strife in the past, present, and will likely continue in the future. Within these contentious events, opposing sides often label each other the “enemy.” As history shows, these situations are likely to occur in an individual’s life; therefore it’s important to know how one should handle one’s self in such an event. Luke attempts to address this quandary in his passage, “Love of Enemies” (Luke 6:27-36). Here, he conveys the idea that when dealing with opposition and enemies, individuals shouldn’t let the oppressor’s degrading actions shape …show more content…

They were concerned how he could continue to exercise a presence, and represent the hope God wanted to convey, if he was crucified.13 Lastly, they questioned what it meant to respond to Jesus. Moreover, their concern was based on how to define Jesus’ mission and that of the disciples who followed him.14 Luke attempts to answer these final two questions by showing how Jesus commanded his disciples to act mercifully as part of his Sermon on the Plain. Moreover, Jesus’ presence – the presence of God’s plan – would be conveyed if Luke’s audience met the challenge of living as disciples of Jesus in acting with merciful love towards everyone.
Looking back over the historical context in the time Luke wrote, each aspect helps support the central theological meaning of the passage. Moreover, each part contributes to Luke’s attempt to convey that the conflict between God and the community for which Luke wrote could be overcome with merciful love and care. First, this was possible because Luke was a well-educated individual who understood the ministry of Jesus even though he wasn’t a direct eyewitness. Hence, he was able to deliver the confirmation of the Word and the message of salvation in Jesus. Also, Luke’s self-less nature allowed him to address victims of mistreatment and inform them that they should still act with merciful love and care so that they could be children of the Most High. Lastly, Luke addressed