How can Deuteronomy 23:7 be connected to Jesus' teachings on loving others? Setting the Scene “ You must not despise an Edomite, for he is your brother; you must not despise an Egyptian, because you resided as foreigners in his land.” — Deuteronomy 23:7 Why the Command Was Given • Israel had painful history with both peoples—Edomites opposed them (Numbers 20:14-21) and Egyptians enslaved them (Exodus 1–12). • Yet the Lord ordered Israel not to hate either nation. His covenant people were to display His character, not merely react to past mistreatment. • By calling Edom “brother” and reminding Israel of Egypt’s hospitality in earlier days (Genesis 46:26-34), God grounded mercy in shared origins and past grace. Echoes in Jesus’ Teaching • Love your neighbor: “ ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” (Leviticus 19:18) Jesus affirmed this as the second greatest commandment (Matthew 22:39). • Love your enemy: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). Deuteronomy 23:7 already required benevolence toward former enemies. • The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37): Jesus lifted up a man from a despised group who showed mercy—mirroring Israel’s call to treat outsiders with compassion. • Golden Rule: “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you” (Matthew 7:12). Israel knew what it felt like to be mistreated; they were to act differently. • The new command: “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 13:34). Christ’s self-giving love fulfills and intensifies the ethic glimpsed in Deuteronomy. Connecting Threads 1. Same Author, Same Heart – The God who spoke at Sinai is the God incarnate in Jesus (John 1:1-14). – Therefore the moral continuity between Deuteronomy 23:7 and Christ’s words is expected, not surprising. 2. Mercy Trumps Resentment – Israel’s temptation: repay evil with hatred. – Jesus exposes and overturns that instinct, calling disciples to radical forgiveness (Matthew 18:21-35). 3. Identity Shapes Conduct – Israel blessed outsiders because they were God’s covenant people (Deuteronomy 7:6-8). – Believers today love others because we are children of the Father who “causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good” (Matthew 5:45). Practical Takeaways • Grudges have no place in a heart redeemed by grace. • Past wounds do not excuse present hatred; God commands love that remembers His mercy more than our pain. • National, ethnic, or historical hostility must yield to the higher allegiance of belonging to Christ. • Loving difficult people puts God’s character on display and validates our witness (1 John 4:7-12). From Israel’s Camps to Our Communities Deuteronomy 23:7 shows that the call to love was baked into God’s law long before Jesus preached in Galilee. By loving Egyptians and Edomites, Israel foreshadowed the Savior who would stretch arms wide for Jew and Gentile alike. Following His lead, we extend grace—especially to those we once labeled outsiders—so the world may see the steadfast love of the Lord. |
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