Loving our enemies: More from the Early Fathers

Last year I wrote this article for a magazine:

Loving our Enemies

(Somewhat coincidentally, it was a couple weeks before I wrote this blog entry.)  At the time I knew that the command to love our enemies was clearly stated in the gospels and New Testament epistles.  But I didn't realize how important it was to the early church.  Recently, when I began reading the earliest documents of the Christian church, I came to see that loving our enemies was pivotal.  Not only was it taught in church documents, sermons, and letters, but the visible fruit of Christian love for their enemies was a major point that Christians made when defending their faith to non-Christians.  So what has happened between then and now?

All of the following quotes are taken from the first 160 years of the Christian church.   At least two of the authors of the quotes were themselves martyred during this period of persecution.

There are two ways, one of life and one of death; and between the two ways there is a great difference.

Now, this is the way of life: "First, you must love God who made you, and second, your neighbor as yourself." And whatever you want people to refrain from doing to you, you must not do to them.

What these maxims teach is this: "Bless those who curse you," and "pray for your enemies." Moreover, fast "for those who persecute you."  For "what credit is it to you if you love those who love you?  Is that not the way the heathen act?"  But "you must love those who hate you," and then you will make no enemies.  "Abstain from carnal passions."  If someone strikes you "on the right cheek, turn to him the other too, and you will be perfect."  If someone "forces you to go one mile with him, go along with him for two"; if someone robs you "of your overcoat, give him your suit as well."  If someone deprives you of "your property, do not ask for it back."  (You could not get it back anyway!)  "Give to everybody who asked of you, and ask for no return."  For the Father wants his own gifts to be universally shared. 

- Opening of the Didache, possibly the earliest church document ever discovered

"Pray also for emperors and magistrates and rulers, and for those who persecute and hate you, and for the enemies of the cross, that your fruit may be manifest in all, so that you may be perfected in him."

- Bishop Polycarp, Orthodox saint and one of the most famous early bishops and martyrs, in the close of his letter to the Philippians (his only existing letter)

For the Lord says, "My name is continually scoffed at by all peoples"; and again, "Alas for whom my name is scoffed at!"  How is it scoffed at?  By your failing to do what I want.  For when the heathen hear God's oracles on our lips they marvel at their beauty and greatness.  But afterward, when they mark that our deeds are unworthy of the words we utter, they turn from this to scoffing, and say that it is a myth and a delusion.  When, for instance, they hear from us that God says, "It is no credit to you if you love those who love you, but it is to your credit if you love your enemies and those who hate you," when they hear these things, they are amazed at such surpassing goodness.  But when they see that we fail to love not only those who hate us, but even those who love us, then they mock at us and scoff at the Name.

- The earliest Christian sermon ever discovered (known as "Clement's Second Letter", though the original author is unknown)

This is what [Christ] taught on affection for all men: "If you love those who love you, what new thing do you do?  for even the harlots do this.  But I say to you, Pray for your enemies and love those who hate you and bless those who curse you and pray for those who treat you despitefully."

About being long-suffering and servants to all and free from anger, this is what he said: "To him that smites you on one cheek turn the other also, and to him that takes away your cloak do not deny your tunic either.  Whoever is angry is worthy of the fire.  And whoever compels you to go one mile, follow him for two.  Let your good works shine before men, that they as they see may wonder at your Father who is in heaven".

- Justin Martyr, in the first known written defense of the Christian faith, giving examples of the goodness of Christian conduct and the power of God in Christ's words.

Moreover, by showing that the teachings themselves, to which we are attached, are not human, but were declared and taught by God, we can persuade you not to hold us for atheists.  What, then, are these teachings in which we are reared? "I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven, who makes his sun to shine on the evil and on the good, and sends his rain on the just and on the unjust."

With us...you will find unlettered people, tradesmen and old women, who, though unable to express in words the advantages of our teaching, demonstrate by acts the value of their principles.  For they do not rehearse speeches, but evidence good deeds.  When struck, they do not strike back; when robbed, they do not sue; to those who ask, they give, and they love their neighbors as themselves.

If we did not think that a God ruled over the human race, would we live in such purity?  The idea is impossible.

- Athenagoras, in a 2nd-century defense of the faith to the Roman emperors

If we are enjoined, then, to love our enemies, as I have remarked above, whom have we to hate?  if injured, we are forbidden to retaliate, lest we become as bad ourselves: who can suffer injury at our hands?  In regard to this, recall your own experiences.  How often you inflict gross cruelties on Christians, partly becaues it is your own inclination, and partly in obedience to the laws!  How often, too, the hostile mob, paying no regard to you, takes the law into its own hand, and assails us with stones and flames!  With the very frenzy of the Bacchanals, they do not even spare the Christian dead, but tear them, now sadly changed, no longer entire, from the rest of the tomb, from the asylum we might say of death, cutting them in pieces, rending them asunder.  Yet, banded together as we are, ever so ready to sacrifice our lives, what single case of revenge for injury are you able to point to?

- Tertullian, often called the "Founder of Western Theology", in yet another 2nd-century defense of the faith