Nontransactional Love
- davidwperk
- Feb 28
- 6 min read
Devotional Reflection, Friday, February 28, 2025
The week of the seventh Sunday after the Epiphany
The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.
Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading:
38 ‘You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” 39But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer.. . . . 43 ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” 44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.
You will find the full text of today’s Gospel reading at the end of this reflection.
Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 948)
AM Psalm 140, 142; PM Psalm 141, 143:1-11 (12)
Ruth 3:1-18; 2 Corinthians 4:1-12; Matthew. 5:38-48
Today we celebrate the Feast of Anna J. H. Cooper. (See below.)
David’s Reflections
G. K. Chesterton once quipped, ”The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies, probably because they are generally the same people.”# We can chuckle at that humor, and we certainly need some humor around these two challenges from Jesus. Someone once observed that the Bible comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable. These passages could well fall in the latter category.
The fifth antithesis, “You have heard, . . . but I say,” cites the lex talionis from Hebrew Scripture (Exodus 21:23-25 for one example). These restrictions limited retaliation only to what one had suffered, a crucial coda in cultures where individual responsibility was overshadowed by the concept of corporate guilt. If one member of a tribe or clan offended then the entire tribe/clan had acted. Retaliation could be worked against the entire tribe/clan for one member’s offense. The lex talionis prevented that kind of wholesale retribution.
However, Jesus eliminates all retaliation. He does not teach that we abandon resisting evil. He resisted evil. We could render “do not resist an evildoer” as “do not resist in an evil way.” We must abandon transactional thinking, giving back as well as or better than we get. Rather, we seek the freedom to choose our response to those who injure or wound us. We choose a nonviolent, loving response. That requires creativity, and it also requires that we not enable the other by being passive and non resistive.
The sixth and last antithesis references an Old Testament teaching “hate your enemies.” Yet the Hebrew Scripture nowhere explicitly says that. We can find passages in the Psalms where the psalmist prays an imprecation on their enemies, praying that God will destroy or inflict suffering on them. Psalm 139:18-23 may well be the source of this particular saying.
Jesus again calls for a nontransactional response to our enemies. We do not respond in kind; rather, we find a nonviolent, loving way to treat them We pray for them, which in itself can soften and tenderize our hearts. We find ways to show mercy, to do good to them. Again, this demands creativity arising out of prayer and discernment. God is our model. Two neighboring farmers receive the same sun and rain on their crops, even if one of them has no faith in God, ignores God’s blessings, and exploits God’s generosity (Matt. 5:45).
Jesus embodies the ultimate example of a nontransactional love that responds with mercy to his enemies. He even prayed for his executioners from the cross, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Lk. 23:34). That same Jesus lives within and among us. He can love us out of our wounded places and embolden us to practice nontransactional, creative love toward our enemies and adversaries. Such freedom comes only as a gift of a loving God who overcomes our own ungratefulness and ignoring God and shows mercy to us.
#G. K. Chesterton, Aphorisms from the Work of G. K. Chesterton, Unpublished document compiled by Ralph Wood, Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76798-7040.
Collect of the Day, Epiphany 7
O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing: Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounted dead before you. Grant this for the sake of your only Son Jesus Christ , who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP, 236)
Today we celebrate the Feast of Anna J. H. Cooper, educator (died 27 Feb 1964 CE).
Collect of the Feast of Anna J. H. Cooper
Almighty God, who inspired your servant Anna Julia Haywood Cooper with the love of learning and the skill of teaching: Enlighten us more and more through the discipline of learning, and deepen our commitment to the education of all your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
A Collect for Fridays
Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 97)
For our Enemies
O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth; deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, 816)
In the Order of Worship for Evening
Almighty, everlasting God, let our prayer in your sight be as incense, the lifting up of our hands as the evening sacrifice. Give us grace to behold you, present in your Word and Sacraments, and to recognize you in the lives of those around us. Stir up in us the flame of that love which burned in the heart of your Son as he bore his passion, and let it burn in us to eternal life and to the ages of ages. Amen. (BCP, 113)
A Collect for Mission
O God of unchangeable power and eternal light: Look favorably on your whole Church, that wonderful and sacred mystery; by the effectual working of your providence, carry out in tranquility the plan of salvation; let the whole world see and know that things which were cast down are being raised up, and things which had grown old are being made new, and that all things are being brought to their perfection by him through whom all things were made, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 280)
Daily Office Gospel, Matthew 5:38-48
38 ‘You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” 39But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; 40and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; 41and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. 42Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.
43 ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” 44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? 47And if you greet only your brothers and sisters,* what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Daily Offices in The Book of Common Prayer
Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, The Book of Common Prayer
Noonday Prayer, page 103, Book of Common Prayer
Order of Worship for Evening (Vespers), p 109, Book of Common Prayer
Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer
Compline (Night Prayer), page 127, Book of Common Prayer
Daily Devotionals, page 136, Book of Common Prayer
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