The Cost of Discipleship – Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Chapter 13 The Enemy – The “Extraordinary”

Matthew 5:43-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

This chapter brings to the surface the 21^st century struggles in western societies, especially in the U.S., of the conflicting constructs. I am writing this in February of 2026 when we are dealing with legal, political, religious and cultural conflicts, not in the arena of ideas but violently in the streets throughout the country. The level of hatred being demonstrated at people with differing principles and beliefs in the public marketplace is difficult for many to fully grasp. Discussions on those differences are for another platform with the exception of what Christ says to his disciples, and they carry forward to Christians throughout the world today, in Matthew 5: 43-48.

Christ gives this specific command. “⁴⁴But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven.” 

Bonhoeffer writes: “The only way to overcome our enemy is by loving him. To the natural man, the very notion of loving his enemies is an intolerable offense, and quite beyond his capacity: it cuts right across his ideas of good and evil.” He further says: “who needs our love more than those who are consumed with hatred and are utterly devoid of love?” Jesus says we are to, “pray for [not against] those who persecute you”.

I believe there are specific questions Christians must be able to answer.

·       In dying on the cross, who did Jesus die for?

·       Whose sins did he bear?

·       In his sacrifice was there only love for his enemies or was there some element of hatred and condemnation?

·       How and why could Jesus die for anyone embracing evil and hatred?

2 Peter 3 (please read the entire chapter) hits a high point when Peter writes: “Instead he [God] is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” The key phrase we must grasp onto is summed up here in stating God wants everyone to come to repentance. Sadly, we know this will not happen. However, as Christ’s dedicated followers this is the outcome we must seek for everyone.

What it does not say is that we as Christians are to tolerate and excuse evil. On the contrary we are to oppose evil. The challenge for Christians is to separate evil from the evildoer, and that is not easy.

Deitrich Bonhoeffer was imprisoned and executed for his stance and activities against the evils being perpetrated by the Third Riech and the cooperation of the official church in Germany. Yet he states that Christians are called to be “extraordinary” in our practice of love, it is something we must do, and we must do it in a way that all people can see it as Christ in our lives.

“If we make the “extraordinary” our standard, we shall be led into the passio [suffering,  endurance, or passion]  of Christ…” This is the activity of which our savior speaks.