A common misinterpretation treats 'hate thine enemy' as a direct biblical commandment rather than a cultural or rabbinic addition to the law about loving neighbors, leading some to justify personal grudges, tribalism, or violence against opponents as scripturally approved; this ignores Jesus' corrective intent to expose the flaw and elevate love universally, missing the passage's call to transcend limited human ethics.
Matthew 5:43
King James Version (1769)
43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
In Matthew 5:43, Jesus references a popular but incomplete interpretation of the Old Testament command to love one's neighbor, which had been distorted to include hating one's enemy, a notion not explicitly taught in Scripture. This sets the stage for His revolutionary teaching that true disciples must extend love beyond friends and family to adversaries, fulfilling the law through a higher righteousness rooted in God's impartial care for all.