Neighbor & Enemy Are Not Synonyms

Yeshua emphasizes the actions of the neighborly person and thus defines a neighbor as one who acts in a neighborly way. He is not, as many erroneously claim, calling everyone a neighbor. In fact, Yeshua's words regarding neighbors and enemies refute that ridiculous claim outright. If everyone is your neighbor you have no enemies, in which case you would need not love your enemy.

Concerning the current conflict in the Middle East I see "Christians" posting trite modified quotes from Scripture, like:

"Loving thy neighbors doesn’t include going to war with them."

Let's consider the context of both the Torah instruction and Messiah's quoting of the instruction, "Love thy neighbor."

In the context of the Torah, a neighbor was a person who lived at peace with Israel either within the commonwealth of Israel or in proximity to Israel.

When Jesus quotes the Torah He says, "Love your neighbor as yourself" following "Hear Israel, the LORD our God the LORD is One."

Yeshua also says:

"You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ [ Ex. 23:4-5, Lev. 19:18] And I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you," (Matt. 5:43-44)

Note, He does not invalidate the former but adds to it.

And, when revealing the meaning of the parable of the Good Samaritan (neighbors and blood relatives to Jews of the first century and not enemies like the Syro-Phoenicians), He asks the enquirer, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” (Luke 10:36)

Yeshua emphasizes the actions of the neighborly person and thus defines a neighbor as one who acts in a neighborly way. He is not, as many erroneously claim, calling everyone a neighbor. In fact, Yeshua's words regarding neighbors and enemies refute that ridiculous claim outright. If everyone is your neighbor you have no enemies, in which case you would need not love your enemy.

Therefore, the contextual definition of a neighbor in both the Torah and the quotations of Yeshua is: A person who lives at peace alongside you. (One who is not your enemy.) One who acts in a neighborly way toward you.

An enemy on the other hand is clearly defined in both Torah and the mouth of Yeshua, as: one who persecutes you.

The self-righteous misappropriation of the words of Yeshua by morally superior "Christians" are an indictment against the speakers and promoters of them.

The western Church should be utterly ashamed of those among us who have espoused vile troupes disguised as holy admonishments.

While many in the "Church" pretend to love everyone, they nonetheless find ample opportunity for indicting Israel for its acts of Self-defense. Thus proving that the antisemitism of the apostate church still festers in the hearts of many a progressive "Christian."

"Christian" NGO's either intentionally or unwittingly fund Israel's enemies to the tune of millions of dollars. Some of these NGO's even have the audacity to claim pacifism as a core doctrine while literally funding the purchase of weapons for terrorists via proxy organizations and the mismanagement of aid.

Entire "Christian" networks like the Mennonite Central Committee, WCC, and numerous others, actively lobby their members to seek legislation against Israel, all the while pompously admonishing others to "Love your enemy!"

If Israel is your enemy, why aren't you praying for her, blessing her, just as Jesus says you should? Instead you curse her and act against her security, enabling her enemies and making yourselves enemies of God and His chosen people.

You hypocrites, white washed tombs, unmarked graves that men walk over!

Israel, is considered a non-Christian country, and yet she is literally doing what both the Torah and Yeshua say. She loves her enemy by sending countless numbers of trucks filled with aid into Gaza, and by protecting those same enemies from Hamas so that Gazans can receive the aid safely.

Israel, as attested to by well documented actions, shows love for her enemies. And make no mistake, enemies are not neighbors. Many of those receiving aid from Israel are the same that applauded the atrocities of October 7 and many others are still complicit in the abuse of Israeli hostages. And yet, here Israel is, feeding her enemies.

You on the other hand, via your "Christian" organizations, take aid into Gaza, knowing that Hamas will steal it, so that Gazans receive it only through extortion, if at all. This has been your modus operandi throughout the recent conflict which was initiated by the abhorrent slaughter of Oct 7 2023 perpetrated by Palestinian enemies of Israel. Never have you visited Israeli hostages or arranged for them to receive healthcare. By your foolish actions you show that you hate both Israelis and Gazans alike. You abuse the righteous and enable the wicked.

Therefore, you prove that Israel is more aligned with Jesus than you are. In fact, you follow a false Jesus of your own making. A progressive politically motivated antichrist.

You are a stench in the nostrils of God, you pacifists, you hypocrites, you whitewashed tombs, you unmarked graves that men walk over!