Reconciling "Love Your Enemies" with Enemies as Christ's Footstool

At first glance, Christ's command, "Love your enemies," appears to stand in tension with the prophetic declaration of Psalms 110:1:

"The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool."

Psalms 110 presents the Messiah as seated at the right hand of God until a future moment when his enemies are subdued under his feet. Jesus, however, in his earthly ministry, taught:

"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." (Matthew 5:43--44)

To reconcile these, several elements must be considered: the timing of judgment, the distinction between human responsibility and God's prerogative, the dispensational context of Christ's teaching, and apostolic instruction for believers today.

subsection*1. Distinguishing Human Duty from God's Prerogative of Judgment

Scripture consistently teaches that ultimate vengeance and recompense belong to the Lord, not to individuals. Deuteronomy 32:35 declares:

"To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence: their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste."

Paul quotes this principle in Romans 12:19:

"Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord."

Applied to the question at hand:

• Our mandate is to love our enemies, bless those who persecute us, and refrain from personal vengeance.
• God's prerogative is to judge enemies, including ultimately making the enemies of Christ his footstool.

Thus, when Christ instructs his hearers to love their enemies, he is not denying that those enemies will ever be judged. Rather, he is forbidding them from usurping God's role as judge and executioner. Human love of enemies and God's ultimate judgment of enemies are not contradictory; they are distinct responsibilities.

subsection*2. The Timing of Judgment in Christ's Own Ministry

Jesus' first coming must be distinguished from his future role in judgment. In John 12:47, he says:

"And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world."

Yet Scripture also affirms that he will indeed one day judge:

• The Father has committed all judgment to the Son (cf.~John 5).
• He will return to rule with a rod of iron, as Psalms 110 continues: "The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies."

During his earthly ministry, Christ:

• Came primarily as Savior, not as the executor of final judgment.
• Modeled non‑retaliation and love for enemies, even praying for his executioners.

The picture of enemies being made his footstool in Psalms 110 speaks of a future, eschatological moment when the Messiah's enemies are subdued. The command to love enemies, given during his earthly ministry, governs the conduct of his followers in the present age, before that final judgment.

subsection*3. The Context of "Love Your Enemies" in Israel's Kingdom Offer

The "love your enemies" teaching in Matthew 5 is part of the Sermon on the Mount, addressed to Israel under the law, with the kingdom of heaven "at hand." Jesus contrasts a commonly held saying:

"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy." (Matthew 5:43)

The "hate thine enemy" portion does not come directly from the Torah; it appears to reflect rabbinic interpretation and tradition. Nevertheless, such a teaching likely drew on certain imprecatory psalms and covenantal themes, rather than being a pure invention of malice. Jesus corrects this trajectory in light of the nearness of the kingdom:

• The King is present among them.
• Judgment is not yet being executed.
• The call is to an elevated righteousness befitting those preparing for a kingdom in which the King will ultimately rule and judge.

In that setting, Jesus tells covenant Israel that now is not the time to act on "hate thine enemy." The impending arrival of the kingdom calls for a different posture: love toward enemies and trust that God will deal with them in his time.

subsection*4. Application in the Present Dispensation: Pauline Teaching

For believers in the present dispensation of grace, the apostle Paul gives instruction that harmonizes with Christ's teaching while also clarifying its scope and motivation.

In Romans 12:14, 17--21, he writes:

"Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not." (v. 14) "Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." (vv. 17--21)

Several observations help reconcile love for enemies with the eventual subjugation of Christ's enemies:

1. The standard for believers is non‑retaliation and active good. We are not to answer evil with evil, but to overcome evil with good. Feeding a hungry enemy and giving drink to a thirsty one is the pattern set forth.
2. Human judgment is limited and contextual. Paul adds: "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men" (v. 18). Peaceable conduct is the goal, but circumstances may render it impossible at times. The instruction recognizes that a believer's righteousness is not hanging on perfect success in eliminating all conflict; rather, it calls for sincere effort within one's sphere.
3. God's promise of vengeance undergirds our non‑vengeance. Precisely because God says, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay," believers are freed from the burden of executing personal revenge. God will right all wrongs in his time, including rendering Christ's enemies his footstool.
4. There remains a role for legitimate civil judgment. Scripture elsewhere recognizes the authority of governments to bear the sword and punish evildoers (Romans 13). While individuals are not to take revenge, societies rightly establish mechanisms of justice. Believers may participate in such structures without contradicting the call to love enemies, provided they act within just, lawful frameworks rather than in personal vendetta.

subsection*5. The Footstool Motif as Eschatological Vindication, Not Personal Malice

The image in Psalms 110:1---"until I make thine enemies thy footstool"---communicates:

• The certainty of Christ's ultimate victory.
• The total subjugation of all opposition to his rule.
• The vindication of his person and claims.

It does not depict:

• Personal vindictiveness or cruelty on Christ's part.
• A denial of his love, including his love even for those who opposed him.

In fact, during his earthly life, he showed compassion to his enemies and prayed for his persecutors, even as he warned of judgment for unrepentant unbelief. The footstool image therefore belongs to:

• The sphere of God's righteous rule.
• The eschatological moment when all things are put under Christ's feet.

Believers are not called to make their enemies their own "footstool." They are called to:

• Love them.
• Do them good.
• Trust God to handle ultimate judgment.

subsection*6. The Balance for Believers Today

Putting these strands together, the reconciliation can be stated as follows:

1. Jesus' command to love enemies governs the behavior of his followers in this age. Both his kingdom teaching to Israel and Paul's instructions to the body of Christ call believers to bless those who persecute them, refrain from vengeance, and do good to enemies.
2. Psalms 110 and similar texts declare what God will do, not what believers are to do. God will make Christ's enemies his footstool. This is his prerogative as judge and king. It does not license personal hatred or revenge.
3. The time of salvation precedes the time of final judgment. In his first coming, Christ came "not to judge the world, but to save the world" (John 12:47). The present era continues that emphasis of proclamation and grace, though judgment is certain in the future.
4. Human love of enemies does not negate God's justice. Loving one's enemy today may mean calling for appropriate, lawful consequences for evil acts (such as supporting the death penalty for heinous crimes) while maintaining a heart free from personal hatred and vindictiveness.

Thus, there is no contradiction between Christ's command to love enemies and the prophetic declaration that his enemies will be made his footstool. The former defines the conduct of his followers in this age; the latter describes the ultimate outcome of his reign and the certainty of his righteous judgment.

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