Do you want to be well? What comes to mind when you think of Jesus asking this question? What does it reveal about God’s nature as love itself? What does it reveal about humans?
How does Jesus see love and forgiveness? What does he connect them to?
Jesus doesn’t call Christians to tolerate their enemies or people they can’t stand. He calls them to “Agape” love them, and let that love speak for itself. This question Jesus asks here obliges the reader to do a double take, questioning who we choose to love, and why.
We are nurtured in a culture that encourages answer-giving over question-asking. And that culture runs deep in church, too.