And if you do good to them who do good to you, what thanks are to you? For sinners also do this.
και εαν αγαθοποιητε τους αγαθοποιουντας υμας ποια υμιν χαρις εστιν και γαρ οι αμαρτωλοι το αυτο ποιουσιν
8 Church Fathers comment on this verse
He presents them with an additional motivation, stating that loving those who love you makes you no different from sinners and outsiders; however, when you extend love to those who harbor anger against you, you reflect the nature of God, who shows kindness to the ungrateful and the wicked.
The Christian is presented with a model, encouraging him not to settle for merely the natural law but to pursue gratitude actively. While it is common for all, including transgressors, to respond to love with love, those who aspire to a higher calling must strive even more toward virtue and show love to those who may not reciprocate (see Luke 6:32-35). Though a deficiency in qualities that elicit affection may obstruct one's ability to love, this should not impede the practice of virtue. It is indeed disgraceful to exhibit ingratitude towards the one who extends love. As love can emerge from the affection shown to us, we ought to cultivate a love for virtue in those we may initially reject, thereby fostering a greater love for the person through our admiration of their virtuous qualities.
The reward for love may be fleeting and scarce, yet the reward for virtue is everlasting.
As the apostle states, Love is patient, love is kind; it does not envy, it does not boast (1 Cor. 13:4). These virtues reach their ultimate expression through the commandments of God. If love is patient, it must exhibit forbearance towards those who offend; if it is kind, it will not retaliate against insults; if it does not seek its own (1 Cor. 13:5), it will not confront the thief; if it does not envy, it shall not harbor hatred for the foe. However, the mandates of divine love surpass those of the apostles, for it is indeed greater to give than to simply refrain from retaliation, and to love one's enemies is a higher calling than merely avoiding envy. All of this was exemplified by the Lord: when He faced slander, He did not respond in kind; when struck, He did not counter with a blow (1 Pet. 2:23); when His garments were taken, He did not resist; when nailed to the cross, He implored forgiveness for His adversaries, saying, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing (Lk. 23:34). He pardoned His accusers from their transgressions.
This represents an exchange rather than a mere act of kindness.
In this discourse, He encompasses all under the term ‘sinners,’ including both those who are not specifically called by Him, such as the Gentiles, and those who do not adhere to His teachings. This illustrates that merely being labeled ‘Christians’ holds no value if our actions do not set us apart from the Gentiles. As the Apostle Paul pointedly remarked to the Jews, ‘circumcision avails if thou doest the law: but if thou art a transgressor of the law, thy circumcision is uncircumcision’ (Rom. 2:25).
Similarly, Christ conveys to us through the Gospel, ‘To you, who are mine, grace shall come from me, if you keep my commandments; but if you do the works that sinners do, and nothing more than these things, loving them that love you, and doing good to them that do good to you, these things give you no boldness toward me.’
His intent is not to dissuade us from loving others or doing good to those who do kindness towards us, nor from lending with the hope of repayment. Rather, He seeks to reveal that such actions, while noble, earn no eternal reward, as they draw their fulfillment solely from this world, failing to cleanse the soul from the stains of sin. Thus, these acts render no lasting benefit or grace for the soul in terms of eternal life. Those who are not represented in these exhortations bear even greater culpability and inflict more damage upon their souls; those who refuse to reciprocate love to those who care for them cause deeper sorrow than tax collectors and sinners.
How much worse are those who, through their actions and words, return negativity for the love they receive? Such individuals include those who rebel against their city’s authorities, who consistently bear the burden of governance, fail to display loyalty to the rulers established by God, do not humble themselves under His mighty hand, and resist submission to Christ's Church while inciting discord against its leaders.
In this context, sinners are described not only as those who break God’s commandments, which promise great rewards to those who uphold them, but also as the unrighteous and untrustworthy, lacking any law that offers heavenly rewards for goodness. These individuals, motivated not by their love for God but by self-interest, do not act out of virtue but for the sake of personal gain; they love only those who return their affection, do good exclusively to those who do good unto them, and give in return only to those from whom they expect something in return. What kind of reward or compensation could they possibly receive from God? None at all, for their recompense comes from those they have helped.
They receive love and friendship in exchange for the love they have shown, and they give and receive equivalent debts. Consequently, the Lord, having dismissed the false virtue associated with paganism and sin, emphasizes the sacred principles of authentic, unreserved love and true virtue.
In unveiling this foundation, the Lord purposefully identified and corrected certain misconceptions that had infiltrated the moral teachings of that era, perpetuated by the teachers of the law who, driven by their desires, either restricted or expanded the interpretation of its commandments. He clarified the authentic significance of the sixth, seventh, and third commandments; dismissed the incorrect understanding surrounding divorce and the notion of vengeance; and refuted the misguided conclusion drawn from some of Moses' laws regarding animosity towards one's adversaries. Through this, the Lord illustrated the proper comprehension of the law and the attitudes a child of the kingdom of heaven ought to foster within themselves.
Not merely violent actions, but any absence of love; not only acts of immorality, but even unjust thoughts; not only breaking oaths, but also any form of unrighteousness shielded by an oath; not only clear violations of justice against others, but also the inhuman pursuit of one’s entitlements—these behaviors contradict the principles established by the Messiah for His kingdom. The defining characteristic of His kingdom's members is unconditional love for all, including enemies, mirroring the perfect nature of the Heavenly Father in every aspect.
This principle is articulated in Leviticus 19:18. The phrase, "And thou shalt hate thine enemy," does not originate from the law itself; rather, it is an addition by the Jewish scribes that reflects their interpretation of the command to love one’s neighbor. Jews recognized only their fellow countrymen as neighbors, viewing Gentiles as adversaries. The lack of a direct challenge to this interpretation by Jewish scholars in Leviticus, along with Christ's omission of any condemnation of their perspective, suggests that the Jewish understanding of their interactions with Gentiles was rooted in some truth.
The law remained silent on the love for Gentiles, likely because they were perceived as foes of true faith, and also to discourage Jews from forming alliances with them, which could lead to the worship of false gods. However, Jewish legalists twisted this law of love into a justification for harboring sinful attitudes towards others. In response, Jesus Christ establishes a new commandment that embodies love; His love, which detests sin, embraces sinners. This divine love reflects God’s grace and mercy towards all people, regardless of their moral standing.
In Matthew 5:39-48, the nature of God's love is revealed, contrasting the new covenant's call for love that extends even towards enemies with the old law as interpreted by contemporary Jews. Luke captures this essence concisely, presenting the law of neighborly love without directly contrasting it with the broader Christian love that includes adversaries. The essence of the contrast in verse 27 emphasizes that although Christians may endure persecution for their faith, they are called to love their enemies.
What sense of thankfulness do you possess? Gratitude refers to a form of recompense (Luke 6:35), as indicated in the account of the Gospel according to Matthew. - Sinners: This term encompasses all individuals who do not genuinely follow Christ the Redeemer, lacking spiritual elevation and whose actions are solely motivated by the inherent impulses of an unrenewed heart. They perform good deeds, to illustrate, they show affection to those who reciprocate; however, this does not qualify as a virtue in the true Christian sense, nor is it a remarkable achievement, and as such, it does not warrant a distinct reward.
Greek text, 17 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS