Matthew 22:39 — What Does It Mean to Love One’s Neighbor as Oneself?

The Command Jesus Joined to Love for God

When an expert in the Mosaic Law asked Jesus which commandment was greatest, Jesus answered with the command to love God with the whole heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:34–38). He then said that a second commandment was like it, the command to love one’s neighbor as oneself (Matthew 22:39). The first comes from Deuteronomy 6:5, and the second comes from Leviticus 19:18. Jesus placed love for God first and described love of neighbor as like it, giving the two their proper relationship and their importance for understanding the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 22:40). Their connection can be seen whenever a person’s claim to love God is accompanied by decisions that affect someone made in His image. First John 4:20–21 makes this especially plain in relation to fellow believers, because love of the unseen God bears directly on treatment of the brother who is seen. Jesus’ answer accordingly invites examination of concrete conduct, including what a person says about others, what he owes them, and what help he gives when their need is known. Love for God gives the neighbor command its authority, while the neighbor’s circumstances give a believer a place to practice it.

The expression “as yourself” supplies a recognizable measure of concern. A person ordinarily wants others to hear him fairly, keep their commitments to him, speak truthfully about him, and provide help when he faces a need beyond his ability. Jesus’ command gives the neighbor’s corresponding interests moral weight in the believer’s decision. Matthew 7:12 expresses the practical reciprocity involved by directing people to do to others what they would want others to do to them. A supervisor who would want to learn the reason for a disappointing evaluation can explain a worker’s evaluation plainly and allow time for questions. A customer who would want to be told of an error in his own favor can return money given to him by mistake. In each case the person is able to recognize the other’s interest by considering what fair treatment would mean if their places were reversed. The biblical command then calls for action based on that recognition, even when no one is present to insist upon it.

The Neighbor Command in Leviticus

The immediate setting in Leviticus shows the kind of conduct Jehovah required under the command Jesus quoted. Leviticus 19:11–16 addresses stealing, deceit, withholding wages, unjust judgments, and slander. Leviticus 19:17–18 then forbids hatred in the heart, provides for openly correcting a neighbor, and prohibits vengeance and a grudge. The list of situations gives substance to the command to love the neighbor. An employer who expresses warmth toward a worker while withholding the pay the worker has earned fails to give the worker the good that justice requires. A witness who protects a favored person by concealing what he knows likewise harms the neighbor whose claim depends on a fair account. The command therefore governs dealings in which affection may be absent and in which actual interests conflict. A reader who studies Matthew 22:39 alongside Leviticus 19 can see why Jesus’ answer has force in business, disagreements, and matters of reputation as well as in acts of voluntary kindness.

The combination of reproof and refusal to bear a grudge in Leviticus 19:17–18 is especially instructive when a wrong has occurred. A person can acknowledge a wrong and speak about it directly while seeking the neighbor’s good. Jesus directs a disciple whose brother sins against him to begin by showing him his fault privately, with gaining his brother as the stated aim (Matthew 18:15). In a practical case, someone who discovers that a friend has misrepresented an agreement can describe the original terms and the effect of the misrepresentation, then hear the friend’s explanation. If the matter is an honest misunderstanding, both can correct it and make the agreement clearer. If there was deliberate deceit, speaking accurately gives the friend an opportunity to acknowledge the wrong and repair the harm. The person addressing the wrong can refrain from telling people who have no role in its resolution, especially while the facts are being established. Love of neighbor becomes recognizable in how he uses the truth, how widely he speaks of the offense, and what response he hopes to see from the person who wronged him.

Mercy Recognizes a Neighbor in Need

Luke 10:25–37 records an occasion on which an expert in the Law asked Jesus who his neighbor was. Jesus described a man who was attacked on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho and left in desperate need. A priest and a Levite passed by, while a Samaritan approached, treated the wounds, brought the man to an inn, and undertook to pay for his care. Jesus then asked which of the three proved to be a neighbor to the injured man (Luke 10:36). The answer identifies the one who showed mercy, and Jesus directed the questioner to act accordingly (Luke 10:37). The change from classifying others to considering who acted as a neighbor gives the account its practical direction. A Christian who notices a stranded traveler or a household facing a sudden emergency can ask what help is actually within reach and arrange it. The Samaritan’s care included attention to the wounds, transport, lodging, payment, and provision for further expenses, showing how mercy can involve a series of practical responsibilities.

The Samaritan also acted in a setting where shared group identity furnished no obvious reason to expect him to help. Luke makes the identity of the man who helped an important feature of the account, and Jesus makes the man’s conduct decisive in the final question. In another setting, Jesus instructs His disciples to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them, pointing to God’s kindness in giving sun and rain even to the unrighteous (Matthew 5:43–48). A believer can act on that instruction when a hostile neighbor has an urgent need that he can safely meet. He may provide a ride, call the appropriate person for assistance, or communicate information that protects the neighbor from harm. His action can recognize the need while taking account of the actual history between them and using ordinary safeguards. Romans 12:17–21 gives a related example by urging believers to leave vengeance to God and give food and drink to an enemy in need. The command becomes demanding precisely because the other person may neither appreciate the help nor repay it.

Truthful and Useful Love in Daily Dealings

Paul explains the neighbor command by naming adultery, murder, theft, and coveting, and then saying that love does no harm to the neighbor (Romans 13:8–10). His examples help a reader identify real injuries that can be obscured by claims of affection or personal advantage. A person considering adultery, for instance, must reckon with the spouse whose trust will be betrayed and the commitments Scripture requires both parties to honor. Someone tempted to take property can consider the owner who worked for it and may depend on it. Someone who covets what belongs to another can examine the ways the desire is already shaping his speech and conduct toward the owner. Paul’s wording gives these separate commands a common direction by showing the neighbor’s good that faithful conduct protects. In Ephesians 4:28, he adds an active good when he directs the former thief to work honestly so that he may have something to share with one in need. The change can be observed in both the protection of another person’s property and the new willingness to use one’s earnings to help.

First John 3:16–18 describes the same movement from words to action in a case where a person sees a fellow believer in need and has resources to help. The point depends on an observed need and an available means, which makes the instruction practical. A Christian who learns that a recently widowed neighbor cannot manage a necessary repair can ask what has broken, establish what the repair requires, and decide what help he can genuinely give. If the neighbor has enough money but cannot arrange the work, making a few calls with permission may be more useful than offering money. If money is the obstacle, a discreet contribution or help from others can meet a need that a friendly comment leaves untouched. James 2:15–16 gives the pointed instance of a brother or sister lacking clothing and daily food while another person gives only words of goodwill. The neighbor command asks the believer to connect concern with the form of assistance the circumstances require. An act of love can be measured by the burden it helps the neighbor bear and by the honesty, care, and respect with which the help is given.

You May Also Enjoy

Bringing Your Thoughts, Desires, and Habits Under Scriptural Direction

About the Author

CLICK LINKED IMAGE TO VISIT ONLINE STORE

CLICK TO SCROLL THROUGH OUR BOOKS