Matthew 5:46 Meaning and Explanation
“For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Jesus notes that loving only those who love us is no more than even tax collectors do.
What Does Matthew 5:46 Mean?
Jesus presses the point with a pointed question. If we love only those who love us in return, what reward is there in that? Even the publicans -- tax collectors despised as the lowest of sinners -- manage that much.
The challenge is to a love that surpasses the ordinary. Returning affection to those who give it is natural and requires no grace. Jesus calls his followers to something greater: a love that reaches beyond the circle of mutual benefit. The reward lies not in loving the easy to love but in loving as God loves, freely and without expecting return, which sets his children apart.
Matthew 5:46 in the Original Language
telones (τελώνης), 'publican' -- a tax collector, despised as a collaborator and cheat.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 5:46
What does Matthew 5:46 mean?
Jesus notes that loving only those who love us is no more than even tax collectors do.