Matthew 5:46

Berean Standard Bible

If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Do not even tax collectors do the same?

King James Bible

For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

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The verse in question, Matthew 5:46, states in the New International Version: “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?” This verse sits within the broader context of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, a teaching that challenges conventional human behavior and calls for a radical reorientation of the heart toward God’s kingdom. To fully grasp the weight of this verse, we must unpack its meaning by considering its immediate context, its theological implications, and its practical demands on the life of a disciple. The verse is not merely a rhetorical question but a piercing invitation to examine the nature of love, the expectations of God, and the transformative ethic of the kingdom.

At its core, Matthew 5:46 is part of Jesus’ teaching on love for enemies, which begins in verse 43: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” This radical command subverts the cultural and religious norms of the time, which often limited love to those within one’s community or those who reciprocated goodwill. Jesus’ words in verse 46 build on this by exposing the inadequacy of a love that is conditional, transactional, or confined to those who already love you. The question, “What reward will you get?” is not about earning salvation but about the distinctiveness of a life lived in alignment with God’s character. Jesus is pressing his listeners to consider whether their actions reflect the ordinary standards of human behavior or the extraordinary standard of divine love.

The mention of tax collectors in this verse is significant. In first-century Judea, tax collectors were despised figures, often viewed as traitors who collaborated with the Roman occupiers and enriched themselves at the expense of their own people. By pointing to them, Jesus is not elevating their moral status but highlighting a baseline of human behavior: even those considered morally bankrupt by society love those who love them. The comparison is deliberately provocative, meant to jolt the listener into self-examination. If the disciples’ love does not surpass this minimal standard, what sets them apart? The rhetorical force of the question implies that true discipleship demands a love that transcends natural inclinations and societal norms.

To understand the depth of this teaching, we must consider the broader theological framework of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus is not merely offering ethical instructions but revealing the character of God’s kingdom, where righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20). The call to love beyond reciprocity reflects the very nature of God, who “causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45). This divine impartiality is the standard to which Jesus calls his followers. The “reward” mentioned in verse 46, while not explicitly defined, likely points to the spiritual fulfillment and divine approval that come from living in harmony with God’s will. It is not a material or transactional reward but the joy of participating in God’s redemptive purposes.

The verse also challenges the human tendency to compartmentalize love. It is easy to love those who affirm us, share our values, or belong to our circle. Such love requires little effort or sacrifice. But Jesus’ teaching dismantles this comfort zone, exposing the self-interest that often underlies human relationships. By invoking tax collectors, Jesus underscores that even those deemed morally inferior can achieve this basic level of love. The implication is clear: disciples must aim higher, embodying a love that mirrors God’s generosity and grace. This love is not passive or sentimental but active, expressed in prayer for persecutors and goodwill toward adversaries (Matthew 5:44). It is a love that seeks the good of the other, regardless of their response.

Practically, this teaching confronts every believer with the question of how they engage with those who are difficult to love—whether personal enemies, societal outcasts, or those who oppose their beliefs. In the context of Jesus’ time, this might have meant showing kindness to a Roman soldier or a corrupt official. In our modern world, it could mean extending grace to someone who has wronged us, engaging respectfully with those who hold opposing views, or serving those who society marginalizes. The verse challenges us to examine whether our love is merely reciprocal or whether it reflects the self-giving, unconditional love of God.

Theologically, this verse points to the transformative power of the gospel. Human nature gravitates toward self-preservation and tribalism, but the kingdom of God operates on a different logic. The call to love beyond reciprocity is only possible through the inner transformation brought by the Holy Spirit. It is not a natural human capacity but a supernatural one, rooted in the reality of God’s love for humanity, demonstrated most profoundly in Christ’s sacrifice (Romans 5:8). Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:46 is thus not a standalone moral directive but part of a larger narrative of redemption, where disciples are called to live as witnesses to God’s kingdom in a broken world.

The verse also invites reflection on the nature of reward in the Christian life. Jesus’ question, “What reward will you get?” is not an invitation to earn God’s favor but a reminder that the kingdom’s values invert worldly expectations. The world rewards self-interest and exclusivity, but God’s kingdom honors selflessness and inclusivity. The reward of living out this radical love is not necessarily external validation but the internal peace and purpose that come from aligning with God’s heart. It is the reward of becoming more like Christ, who loved without condition and gave himself for all.

In applying this verse, we must grapple with its radical demands. It is tempting to domesticate Jesus’ words, reducing them to a vague call for kindness or tolerance. But the love Jesus describes is costly, requiring humility, forgiveness, and courage. It means choosing to bless rather than curse, to serve rather than condemn, even when it feels unjust or unrewarded. This love does not ignore evil or excuse harm but seeks the redemption and well-being of the other, trusting God to bring justice in his time.

Ultimately, Matthew 5:46 is a call to embody the distinctiveness of the kingdom of God. It challenges us to move beyond a love that is safe and reciprocal to a love that is bold and sacrificial. By pointing to the tax collectors, Jesus reminds us that the bar for discipleship is not human standards but divine ones. As we strive to live out this teaching, we are invited to reflect the heart of a God who loves without limit, trusting that in doing so, we participate in the beauty and power of his kingdom.

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Grace and peace to you, beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. I write to you, not as one who has attained perfection, but as a fellow sojourner, compelled by the Spirit to reflect on the words of our Savior in the Gospel, where he declares, “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?” These words, spoken on the mount, pierce the heart and summon us to a higher calling, a love that mirrors the boundless grace of God. Let us, therefore, meditate deeply on this truth, that we may walk worthy of the gospel and shine as lights in a world shadowed by division and self-interest.

Consider, dear friends, the context of our Lord’s teaching. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus unveils the righteousness of God’s kingdom, a righteousness that surpasses the outward conformity of the scribes and Pharisees. He calls us not to a love that is natural to the human heart, a love that flows easily toward those who affirm us, but to a love that is divine, extravagant, and indiscriminate. The tax collectors, despised in their day for their collusion with oppressors, loved those who loved them—such is the way of the world. But you, who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ, are called to a love that transcends this earthly pattern. The question Jesus poses is not merely rhetorical; it is a challenge to examine whether our lives reflect the ordinary affections of humanity or the extraordinary grace of God.

What, then, is this love to which we are called? It is the love of the Father, who causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, who sends rain on the just and the unjust. It is the love of the Son, who, while we were yet sinners, laid down his life for us. This love does not calculate worthiness or demand reciprocity; it gives freely, as God himself gives. When Jesus asks, “What reward will you get?” he is not enticing us with material gain but inviting us into the joy of fellowship with God. The reward is nothing less than the delight of living in harmony with the Father’s heart, of being conformed to the image of his Son, who loved even those who nailed him to the cross. This is the treasure of the kingdom, hidden from the wise and learned but revealed to those who walk by faith.

Yet, I know, beloved, that this command is not easy. The human heart recoils at the thought of loving those who hate us, who wrong us, who oppose all that we hold dear. In our day, as in the days of Jesus, the world is fractured by enmity—nations against nations, neighbors against neighbors, and even brothers against brothers. We are tempted to love only those who share our convictions, who stand with us in the battles of this age. But Christ calls us to a higher way. To love only those who love us is to live no differently than those who know not God. We, who have been baptized into Christ, are a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come. Therefore, let us love as he loves, not with a love that seeks its own but with a love that seeks the good of all.

How, then, shall we live out this calling? First, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. It is only by beholding him that we are transformed. Meditate on his cross, where he bore the weight of our sin and prayed for those who crucified him. Let his example be the pattern for your life. When you encounter those who oppose you—whether in the workplace, in your community, or even in your own household—do not curse them, but bless them. Pray for their salvation, for their flourishing, for their encounter with the living God. This is no mere sentiment; it is an act of obedience, a declaration that the kingdom of God is greater than the kingdoms of this world.

Moreover, let us be practical in our love. Love is not a feeling but a choice, a commitment to seek the good of others, even at great cost. If someone has wronged you, forgive them, not because they deserve it, but because Christ has forgiven you. If someone speaks ill of you, respond with kindness, not because it is easy, but because it reflects the character of God. In your churches, in your homes, in the public square, let your actions testify to the transformative power of the gospel. When the world sees you loving those who do not love you, they will glimpse the reality of Christ, who loved us when we were his enemies.

I urge you, brothers and sisters, to guard against the temptation to domesticate this command. It is easy to reduce love to tolerance or politeness, to offer a shallow kindness that costs us nothing. But the love of Christ is costly. It demands humility, patience, and sacrifice. It requires us to lay down our pride, our need for validation, our desire for justice in this present age. Yet, take heart, for this love is not born of your own strength. It is the fruit of the Spirit, who dwells in you and empowers you to do what is impossible apart from God. Lean on his grace, for his power is made perfect in your weakness.

Let us also remember that this love is a witness to the world. In an age of division, where hatred and suspicion abound, your love for those who do not love you is a testimony to the truth of the gospel. It is a sign that the kingdom of God has broken into this world, that the old order of sin and death is passing away. When you love your enemies, you proclaim that Christ is risen, that his victory is sure, and that his love is greater than all the powers of this world. Do not grow weary in doing good, for in due season you will reap a harvest if you do not give up.

Finally, beloved, let us hold fast to the hope set before us. The reward of this love is not found in the fleeting approval of men but in the eternal embrace of God. As you love without condition, you participate in the life of God, who is love. Lilliputian. You become a reflection of his glory, a vessel of his grace. And one day, when you stand before him, you will hear those blessed words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” May this hope sustain you as you walk the difficult path of love.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

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O God of boundless love, Father of mercy, Son of sacrifice, and Spirit of power, we come before you with hearts humbled by the weight of your Word, stirred by the voice of our Savior who calls us to a love that transcends the ways of this world. You have spoken through your Son, Jesus Christ, in the words of the holy mount: “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?” Your truth pierces our souls, O Lord, revealing the poverty of our love and the grandeur of your own. We stand in awe of you, the God who loves the unlovely, who pours out grace upon the undeserving, and who beckons us to walk in the radiance of your divine character. Hear our prayer, we beseech you, and transform us by the renewing of our minds, that we may embody the love that is your very nature.

We confess, O Father, that our love too often mirrors the world’s. We gravitate toward those who affirm us, who share our ways, who return our kindness with kindness. Like the tax collectors of old, we find it easy to love those who love us, to offer affection where it is reciprocated, to extend grace where it is safe. Forgive us, Lord, for the smallness of our hearts, for the ways we have conformed to the patterns of this age rather than to the likeness of your Son. You, who cause the sun to rise on the evil and the good, who send rain upon the righteous and the unrighteous, have shown us a love that knows no bounds, a love that embraces even those who turn from you. We have fallen short of this glory, and yet, in your mercy, you call us still to rise and walk in your ways.

Lord Jesus, you who loved us when we were your enemies, you who bore the cross for those who rejected you, teach us to love as you love. Your words challenge us, not to earn a reward through our own strength, but to reflect the beauty of your kingdom, where love is not a transaction but a gift, not a response but an initiative. We pray for those who oppose us, who wound us, who stand against all that we hold dear. Grant us the courage to bless and not curse, to pray and not condemn, to seek their good even when our hearts resist. Let your Spirit work within us, softening our hardened places, breaking down the walls of pride and fear, that we may love with a love that is not our own but yours.

Holy Spirit, you who dwell in us, empower us to live out this high calling. We cannot love as you command apart from your strength, for our human nature clings to self-interest and recoils from sacrifice. Fill us with your presence, that we may bear the fruit of love, joy, peace, and patience in a world torn by hatred and division. Guide our hands to serve those who do not serve us, our words to speak grace to those who speak ill of us, our hearts to seek the redemption of those who oppose us. May our lives be a testimony to the gospel, a living proclamation that your love has overcome the darkness, that your kingdom is breaking forth even now.

We lift up to you, O God, the brokenness of our world. Where there is strife, let us be instruments of your peace. Where there is enmity, let us sow seeds of your love. Where there is injustice, let us act with your compassion. We pray for those who are marginalized, for those who are hated, for those who are unseen by the eyes of the world. May we, your church, be a beacon of your indiscriminate love, reaching out to the outcast, the stranger, and the adversary. Let us not grow weary in doing good, trusting that you are at work in every act of kindness, every prayer for our enemies, every step of obedience to your call.

O Lord, our hope and our reward, we long for the day when your kingdom will come in fullness, when every heart will know the depth of your love, when every knee will bow before the Lamb who was slain. Until that day, keep us steadfast in the way of the cross, where love is perfected through sacrifice. Let us not seek the fleeting rewards of this world—its approval, its comfort, its security—but the eternal reward of knowing you, of being found in you, of sharing in the fellowship of your sufferings and the power of your resurrection. May our love, imperfect though it be, point others to the perfect love of Christ, who gave himself for all.

We offer this prayer in the name of Jesus, our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.