Matthew 5:46

Saturday, 21 December 2024

 

For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? Matthew 5:46

 

“For if you love those loving you, what recompense do you have? And do not also the taxmen, the ‘himself’ they do?” (CG).

 

In the previous verse, Jesus spoke of the gracious nature of the Father, having the sun rise on the evil and the good and sending rain upon the just and unjust. Now, to demonstrate why emulating Him is important, He says, “For if you love those loving you, what recompense do you have?”

 

Though some people are perverse exceptions, it is the most natural thing in the world to love those who love you. If someone is kind to others, they will tend to turn and return the kindness as well. This is how human nature is. In fact, it is such a commonly expected thing that Jesus next says, “And do not also the taxmen, the ‘himself’ they do?”

 

In these words, Jesus introduces the telónés, taxmen. It signified a collector of taxes. Of these men, HELPS Word Studies says, “The tax-collectors were, as a class, detested not only by the Jews but by other nations also, both on account of their employment and of the harshness, greed, and deception, with which they prosecuted it.” Nothing has changed, even in modern times, in this regard.

 

Each tax collector, the “himself,” will be like all other tax collectors. In the case of loving others who love them, they will act in the same manner as other people. As such, there is no reward or recompense that would be expected. If this is something even such abhorrent people do, it is something that meets the minimum standards of human interaction.

 

Jesus, by saying it this way, is demonstrating that tax collectors are generally not like all other people. The very fact that they are singled out by Him shows that He is using them as an example of people who generally are wholly unlike the masses.

 

And yet, in the particular matter of loving others, they were like everyone else. What Jesus is doing in this example is showing that God looks at humanity in general as we would look at taxmen. We are the outcasts. We are the pariahs. And yet, God loves humanity enough to have sent Jesus to reconcile us to Himself.

 

To make this point all the more poignant, Jesus selected a tax collector as one of His apostles. Though not yet introduced, Matthew, the author of this book, was not only an outcast human, but he was an outcast among humans. Despite this, God in Christ graciously called him and restored him to an eternally restored right-relationship –

 

“As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ So he arose and followed Him.
10 Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, ‘Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’
12 When Jesus heard that, He said to them, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy and not sacrifice.” For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.’” Matthew 9:9-13

 

Life application: It is easy to read the words of Jesus and to acknowledge that God is great in calling those who do not deserve it. When considering that Jesus called Matthew, something that would have been shocking even to the other disciples, we can see the immensely gracious nature of God in Christ.

 

But do we then respond by acting in like manner? Are we really willing to engage with people who are completely contrary to what is normal, socially unacceptable, dirty, or otherwise unlovable?

 

Think about this. We read these words, know what is right, and then fail to follow through with the words as well as the afterthoughts that come into our minds. In the case of demonstrating grace toward others, it takes an active and determined state of mind.

 

At first, it can even be hard to get our feet in gear and interact with such people, but eventually, it can be done. Musicians play for prisoners, common people help the poor in government housing, and churches gather to feed people that are down and out. These things don’t come naturally. They must be brought forth from a well that is not normally open to the world. But once that well is opened, lives change, and people begin to interact in ways that are pleasing to God.

 

Be a part of the solution, the one that is stated right here in the words of Jesus. Lives can be changed, and a new direction for lost human souls can come about.

 

Lord God Almighty, You have given examples of how we should conduct ourselves in our interactions with others. Help us to be obedient to Your precepts when they reflect Your eternal and unchanging nature. May we be willing to emulate You and glorify You in doing so. Amen.