“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.”
- 6-4 BC – 30 or 33 AD
- From Judea (present-day Israel/Palestine)
- Religious leader and evangelist
- Founder of Christianity, who had a major impact on religions and cultures around the world
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Quote
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.”
Explanation
In this quote, Jesus challenges His followers to go beyond basic human tendencies and embrace a higher standard of love and goodness. The first part, “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?” highlights the idea that loving people who show affection or kindness to you is natural and does not distinguish you from others. Jesus further emphasizes this by saying “For even sinners love those who love them”, implying that anyone, regardless of their moral standing, can return love to those who love them.
The second part of the quote, “And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?” similarly challenges the idea that it is praiseworthy to do good to those who are kind to you. Jesus points out that “even sinners do the same”, stressing that basic acts of kindness or generosity are not extraordinary if they are only given in return for similar treatment. Jesus calls His followers to a love and goodness that transcend reciprocity, urging them to extend love and kindness even to those who may not return it or who may even treat them badly.
Historically, this teaching comes from the Gospel of Luke, where Jesus speaks to a crowd about the nature of true love, justice, and the character of those who follow Him. This message is radical because it challenges conventional ideas of fairness and reciprocity, instead encouraging a love that mirrors God’s unconditional love for humanity.
In modern contexts, this quote calls believers to rise above natural human instincts and practice unconditional love. It encourages them to show kindness and love, not just to friends or those who treat them well, but to everyone, including those who may oppose or harm them. For example, in a social or professional setting, this teaching calls for generosity and compassion, even to those who might not appreciate it, thus fostering an atmosphere of grace and reconciliation. By embodying this type of love, individuals reflect the higher moral standard that Jesus set, creating a community marked by radical empathy and kindness.
