Loving one’s neighbour is not a minor side note in the Bible, but lies at the very heart of what it means to live with God. The starting point is Jesus’ words that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord with all one’s heart, all one’s soul, all one’s mind and all one’s strength, and that the second greatest is: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” This is not a nice quote to hang on the wall, but something that is placed on a par with love for God itself. Andreas Slot-Henriksen explains here why, in God’s eyes, love for one’s neighbour is more important than all the outward religious trappings, and why it is not about feelings, but about will, choice and concrete actions.
It is first pointed out that a scribe in the Gospel of Mark actually sums up God’s heart himself when he says that loving God and loving one’s neighbour is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. This is powerful, because the entire system at that time was built on sacrifices, law and outward actions. Yet here it is made clear that love for God and one’s neighbour takes precedence over all that. Jesus confirms this and says to him: “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Thus it becomes clear that love for one’s neighbour is not merely an added bonus, but one of the very pillars of God’s kingdom.
The teaching goes on to explain that the love spoken of here is not a fleeting emotional mood, but the love that the Bible describes as a self-sacrificing love, driven by a decision. It is not primarily about what one feels for a person, but what one chooses to do for that person. The same love that applies to our relationship with God also applies to our relationship with our neighbour. In other words: the way you choose to love God—with intention, obedience and action—is also the way you must decide to love your neighbour. It is demanding, but that is the standard Jesus sets.
Some common misunderstandings are also addressed. Some people think that because they do not care much for themselves, the commandment to love one’s neighbour as oneself does not apply to them very much. Others end up in the opposite camp and believe they must first learn to love themselves immensely, pamper themselves and focus on themselves before they can love others. Both approaches are rejected. Instead, it is pointed out that the commandment is based on a premise: you are created in God’s image, and when you begin to believe what God says about you, a healthy love for yourself will grow – not as selfishness, but as a grateful rest in being loved.
It is also mentioned that today’s world has forced a host of distorted ideals upon people, so that many struggle with self-loathing, body shaming and shame. But God did not create us to hate ourselves. The idea that no one has ever hated their own flesh is used to show that God has, from the very beginning, placed a fundamental value within humanity. Instead of looking to the images in the media, we are called to look to what God says. When identity and self-image are rooted in God’s love, it becomes possible to love oneself in a healthy way and, from there, to love others without needing to use them to fill one’s own emptiness.
A central question in the teaching is: Who is actually my neighbour? It is explained that in the Old Testament, where the commandment first appears, the word ‘neighbour’ in Hebrew is linked to the group to which one belonged – one’s own people, one’s own tribe, one’s own local community. In other words, one was to love those who were “within the circle”. But in the New Testament, Jesus takes it a step further. In Greek, “neighbour” is more closely associated with the person one encounters in the situation God places one in – regardless of background, group or affiliation. This breaks down the narrow framework, and love for one’s neighbour becomes something that extends beyond one’s own ranks.
Here, the parable of the Good Samaritan is highlighted as a powerful illustration of what love for one’s neighbour looks like in practice. A man lies battered by the roadside, and those who ought to help – the religious and those from ‘the right group’ – walk past. Instead, it ends with a Samaritan, whom the Jews looked down upon, stopping to dress his wounds, paying for his accommodation and care, and even promising to cover any additional expenses. Here, love for one’s neighbour is shown to be something that costs time, effort and money. It is not just a pat on the back and a “get well soon”, but concrete help, care and generosity.
It is emphasised that such love does not come cheap. The Good Samaritan sacrifices his comfort, his plans, his own finances and his time. The point is that charity without sacrifice quickly ends up as fine words without substance. A distinction is also made between pure humanism and Christian charity. Humanism may focus on helping people, but without God at the centre. The Christian call to charity encompasses both practical help and a desire to lead people to Jesus. Therefore, it is not just about meeting needs, but also about being open about the fact that love comes from God.
The teaching moves on to what perhaps hurts the most: loving even when you get nothing in return. It is realistically stated that you will experience disappointment, ingratitude and coldness. You may have invited people into your home, helped them, given your time and energy, and never received a thank you or an invitation in return. But love for one’s neighbour is not about what you get in return, but about reflecting the love you yourself have received from God. We are encouraged to invest in people, even if it hurts, and even if it sometimes feels as though you are ‘losing out’ in the short term.
A key part of the teaching involves reading from Matthew chapter 25 about the sheep and the goats, where Jesus speaks of having given food to the hungry, clothing to the naked, and visited the sick and those in prison. Here it becomes clear that Jesus takes it personally what one does or does not do for the little ones, the weak and the overlooked. It is not merely a matter of ‘good manners’, but something that will be weighed on the Last Day. When one helps the least of these, it is as though one is helping Jesus himself, and when one ignores the least of these, it is as though one is turning away from Jesus. It is hard reading, but it shows how seriously God takes love for one’s neighbour.
There is also frank talk about how the devil can send people your way to drain, control and destroy you, and that it is therefore important to have spiritual discernment. You must not throw yourself uncritically into every relationship, as this will end up pulling you away from God and into chaos. Therefore, we are encouraged to pray for the ability to discern spirits, so that we may distinguish between those sent by God and those sent to destroy. At the same time, it is said that even when we err in good faith, God sees the heart and rejoices in the willingness to love. It is not flawlessness He is looking for, but people who are willing to be shaped and learn along the way.
The teaching culminates in a practical call to action: Ask God to show you who your neighbour is. It could be a neighbour, a colleague, a friend, a refugee, a homeless person, a family at McDonald’s, a person on the street, or an old acquaintance from the past. The most important thing is not where you find the person, but that you are willing to let God point the way. Emphasis is placed on the fact that love for one’s neighbour will cost time, convenience and often money – but that God also blesses those who respond to His call without doing so to ‘profit from it’. Finally, there is an encouragement to take the commandment to love your neighbour as yourself home with you and allow it to challenge, shape and guide you, so that love for one’s neighbour becomes not just a word, but a way of life.
“Quote from the teaching:” “Love your neighbour as yourself.”
Relevant keywords: love your neighbour – love for one’s neighbour – Good Samaritan – love yourself – agape love – practical love – willingness to sacrifice – helping others – God’s love – discipleship – Judgement Day – mercy – generosity – Christian lifestyle – love your enemies
