The follower of Jesus cannot claim to love God and yet neglect one's neighbor. The authentic love of God is found in a loving concern for others. A second characteristic of the love ethic of Jesus centers on the universality attached to the concept of neighbor. To love friends is easy. Jesus' love for us did not depend on what we could give him in return.
Love of enemies remains the great sign of Christian love.
Our love for others does not depend on what they can do for us. The Christian love of God is the gratitude of one who has received all from the Giver of life. Love of neighbor is a creative giving and a redemptive forgiving which does not depend on the lovable qualities of the other. Mt first contrasts the ethical teachings of Jesus with that of the scribes, the theologians of the time. The six antitheses concern anger, chastity, divorce, oaths, forgiveness and love of enemies.