We find ourselves walking through the dusty roads of Galilee, hearing the voice of Jesus, the long-awaited Messiah, speaking to us in parables, calling us to deeper discipleship, and challenging our understanding of what it means to love God and love our neighbors. Matthew, one of the twelve apostles, compiles for us the life and teachings of Jesus in a way that speaks to our deepest longings, calling us not just to believe in a set of ideas but to radically reshape our lives in light of God's kingdom. From the Sermon on the Mount to the Great Commission, the gospel according to Matthew reveals a Messiah who fulfills ancient prophecies, challenges systems of injustice, and models for us the way to love—both God and the neighbor.
Matthew begins by establishing Jesus’ lineage, connecting Him to Abraham and David, reminding us that this new king is part of God’s unfolding promise to His people (Matthew 1:1–16). His birth is miraculous, foretold by prophets, and surrounded by wonder. His arrival disrupts the status quo, as we see in the visit of the Magi, who seek the newborn king (Matthew 2:1–12), and the escape to Egypt to avoid Herod’s wrath (Matthew 2:13–15). Even from His birth, we sense the implications of His kingship and what it will mean for the world. This child is not just another figure in history; He is the fulfillment of God’s promises to bless the nations, bringing a kingdom of peace and justice that will radically change how we relate to God and to each other.
As Jesus grows and begins His public ministry, He steps into the wilderness, preparing for His mission through fasting and prayer. After His temptation in the desert (Matthew 4:1–11), He begins preaching, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). This announcement cuts through the noise of everyday life, challenging the status quo by proclaiming the nearness of God’s reign. Repentance is not simply about feeling sorry for sins, but a radical reorientation of our lives, turning away from old patterns of living and toward the new life that God offers in His kingdom. It’s a call to love our neighbors through justice, mercy, and active engagement in the world’s brokenness, reflecting the light of the kingdom.
As Jesus moves throughout Galilee, healing the sick and casting out demons (Matthew 4:24), He demonstrates the very heart of neighbor-love. Healing isn’t just about physical restoration; it’s a symbol of the larger healing that God’s kingdom brings to every part of creation. When we love our neighbors, it means offering them not just material help but also emotional, relational, and spiritual care—helping to heal their wounds in ways that invite them into the wholeness that God desires for all.
The Sermon on the Mount, beginning in Matthew 5, lays the foundation for what it means to live as citizens of this new kingdom. Jesus begins by turning everything upside down with the Beatitudes: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted” (Matthew 5:3–4). In a world that values power, wealth, and prestige, Jesus declares that those who are humble, those who mourn, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, are the true recipients of God’s blessings. In these words, He calls us to love our neighbors not from a position of superiority but from a place of deep empathy and humility. Loving our neighbors means walking with them through their struggles and mourning with them in their loss, sharing in their pain as well as their joy.
Jesus goes on to teach that this kingdom is not just about external actions but about internal transformation. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not murder,’ and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment. But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be in danger of the judgment” (Matthew 5:21–22). Here, Jesus shows us that neighbor-love goes deeper than outward actions; it’s a matter of the heart. Loving our neighbors means not only refraining from violence but also seeking reconciliation and peace in our relationships. Jesus calls us to settle disputes quickly, to offer forgiveness, and to actively pursue peace. This radical love invites us to break down barriers, offering grace even when it’s undeserved.
The theme of loving God and loving our neighbors continues throughout the gospel. Jesus teaches us to love our enemies, saying, “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). This radical love goes against the grain of human nature, yet it is the hallmark of the kingdom Jesus is ushering in. Loving our neighbors is not limited to those who are easy to love but extends to those who may never love us back. This love disrupts systems of hate and division, choosing reconciliation over retribution. It’s a love that calls us to lay down our rights and extend grace, as Jesus did on the cross.
As Jesus continues His ministry, He calls us to live lives marked by humility and service. In Matthew 6, He teaches about the importance of sincerity in worship and the dangers of seeking attention for our good deeds. “When you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” (Matthew 6:3). This speaks directly to the heart of neighbor-love. True love for our neighbors is not motivated by the desire for recognition but by the genuine desire to serve them in humility. Whether we’re feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, or visiting the sick, our acts of love must be driven by compassion, not by the desire for applause.
Jesus’ teachings on prayer in Matthew 6 also invite us into deeper communion with God, allowing us to approach Him as a Father who cares for our needs and the needs of others. The Lord’s Prayer, with its focus on forgiveness, daily bread, and the coming of God’s kingdom, is a model for how we are to pray and live. It reminds us that our love for neighbors is intricately tied to our love for God. When we forgive those who wrong us, when we ask for daily provision for ourselves and others, we are aligning our hearts with God’s kingdom priorities.
As Jesus moves toward Jerusalem, He continues to challenge religious hypocrisy, calling out the Pharisees for their focus on external rituals rather than genuine love and justice. In Matthew 23, He rebukes them, saying, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith” (Matthew 23:23). Here, Jesus emphasizes that loving our neighbors means doing justice—standing up for the oppressed, ensuring that laws protect the weak, and refusing to be complicit in systems that exploit others. True righteousness is not just about external observance but about caring for those who are marginalized and vulnerable.
Finally, in Matthew 25, Jesus speaks of the final judgment, where He will separate the sheep from the goats based on how they treated the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned. “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Matthew 25:35). Here, Jesus makes it clear that loving our neighbors is not optional but essential to the life of discipleship. It’s not enough to profess faith; true faith is demonstrated through concrete acts of love and mercy toward others. These acts of neighbor-love are a reflection of God’s love for us, and they are what will ultimately define us as His followers.
The call to love our neighbors is not an abstract command in Matthew; it is woven into every part of Jesus’ ministry. It’s a love that calls us to forgive, to serve, to act justly, to pray sincerely, and to stand with the vulnerable. It’s a love that looks like humility, like laying down our own rights for the good of others, like working to build communities of peace and justice. Loving our neighbors means living in light of God’s kingdom, where the last are first, where the poor are blessed, and where grace overflows.
In conclusion, the gospel of Matthew presents us with a vision of a kingdom where loving God and loving our neighbors are inseparable. Jesus’ teachings, from the Sermon on the Mount to the final judgment, call us to live lives marked by radical love—love that extends to enemies, love that sacrifices for others, love that seeks justice and mercy. As we follow Jesus, we are invited not only to profess faith but to live it out in concrete ways that transform our relationships, our communities, and the world around us. May we, like the disciples who followed Jesus, respond to His call by loving our neighbors as ourselves, bringing the light of God’s kingdom to every corner of the earth.