Mark 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is none other commandment greater than these. I. I SHALL MAKE A FEW OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING THE NATURE OF THIS DUTY. This phraseology has been very differently understood by different persons. Some have supposed it to contain a direction that we should love our neighbour with the same kind of love, which is exercised towards ourselves. This plainly cannot be its meaning. The love which we usually and naturally exercise towards ourselves is selfish and sinful. Others have insisted, that we are required to love them in the same manner as ourselves. This cannot be the meaning. For we love ourselves inordinately, unreasonably, without candour, or equity; even when the kind of love is really evangelical. Others, still, have supposed, that the command obliges us to love our neighbour in exactly the same degree in which we ought to love ourselves. This interpretation, though nearer the truth than the others, is not, I apprehend, altogether agreeable to the genuine meaning of the text. It has, if I mistake not, been heretofore shown satisfactorily, that we are in our very nature capable of understanding, realizing, and feeling whatever pertains to ourselves more entirely than the same things when pertaining to others; that our own concerns are committed to us by God in a peculiar manner; that God has made it in a peculiar manner our duty to "provide for our own, especially for those of our own households"; and that thus a regard to ourselves, and those who are ours, is our duty in a peculiar degree. To these things it may be justly added that we are not bound to love all those included under the word neighbour, in the same degree. Some of these persons are plainly of much greater importance to mankind than others; are possessed of greater talents, of higher excellence, and of more usefulness. Whether we make their happiness or their excellence the object of our love; in other words, whether we regard them with benevolence, or complacency, we ought plainly to make a difference, and often a wide one, between them; because they obviously and exceedingly differ in their characters and circumstances. A great, excellent, and useful man, such as St. Paul was, certainly claims a higher degree of love from us than a person totally inferior to him in these characteristics. For these, and various other reasons, I am of opinion, that the precept in the text requires us to love our neighbour generally and indefinitely as ourselves. The love which we exercise towards him is ever to be the same in kind, which we ought to exercise towards ourselves; regarding both ourselves and him as members of the intelligent kingdom; as interested substantially in the same manner in the Divine favour as in the same manner capable of happiness, moral excellence, and usefulness; of being instruments of glory to God, and of good to our fellow creatures; as being originally interested alike in the death of Christ; and, with the same general probability, heirs of eternal life. This explanation seems to be exactly accordant with the language of the text. "As" does not always denote exact equality. In many cases, for example, in most cases of commutative justice, and in many of distributive justice, it is in our power to render to others exactly that which we render to ourselves. Here, I apprehend, exactness becomes the measure of our duty. The love which I have here described is evidently disinterested; and would in our. own case supply motives to our conduct so numerous and so powerful as to render selfish affections useless to us. Selfishness therefore is a principle of action totally unnecessary to intelligent beings as such, even for their own benefit. II. THE LOVE HERE REQUIRED EXTENDS TO THE WHOLE INTELLIGENT CREATION. This position I shall illustrate by the following observations: — 1. That it extends to our families, friends, and countrymen, will not be questioned. 2. That it extends to our enemies, and by consequence to all mankind, is decisively taught by our Saviour in a variety of Scriptural passages. It is well known that the Pharisees held the doctrine, that, while we were bound to love our neighbour, that is, our friends, it was lawful to hate our enemies. On this subject I observe(1) That the command, to love our enemies, is enforced by the example of God. (2) If we are bound to love those only who are friends to us, we are under no obligation to love God any longer than while He is our friend. (3) According to this doctrine, good men are not bound in ordinary cases to love sinners. (4) According to this doctrine, sinners are not ordinarily bound to love each other. From these considerations it is unanswerably evident that all mankind are included under the word neighbour. 3. This term, of course, extends to all other intelligent beings, so far as they are capable of being objects of love; or in other words, so far as they are capable of being happy. 4. The love required in this precept extends in its operations to all the good offices which we are capable of rendering to others. (1) The love required in this precept will prevent us from voluntarily injuring others. (2) Among the positive acts of beneficence dictated by the love of the gospel, the contribution of our property forms an interesting part. (3) Love to our neighbour dictates also every other office of kindness which may promote his present welfare. (4) Love to our neighbour is especially directed to the good of his soul.Remarks: 1. From these observations it is evident, that the second great command of the moral law is, as it is expressed in the text, "like the first." It is not only prescribed by the same authority, and possessed of the same obligation, unalterable and eternal; but it enjoins exactly the exercise of the same disposition. 2. Piety and morality are here shown to be inseparable. 3. We here see that the religion of the Scriptures is the true and only source of all the duties of life. (T. Dwight, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. |
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