And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing? Do not the Gentiles also do the same?
In these words Jesus explains that Christian love cannot be limited only to kindness toward those close to us. If a person greets and shows kindness only to his relatives or his brothers, then he is no different from worldly people who do the same. Christ teaches that the love of His followers must go beyond the natural human limits, embracing even opponents. This saying is a call to the highest love, which does not divide people into “ours” and “strangers,” but sees every person as a creature made in the image of God. Thus, Jesus teaches that love becomes perfect only when it is free from the conditions of reciprocity and reflects God’s boundless mercy.