Christian love

Core value of the Christian faith. Agape (‘selfless love’) is the most spiritual of the four aspects of love recognized by the Greeks. Christians also include charity, tolerance, and respect within the term. Love is central to the two greatest commandments given by Jesus to his followers in Matthew 22:37-40: to love God and to love one's neighbour. Christians believe that through agape, God's love reaches the world.

St Paul's description of the nature of agape can be found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7:

‘Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail.’

Christians believe that all love comes ultimately from God: ‘We love because he first loved us’, and that Jesus commanded that to truly love God, Christians should love others (1 John 4:19-21).

In Matthew 25:35-36, Jesus stressed that the people who would be welcomed into God's kingdom were those who demonstrated agape by serving others, giving food, drink, and clothes to those in need, welcoming strangers into their homes, caring for the sick, and visiting those in prison. Christians believe that performing an act of kindness for another person, regardless of status, is the same as helping Jesus himself.

The Good Samaritan The principle of Christian love is demonstrated in the parable of the Good Samaritan, told by Jesus in Luke 10:25-37.

The parable was in response to the question: ‘Who is my neighbour?’. It tells of a man on his way from Jerusalem to Jericho, who was attacked by thieves; they beat him up and left him half dead. A priest was also travelling on the same road, but when he saw the injured man he rushed by on the other side of the road. Another religious leader, a Levite, also rushed past. The third person to see the injured man was a Samaritan, a member of a group that had colonized Samaria (now northern Israel). Viewed as foreigners, they were hated by the Jews for their physical appearance and their religious beliefs. The Samaritan stopped and felt sorry for the man, even though he was an enemy. He took care of the stranger's wounds, put him on his own donkey, and took him to an inn. The Samaritan took care of the injured man until the next morning when he left money with the innkeeper to care for the man until he was better; he also promised to pay any extra expenses on his return journey.

When Jesus asked which of the three travellers was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of robbers, the reply was the one who had mercy on him; Jesus then told his followers to, ‘Go and do likewise.’ The significance of the story for Christian teaching is that the Samaritan helped not just a stranger, but an enemy. He did not see a man whose beliefs were different, but an injured human being and helped without thought for his own position or safety. The two people of the same religion, although they had positions of religious responsibility, refused to help a fellow traveller. The story instructs Christians that love (agape) should have no boundaries.