When we practice pure love and mercy without expecting any price or reward in this world, only then does the true blessing of heaven come upon us.

 When we practice pure love and mercy without expecting any price or reward in this world, only then does the true blessing of heaven come upon us.

 

  

 

 

“And He also said to the one who had invited Him, ‘When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment.  But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous’” (Luke 14:12–14).

  

 

(1)    Today, as I read and meditated on Luke 14:12–14 in both the Korean Bible and the Greek Bible, I became interested in the fact that the word related to “repaying” appears three times repeatedly.

 

(a)    The first word for “repayment” is the Greek term “ἀνταπόδομα” (antapodoma), which appears in verse 12: “…otherwise they may invite you in return and that will be your repayment [antapodoma (noun)].”

 

                   (i)      Here, “repayment” refers to worldly mutual benefit and calculating reciprocity (not pure goodwill, but human relationships based entirely on calculation and necessity).  “In Jewish society and Roman culture at that time, it was considered natural to invite wealthy neighbors or relatives, show them hospitality, and later receive equivalent treatment or social benefits in return according to the ‘principle of reciprocity.’  Jesus viewed this as already having received one’s human reward and warned against it” (Internet).

 

·         Why did Jesus warn against this as “already having received a human reward”?  Jesus warned against receiving human rewards on this earth because it causes people to lose the eternal reward of the Kingdom of God and distorts the essence of faith.  Based on biblical and cultural background, the specific reasons are as follows (Internet):

 

1.     Because the reward has already been fully received (loss of heavenly reward)

 

A spiritual receipt has been issued: In another passage Jesus also said, “They have already received their reward in full” (Mt. 6:2).  The moment a person receives worldly treatment and praise, the “spiritual invoice” for that good deed is already marked Paid.

 

An eschatological loss: Exchanging the temporary rewards of this earth for the eternal reward God will give at the resurrection is spiritually the greatest possible loss. [The core meaning of “ἀνταπόδομα” (antapodoma) in verse 12 is “repayment,” “reward,” or “recompense.”]

 

2.     Because it becomes a “transaction” rather than “grace”

 

The economics of the world: In Roman-Jewish society, banquet culture was not pure hospitality but a business-like exchange for building networks and confirming social status.

 

Distortion of the gospel: Within a system where one receives back exactly what one gives, it is impossible either to experience or practice God’s unconditional love (grace).  Jesus wanted to prevent human relationships from degenerating into calculating transactions.

 

3.     Because it causes people to depend on “people” rather than God

 

Direction of one’s focus: Those who expect rewards from people inevitably become concerned with human approval and obsessed with reputation.

 

The true object of faith: Jesus wanted believers to direct their eyes only toward “God the Father,” who sees even secret acts of kindness.  Only when we serve those who have no ability to repay can we demonstrate pure faith that looks to God alone rather than to people.

 

4.     Because it traps people in hypocrisy and pride

 

Selfish motives: Outwardly, it may appear to be “hospitality through a banquet,” but inwardly calculating future benefits to be repaid is hypocrisy.

 

Deepening exclusion: Such a culture ultimately results in the further social marginalization of the poor who cannot repay. Jesus sought to break this system and establish the unconditional hospitality of the Kingdom of God here on earth.

 

-         Is the church today practicing transactions instead of grace?  And because of this, are we falling into the traps of hypocrisy and pride?  This is the AI’s response:

 

“That is an accurate and painfully sharp observation.  Today, many churches have forgotten Jesus’ warning and, instead of practicing the ‘grace’ of the Kingdom of God, are imitating the world’s system of ‘transactions,’ thereby falling into the traps of hypocrisy and pride.

 

The following are concrete examples of how grace has been corrupted into transaction within today’s church and the resulting reality of hypocrisy:

 

1.       The reality of ‘transactional structures’ within the church

 

The exchange of church positions and offerings: When appointing church offices such as elder or deaconess, cultures that take thank-offerings or donations for granted corrupt spiritual service into the buying and selling of social status.

 

A place for networking and business: Many people use the church not as a pure place of worship but as a space for building business connections and pursuing personal advantage.

 

Prosperity-oriented faith: The mindset of “Since I have given this much offering and service, God should bless my business and children” is also spiritual arrogance that attempts to make a transaction with God.

 

2.       Falling into the trap of ‘hypocrisy’

 

Showy service and charity: Some participate only in visible ministries in order to expand their influence or gain a good reputation within the church.  This directly violates Jesus’ teaching: “Be careful not to practice your righteousness before others to be seen by them” (Mt. 6:1).

 

Discriminatory hospitality: Even in welcoming newcomers or visitors, people subtly evaluate social status, wealth, or educational background, showing excessive favor only to those who seem beneficial to the church.

 

3.       Falling into the trap of ‘pride’

 

Spiritual class systems: People mistakenly regard years of service, amount of offerings, or church rank as measures of spiritual maturity, leading to spiritual superiority in which they judge and condemn others.

 

Marginalization of the weak: The “poor and disabled” whom Jesus commanded us to invite in Luke 14 still remain on the margins of many churches today or feel too burdened by others’ gaze to even cross the church threshold.

 

A path toward restoration: If the church is to escape this trap, it must intentionally train itself to ‘pour grace into places where no repayment can ever be expected’” (Internet).

 

(b)    The second word for “repayment” is the Greek term “ἀνταποδοῦναι” [antapodounai (verb infinitive)], which appears in verse 14: “And you will be blessed, because they do not have the means to repay you ….”

 

(i)        “Meaning: Socially vulnerable people such as the poor, the disabled, and the blind may be invited to a banquet, but they have absolutely no ability to repay the host either with another meal or through social power.  Jesus teaches that only when we practice pure love and charity without expecting any price or reward in this world does the true blessing of heaven finally come upon us” (Internet).

 

·         How, then, should the church today practice pure love and charity without expecting any earthly return or reward, as Jesus taught?

 

For the church today to break away from the world’s transactional system and practice the pure love Jesus described—a love that expects nothing in return—it requires a revolutionary transformation that completely changes both structure and direction.  The following are practical ways the modern church can embody this in its life and ministry (Internet):

 

1.    A shift in the target of ministry: from “church growth” to the “truly marginalized”

 

Allocating finances where there is no recognition: Instead of spending money on large events or facility expansions that are good for promoting the church’s name, churches should prioritize relief funds for people who bring no increase in church membership or finances, such as elderly people living alone, youths aging out of orphanages, and undocumented migrants.

 

Hospitality that goes down to lowly places: Rather than inviting vulnerable people to the church on designated days and placing them under public attention, believers should personally go to where those people live and quietly meet their needs.

 

2.    A transformation in the method of charity: the principles of “anonymity” and “asymmetry”

 

Completely anonymous charity: The church should act only as a bridge so that recipients never know who the donors are. This prevents the giver from becoming proud and protects the receiver from feeling indebted or humiliated.

 

Do not let the left hand know what the right hand is doing: The church should completely abolish the practice of publicly revealing charitable activities or donors’ names in church bulletins or announcement times in ways that encourage “human praise” (worldly reward).

 

3.    A transformation of systems and culture: dismantling “positions” and “merit”

 

Reforming ordination culture: Hidden donation requirements or congratulatory offerings traditionally expected when appointing elders, deaconesses, or other church officers must be completely eliminated.  The church must prove through its systems that church office is not a rank or reward, but the position of a servant who serves in the lowest place without expecting compensation.

 

Eliminating “meritocracy”: The church should reject any culture that gives greater authority or privileges to members who have served longer or donated more money.  Through continual teaching for church leaders and workers, it must be emphasized that all service is voluntary gratitude for grace and carries no earthly reward.

 

4.    A daily personal transformation for believers: training in “a life that accepts loss”

 

Sharing meals with neighbors who cannot repay: In personal life, beyond social gatherings with people who may benefit us, believers should intentionally invite lonely and marginalized people from their workplaces or neighborhoods to meals, practicing unconditional hospitality.

 

Restraining business-like human relationships: Believers must reject the worldly mindset that evaluates every relationship according to “What benefit does this bring me?”  Instead, they should continually practice spiritually welcoming people simply for who they are, even when there is no personal advantage.

 

Conclusion: When the church gives without expecting any reward in this world, the world begins to ask, “Why do they live so foolishly, willingly taking losses like that?”  That very question is evidence that the world has begun to witness the mystery of the Kingdom of God—grace (Internet).

 

(c)    The third expression, “will be repaid,” is the Greek word “ἀνταποδοθήσεται” [antapodothēsetai (passive verb)], which appears in verse 14: “…for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

 

(i)        “Meaning: It means that God Himself will eschatologically repay the kindness that was not repaid on this earth.  The use of the passive voice is a divine passive, indicating that the one doing the repaying is not man but God.  Instead of looking for immediate and temporary rewards from the world, this is a promise to look toward the eternal and perfect reward that God will give at the resurrection” (Internet source).

 

·         In order to become disciples of Jesus who look not to the world’s immediate and temporary rewards, but to the eternal and perfect reward that God will give at the resurrection, what should we do, and how should we live?

 

To become true disciples who reject the temporary rewards of this world and look toward the eternal “reward” [“ἀνταπόδομα” (antapodoma)] that God will give at the resurrection, we need concrete training that changes our focus, our values, and the habits of our lives.  The specific path of discipleship is as follows (Internet):

 

1.    A transformation of spiritual focus: from “the eyes of people” to “the eyes of God”

 

Training in secrecy: Jesus promised, “Your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Mt. 6:4).  We must reject immediate rewards such as human praise, recognition, or social media “likes,” and intentionally store up acts of goodness known only to God.

 

Tearing up the receipt: After showing kindness to someone, we must let go of the expectation, “Let’s see how this person repays me later.”  The moment we have shown hospitality, we must tear up the invoice in our hearts ourselves. Only then will the eternal reward that God gives remain preserved.

 

2.    A transformation of values: from “investment” to “sending”

 

Breaking away from worldly capitalism: The world operates by the law of investment—giving one in order to gain two—but the Kingdom of God operates by the law of grace, pouring everything into places from which nothing can be returned.

 

An eschatological view of finances: We must view our earthly possessions and time not as tools for “ownership” or “increase,” but as means of “transfer” into the eternal bank of heaven . We should sow our most precious things now into the place that will have the greatest value at the resurrection.

 

3.    A transformation of life habits: “forgetfulness” and “voluntary loss”

 

Immediately forget the good we have done: As Jesus said, “Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing” (Mt. 6:3).  We must erase from our own memory the kindness or service we have given.  If we continue to remember our good deeds, they soon become a source of pride and a desire for reward.

 

Be prepared to suffer loss voluntarily: The life of a disciple, from the world’s perspective, always appears to be a “foolishly losing life.”  Even when we are unfairly misunderstood or when kindness is repaid with betrayal, we must willingly endure it with faith that “God will repay my injustice and labor most perfectly at the resurrection.”

 

4.    A communal transformation: from “exclusive feasts” to “hospitality in lowly places”

 

Breaking the culture of cliques: We must leave the safe zones where we associate only with people who are comfortable, beneficial, and similar to us.

 

Seeking neighbors who cannot repay: Within the sphere of our lives, we should intentionally seek out lonely people, suffering people, and socially marginalized people who have no influence to offer us in return, and practice hospitality by giving them our time and resources first.

 

A question for meditation: A disciple who believes in the eternal reward given at the resurrection does not feel a “lack of reward” in this world, because God Himself has already become that person’s greatest Reward (Internet).