Luke 6:32 Meaning: What Credit Is That to You?

Two Greek words in this verse deserve a close look. The first is charis, which appears in the question “what credit is that to you?” Charis is the same word usually translated “grace.” It means a favor freely given, something that comes as a gift, not as payment. Some versions render it “thank” or “reward.” What Jesus is really asking is: what grace is in that kind of love? When you love only those who love you, there is nothing free about it, it is an exchange, not a gift. The second word is poia, which means “what kind of.” It is not just asking if you get credit, but what sort of credit. The answer is: the kind that everyone can earn, even those who give no thought to God. The word hamartōloi, “sinners,” underlines that point. Jesus uses the same verb agapaō (to love) for both the religious person and the sinner. The action looks the same on the outside, but the heart behind it is different. The love Jesus calls for is not just a feeling; it is a decision to show grace without counting the cost.

Christians across traditions have drawn different shades of meaning from this verse. Some early commentators, like Adam Clarke, took “sinners” to mean people who have no knowledge of God, what Matthew’s Gospel calls “tax collectors” or “Gentiles.” Others, like the Cambridge Bible, note that Luke, writing for a Gentile audience, naturally substitutes the more universal term. John Wesley observed that Jesus “has so little regard” for natural love that he does not even count it as thanksworthy. Matthew Henry stressed that this love must go beyond ordinary human decency and reflect the mercy of God himself. All these readings converge on the same point: the love that marks a follower of Jesus must rise above the mutual affection that even those who ignore God can practice.

Some readers take this verse to mean that loving family and friends is wrong or worthless. In fact, Jesus is not condemning natural love. He is showing that it is not enough to mark you as his disciple. The word charis (credit/grace) points to something extra, a freely given love that mirrors God’s own kindness. Loving your own people is good, but it is not distinctive. The question pushes us to ask what kind of love flows from a heart changed by grace.

Think of one person this week who has hurt you or taken you for granted. It might be a coworker who always criticizes, a family member who rarely says thanks, or a neighbor who ignores you. Jesus does not ask you to pretend the hurt is not there. He asks you to do one concrete thing for that person without expecting anything back, a kind word, a small favor, a prayer offered in secret. That small act is charis, grace in motion. It does not need to be dramatic. It just needs to be free.