“Jesus gets us.”

This was the message which appeared on millions of TV screens in the USA during this year’s Super Bowl playoff between the Chiefs and 49ers. By advertising standards, it’s a simple ad depicting people, regardless of who they are, having their feet washed by another, while INXS’s hit, “Never tear us apart” plays in the background. The ad concludes with some simple, but poignant statements:

“Jesus didn’t teach hate. He washed feet. He gets us. All of us. Jesus. Love thy neighbour.”

Not surprisingly, the ad has been heavily criticized by some, with many claiming it says Jesus condones sin and we are called to love our enemies, not just our neighbour.

Personally, I think it’s an overreaction and much of the criticism misses the point about what it means to “love your neighbour.”

When the religious leader asked Jesus what the greatest commandment of all was, He summarized it in two statements: “Love God and people well.”

I want to focus on what it means to love your neighbour. For the Jew, “neighbour” meant only Jews. If you were not a Jew, you were not a neighbour, and therefore they were not obligated to love you. Jesus turned this understanding completely on its head when he used this commandment as the basis for His story of the Good Samaritan. By making the despised Samaritan the hero of the story, Jesus’ message is clear – the person who needs my help, regardless of their status or racial background, even an enemy – he or she is my neighbour and we are to love them.

This is exactly what Jesus did for us. Paul said, “While we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son.” (Romans 5:10)

Even though the world was shaking its fist in the face of God, Jesus knew our need of forgiveness and still died for us. This is the greatest example ever of “loving your neighbour.”

Jesus gets us.

Today’s Bible reading: Mark 12:28-34