In our text, the analogy could be expressed like this:
Love those who are like you: Christians :: greet only your friends : tax collectors and Gentiles
Remember the rule that to figure out an analogy we start by determining the relationship between the first pair of words.
In standardized tests, there are lots of options for relationships between the word pairs, fourteen to be exact. See which one you think verse 46 is.
| 1. | Sameness (synonyms) wealthy : affluent : : indigent : poverty-stricken |
boring : monotonous |
| 2. | Oppositeness (antonyms) zenith : nadir : : pinnacle : valley |
genuine : phony |
| 3. | Classification Order (general - specific) orange : fruit : : beet : vegetable |
food : fruit : peach |
| 4. | Difference of Degree (or Connotative Values) slender : skinny clever : crafty : : modest : prim |
cool : cold : frozen |
| 5. | Person Related to Tool, Major Trait, Skill, or Interest entomologist : insects : : philosopher : ideas |
writer : novel |
| 6. | Part and Whole eraser : pencil : : tooth : comb |
wheels : bicycle |
| 7. | Steps in a Process cooking : serving : : word processing : printing |
birth : life : death |
| 8. | Cause and Effect (or Typical Result) fire : scorch : : blizzard : freeze |
poison : death |
| 9. | Thing and Its Function scissors : cut : : pen : write |
shovel : dig |
| 10. | Qualities or Characteristics aluminum : lightweight : : thread : fragile |
gold : valuable |
| 11. | Substance Related to End Product silk : scarf : : wool : sweater |
cow : milk |
| 12. | Implied Relationships clouds : sun : : hypocrisy : truth |
light : knowledge |
| 13. | Thing and What It Lacks atheist : belief : : indigent : money |
spinster : husband |
| 14. | Symbol and What It Represents dove : peace : : four-leaf clover : luck |
Uncle Sam : U. S. |
If you guessed #1, you are correct! If we habitually retaliate and hate, we are exactly the same as those who instinctively and consistently retaliate when wrong is done to them. We are exactly the same as those who instinctively and consistently love those who love them and hate those who hate them. We are synonymous with the world around us and its dominant values.
I began these thoughts by admitting that, lacking a divine intervention or radical change agent, that's where I would stay. Jesus' teachings in these two antitheses introduce us to that change agent, the love of God, as indiscriminate and life-giving as the sun that shines on all the inhabitants of the earth.
Sources Consulted
http://www.mhhe.com/socscience/english/spears/stu3/studisk/verbal_analogies/va_intro.htm
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