In a fore-frame of Final Judgement, we see Jesus telling those on his left:
I was a stranger and you did not welcome me (Matt 25:43)
The concept of one's being kind to the stranger is derived from Ex 23:9 which says:
You shall not oppress a resident alien; you know the heart of an alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.
We also see Jesus telling his followers in Matt 18:15-17 :
If another member of the church sins against you, go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone. If the member listens to you, you have regained that one. But if you are not listened to, take one or two others along with you, so that every word may be confirmed by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If the member refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if the offender refuses to listen even to the church, let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.
In the present context, an alien does not share his nationality with you, but a gentile may. On the other hand, an alien may share your faith but the gentile does not. It is not clear if Jesus set two different standards for extending one's compassion to an alien versus to a gentile. Or, it is possible that in the days of Jesus, the term 'alien' meant a stranger in respect of both nationality and faith?
My question therefore is: According to Catholic scholars, did Jesus set different standards for expressing compassion to a foreigner versus to a gentile?
