Kierkegaard on Loving as Yourself

The second love commandment is: "You shall love the neighbor as yourself" (Lev.19:18, Matt.22:39).We commonly read this to mean we should love the neighbor in the same way we love ourselves.I argue that Kierkegaard provides an alternative.Instead of reading the "as yourself" clause as saying: "as you love yourself," I present a reading where in "as yourself," the "self" designates your God-given, unique role as a lover of neighbor.Thus, instead of extending your self-love to others, the Kierkegaardian command is to embrace and perfect the particular ability to love given to you by God.