Bible In A Year | Read: Matthew 22
34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:34-40
Overview of Chapter
Continuing on from chapter 21, Jesus illustrates the consequences of the Jews rejecting Jesus. The guests that reject the initial invitation are the Jews. Burning their city predicts the Roman destruction of Jerusalem about 40 years later. The invitation is then extended to less noble guests, who are non-Jews. The Jews called the non-Jews Gentiles. However, even Gentiles can’t attend the feast as they are; they need to be clothed in the righteousness Jesus offers them through the forgiveness of their sin.
Jesus is then challenged on a number of subjects that are designed to make him take sides on controversial subjects. Nobody likes to pay taxes, so supporting taxes would make him unpopular with the people. Speaking against taxes could get him arrested for sedition. The Pharisees believed in the afterlife, and the Sadducees did not. The Sadducees asked a question they felt made the idea of an afterlife look ridiculous. Jesus confirmed that there is an afterlife using an argument of which the Pharisees had never thought. Seeing that Jesus had sided with Pharisees, they asked him a question about the greatest commandment. They would have approved of his answer. However, he also asked a question they could not answer. The Pharisees had anticipated the arrival of a Messiah, but they did not expect him to be God. Jesus asked a question about how they interpreted Psalm 110. They couldn’t answer it because it didn’t match with their understanding of who the Messiah was to be. Jesus is letting them know he is the Messiah and is God.
Gentiles who have trusted Jesus should be very thankful for this teaching from Jesus. His forgiveness is offered to all, regardless of background! The Pharisees’ continuing rejection of Jesus is amazing. These people were experts in the Old Testament, yet this seemingly uneducated tradesman is making arguments they never thought of and cannot refute. Despite Jesus’ ability to do miracles and clearly superior knowledge of God and his Word, they cannot see that he is who he says he is.
Thoughts on the verses
The third question for Jesus is really a simple one.
“What is the most important law of God?”
Jesus does more than just answer this question – He defines God’s law. All the Old Testament can be summarized by these two commands – love God and love your neighbor. We often do not see the Old Testament this way. We see so much of God’s judgment on sin, people coming up short, people needing correction, etc. that we forget that all of it is summarized by the word “Love”.
Jesus saw God in the Old Testament the same way we see Him in the New Testament. He is a God who sees everything fulfilled in love. This love is not just words but actions, the intent of our heart and consuming everything we do in our day. That is what fulfills God’s requirements.
The problem is we do not know how to respond in love as we face life’s situations. When someone ignores us – how do we respond in love. When someone abuses us – how do we respond in love? When someone takes advantage of our weaknesses, failures and limitations – how do we respond in love?
How? … Look at Jesus.
Prayer
Father, I make things too complicated. I look for complicated answers to life’s situations – because life is complicated. Somehow, You see things so simply – not as simple, but with an answer that can be easily understood. Father, that is what I need today. To love You with all my heart. To love my brothers and sisters, my neighbors, my enemies – regardless of what they do to me. Simple to understand in theory, but hard to do in practice. So today, give me a heart not to get discouraged with my struggles to love like this. Give me a heart not to be overwhelmed by the challenge to love like this. Give me a heart that responds as You define Your commands to us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Action Step
What is God showing me? What am I going to do about it?
Have you ever thought it would be cool to hear some C3 leaders discuss the daily verses, share about their lives and mostly just talk about nonsense? Of course not!…even though nobody has ever thought that we are still doing it. You can follow along with us each morning in a brand new podcast – Tuesday’s Sleepy Eye & The Great Commandments.
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