The greatest commandment in the Law

 READ: Exodus 37, 38; Psalm 44; Matthew 22:23-46

SCRIPTURE: 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?”

OBSERVATION: After the Pharisees and Sadducees failed in their joint venture to trap Jesus, in order to prove their beliefs and teaching, separately they started to ask questions which were considered to be tough to answer in their time. . Once the Sadducees were silenced by Jesus, the Pharisees might had thoughts that they were better than the Sadducees as they were strict adherents of the law of Moses and were well-known for their emphasis on the law. So they asked Jesus a popular question among the Jews during that period. In those days, people had divergent opinions regarding the greatest law. Based on their viewpoint, they emphasized on the law of sacrifices, or the law of circumcision, or the law of the Sabbath and so on. But Jesus precisely summarized the entire law in two sentences. Loving God is always the first and the greatest commandment. Next to this, loving every other person as a person loves himself/herself is the second great commandment.  We should not change this order. It is only by love we can fulfill or practice the law of God, not by any conditions or rules. God is love. He loves us and expects the same that we must love God first and then love the other persons.

APPLICATION: If I do not have love, my education, social status, scriptural and theological knowledge, my long experience etc. have no value in it. I need to love God first, and should not keep any human being in the place of God. When I love God and my neighbors, I should do it with all my heart, all my soul, and all my spirit. 

PRAYER: Jesus, thank you for your words that give a new perspective on the law. Help me to seek and to love God first , and then to love others.  May your holy spirit help me to do this with all my heart and with all my soul and with all my mind. Amen. 

- Arputharaj Samuel
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