27th October 2023
Expert test
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Matthew 22:36 (NIV)
According to Jewish tradition the Torah, or Pentateuch as Christians call it, contains not ten but 613 commandments. In today’s header scripture an expert in the law tries to catch Jesus out by asking him which of these 613 commandments is the greatest.
The Pharisees spent endless hours debating over which commandments were ‘light’ and which were ‘weighty’. So this expert no doubt hoped that Jesus would make a rooky error that they could then pounce on and contradict with their ‘superior’ knowledge of the subject. How ironic, when you consider that the lawyer was talking to the one person in all of human history who had never broken a single one of these 613 laws!
The expert’s hopes are dashed, however. Jesus deftly swats the question away as one might deal with a tiny gnat. He responds by quoting the shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-9; 11:13-21), words a devout Jew would recite out loud twice a day: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.” And he throws in a second for good measure, “ ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” (Matthew 22: 37-39).
These two commandments are so closely intertwined as to be inseparable. As theologian R.C. Sproul once said, ‘I cannot say I love God with all of my heart, soul, and mind if I disregard His commandment to love other people. I can love people and not love God, but I cannot love God and despise my neighbour.’
Jesus ends the conversation with a final flourish, “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (v. 40). What does that mean? Simply that for God, love is at the heart of everything. The 613 commandments boil down to just two, and the common bond is only one: love. Which is hardly surprising when we remember that God is love. Without love it is impossible to obey him. Without his love, we are nothing.
Prayer
Almighty Father, the Old Covenant law was special, but it has been superseded by something infinitely more precious: the New Covenant, by which ‘God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit’. Thank you in the name of him who made it all possible – your Son and our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Study by Peter Mill
About the writer:
Peter Mill is a minister in Grace Communion International and Co-Regional Pastor for Scotland, Ireland, and Northern England.
Local congregation:
GCI, Linlithgow. For details email the local congregational contact below.
Local congregational contact:
Peter Mill
Email: edinburgh@gracecom.church
Word of Life contact:
wordoflife@gracecom.church