Matthew 22:34-40

Matthew 22:34-40 NIV

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 
Jesus replied: “ ‘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 the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

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In seminary we were assigned to read up to 1,000 pages a week. I have a personal library that covers two walls, floor to ceiling, all of which are about church, faith and the Bible. As the writer of Ecclesiastes said,

Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body.
Ecclesiastes 12:12 NIV

In the passage today from Matthew 22, Jesus distills down the scriptures, and therefore faith and practice, into two verses from the Old Testament Law of Moses. He doesn't take 300+ pages to make His point. Christian faith can be summed up in one word...LOVE.

The Pharisees, who continue to test Jesus in the temple courts, ask Jesus what is the greatest commandment. We limit our list of commandments to ten, but in reality the Old Testament contains over 600 different commands. But Jesus' answer was simple. He drew from the book of Deuteronomy, laws for the generation that was to possess the promised land. He quoted Deuteronomy 6:5. Combined with Deuteronomy 6:4 it is the beginning of what is know as Shema (Dt 6:4-9), which is used in prayers daily by devout Jews.

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
Deuteronomy 6:4-5 NIV

The belief that God is the only god is the centerpiece of monotheism, which Abraham introduced to the world. For Jesus to answer as He did shows that He is certainly a product of God's people, Israel. The Pharisees would've had no problem with His answer. In fact, Mark records a Pharisee praising Jesus' insight. (Mark 12:28-34)

But Jesus adds that second only to the our complete love of God is love of neighbor. To love God with your whole being, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is to fulfill every law in the Old Testament. Indeed to love God and neighbor is the fulfillment of the spirit of the teachings of the prophets. To love is to behave in ways pleasing to God, to be righteous in His sight, and to become a blessing to others.

We over-complicate Christianity. The church is greatly divided over the social issues of abortion, gay marriage, stem cell harvesting, and many others. Instead of being the exemplars of love we publicly exhibit some of the most hateful and despicable behavior. In valiantly defending and promoting specific beliefs, we end up sabotaging any good we may have hoped to achieve. Our love and devotion to God fails to translate to love for the sinner, something Jesus was very keen to do.

Is there a moral to the story of the church's failure? It is simply this... Love.

The gospel in one word is love. Love God through worship, daily devotion, and final offerings. Love each other by practicing love in the church and holding one another accountable to love. Love others as you love yourself, especially sinful, lost and marginalized people. Treat others as you want to be treated. Serve those in need. Tell them about God's love.

May the love of God grow you in His direction. May all hated be cleansed from your heart.