Monday, April 19, 2010

The Second Commandment

Lesson: Matthew 22:34-40

In the book of Matthew 22 the Pharisees are attempting to trick Jesus and discredit him as a person. So they send a lawyer, one who is suppose to be knowledgeable in the law given by Moses and the prophets.

Verse 34 states that "But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together". Verse 35 says" that one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him and saying", Verse 36, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?"

What is interesting is Jesus response.

Verse 37 states that "Jesus said unto him, Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Verse 38 says, This is the first and great commandment. Verse 39 , "And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Verse 40 concludes with "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

The lawyer knew or should have known this.

Jesus cited the Jewish confession of faith found in Deuteronomy 6:5, the principle under girding all the specific commands. All those of the Jewish faith were taught early by their mothers, or family, or temple teachers so they would be well acquainted with the law and the prophets.

To love God with all one's mind is to use all reasoning and reflection to bring glory to Him.

We want to receive all the glory, not God. How can we love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind? The majority of religions claim that God is universal and that we all believe in the same thing. Not true. We all don't believe the same thing. Christians believe that God sent His only Son in the flesh to die for our sins. We don't worship animals or have animal sacrifices. Christ was the human sacrifice and his death and resurrection redeemed us before His Father, God.

Then Jesus gave the second commandment which in Verse 39 commands us to "love thy neighbour as thyself."

This is the commandment that is so difficult for every religion, even Christianity. We don't want to give up our seat or our pew in church to a stranger or even to each other. How does that show love for our neighbor?

The second command was to be fulfilled in respect to other Jews. But Jesus applied it to all mankind. The command to love one's neighbor is like the command to love God in more than one way.

First, it requires love, as the first commandment does. And the love demanded for our neighbor is just as exacting as our love for God, for we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. We do not need to be reminded to love ourselves. That comes naturally but to expend the same wholehearted care and concern on our neighbor is a herculean task. It takes effort and it is what God desires of us!

This points out a second connection between the two commands: we cannot adequately fulfill the second one without fulfilling the first.

God demonstrated love even to His enemies. We, as children of God, are to prove ourselves as His children, and are expectged to do the same thing. The world is in the predicament it is in today because of hatred not love of their neighbors. Those who claim to love God and hate their neighbor are liars and are not friends of God. So how can we all believe in the same God who is universal to all mankind?

How can one love the invisible God, yet hate His visible image-bearer? (1 John 4:20)

Indeed, anyone who recognizes that love for God and neighbor is the essence of what God requires is not far from the kingdom. Only a heart that is transformed by God's grace can possibly recognized such love.

Thought for Today: Pray that all mankind might come to love his neighbor so that we can truly be at peace with one another.

No comments:

Post a Comment