Matthew 22:34-46 (NRSV)
Read Matthew 22:34-46 on biblegateway.com
Verse 34When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, Verse 35and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. Verse 36"Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" Verse 37He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' Verse 38This is the greatest and first commandment. Verse 39And a second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Verse 40On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
Verse 41Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them this question: Verse 42"What do you think of the Messiah? Whose son is he?" They said to him, "The son of David." Verse 43He said to them, "How is it then that David by the Spirit calls him Lord, saying, Verse 44'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet"'? Verse 45If David thus calls him Lord, how can he be his son?" Verse 46No one was able to give him an answer, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.
Devotion
One common thread found in all of this week’s lectionary readings is the theme of love: loving God first and loving the neighbor is Jesus’ two-fold summary of God’s law. This scriptural perspective takes on the face of fair, unbiased judgment, putting God first in order to stand tall in the face of adversity, and remaining gentle and calm, even when persecuted, for the sake of preaching God’s word and being heard.
In today’s gospel reading, Jesus affirms all that we have learned in one simple command: love the Lord your God and love your neighbor as yourself. Love is the overarching command that makes all the other commands fall right into place. When you are loving someone, it is harder to judge them, harder to listen to wrong, and easier to desire a gentleness for them over fear when preaching the gospel. Love is the greatest commandment because it informs everything else we do.
Prayer
God of compassion, one word sums up all your commandments—love. Show us how to love you and our neighbor each and every day. Amen.
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