SECTION 10: THE REJECTION OF THE KING
CHAPTER 52
THE TWO GREATEST COMMANDMENTS
OR
A QUESTION TO END ALL QUESTIONS
Scripture To Consider:
“But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. Then one of them a lawyer, asked Jesus a question, testing Him, and saying, ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?'”
“Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.’ ” Matthew 22.34-40
Something To Consider:
This third question addressed to our Lord, embodies a familiar problem which the scribes liked to discuss often, namely as to which among the commandments was the most important. Their so-called code of morality was most complex and consisted in an infinite number of minute requirements and regulations. The reply of Jesus was and is startling in its insight and in its simplicity.
Jesus declared that the whole duty of men, women, and young people, the full sum of moral obligations, the essence of all divine law, was and is embodied and expressed in one word, “love.” This love must be exercised in two directions, first toward God, and second toward mankind. The Ten Commandments and all other divine requirements are but expressions of this one supreme principle.
The first commandment is therefore love to God. This is the fulfillment of the first table of the law; but the second is inseparable from the first. The second commandment comprehends the rest of the commandments, as it requires love for men, women, and young people of all ages, and of all nationalities.
What must have startled the hearers was the fact that both these two commandments were quoted from the Old Testament, and the first was so familiar that it was repeated twice daily by all Jewish people. So simple and so unquestioned is the principle of love, by which all moral problems can be solved, by which all moral obligations can be fulfilled.
More Scripture To Consider:
“While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, ‘What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?’ They said to Him, ‘The Son of David.’ Jesus said to them, ‘How then does David in the Spirit call Him Lord, saying, “The LORD said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool'”? If David then calls Him Lord, how is He his Son?’ “
“And no one was able to answer Jesus a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.” Matthew 22.41-46
Something Else To Consider:
Three questions have been asked to entangle Jesus and to discredit Him in the eyes of the people. His answer not only foiled His enemies but declared universal principles for future guidance of His followers which includes us of this end time 21st century generation.
The first question relates to political and civic duties. the second concerns natural and physical laws, and the third question was in the realm of morals and ethics. Now Jesus proposes a counter question. His question embodies the supreme problem in the sphere of philosophy and religion.
The question Jesus asked, concerns the person of Christ and whether He is to be regarded as a man or as God, or at the same time, God and man. Where is Christ to be placed in the scale of being in the hearts and minds of men, women, and young people? Therefore, as Jesus voiced the problem, how could King David speak of the coming Messiah as both his son and his Lord?
There was and is but one answer. Christ was both human and divine. He was and is the Son of David in His lineage of birth, and also the Son of God in the miracle of a virgin conception and birth. Therefore, the incarnation of Jesus is the only solution of our most serious difficulties in the sphere of religious belief.
Therefore, Jesus has absolutely defeated and silenced His enemies both then and now; and he concludes the long controversy by the expression of His supreme claim to be the Christ of whom David had prophesied, the biblically revealed Messiah, and King of all creation.
Something More To Consider:
According to Jesus, the two greatest commandments are actually one commandment fulfilled only from a heart that truly loves God. And who better to define true love toward God, than the apostle John, to whom it is declared of John, “...him who Jesus loved.”
Therefore, we turn to 1 John 4.20, to hear John the beloved proclaim, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his [or her] brother [or sister], he [or she] is a liar; for he [or she] who does not love his [or her] brother [or sister] whom he [or she] has seen, how can he [or she] love God whom he [or she] has not seen?”
John continued in verse 21, by stating, “And this commandment we have from Him [from Jesus]: that he [or she] who loves God must love his [or her] brother [or sister] also.” Now the fact is that some brothers, some sisters, are not exactly lovable from a human perspective. In other words, it is as if they work hard at not being lovable.
But what about us? Scripture declares that while we were yet sinners, and totally separated from God by our actions, thoughts, words and choices, that Jesus Christ died for us, even while we were alienated from Him by our unconfessed and not repented of sins, iniquities, and trespasses which were and are against God.
Therefore, if we truly love God as we profess with our mouths, do we truly love our neighbors as ourselves? Are we as Jesus and our heavenly Father; are we shedding abroad from our lives the unadulterated love of God for others? I cannot answer that question for you, and you cannot answer that question for me!
Therefore, are we willing to love the less than lovable among us as commanded by God? Our being willing is the first step in the loving others as ourselves process. God can work with willing! Are we thereby willing to learn the lessons of true love from Jesus’ earthly example? And if not, why not? The clock of the time of the end of our lives or the end of this age is ticking!
A Few Final Words:
We must remember that as far as others are concerned, we, you and I, may be at the top of the list of the most less lovable individuals. And if so, that would be a shame. But if that is the case, who is at the less advantage, the less lovable or the one finding it difficult to love the less lovable?
In other words, loving others, less lovable or not, must became a lifelong habit. Loving others must become second nature and at the top of our daily to do list! Now in order to accomplish the execution of these two but actually one greatest commandment, what must we do? The apostle Paul weighs in on this touchy subject in his letter to the Galatian believers.
Therefore, in Galatians 5.14, Paul warns us all, especially those of us alive in this most evil 21st century, by stating, “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'” Paul also adds, “But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another.”
That is very good and extremely sound biblical advice we would be wise to take to heart! Therefore, the command is to love, and the conditional warning is if we do not love others as ourselves, we will by God be found guilty of spiritual cannibalism in a manner of very clear and plain speaking.
Without true love we would devour one another with hatred and bitterness. Therefore, Paul suggests in verse 16 of Galatians chapter 5, “I say then, walk in the Spirit [in the Holy Spirit of God] and you [and I] shall not fulfill the lust of the [our] flesh.” In other words, the opposite of love does not begin with hatred, but with lust. Lust is spiritually crippling! Lust is diametrically opposed to the fulfilling of the two greatest commandments.
In Closing:
Therefore, the final question for us now is, are we walking in the Spirit of God’s Word, or in the lust of our own flesh that is greatly influenced by the evil of this wayward world? Are we practicing the devouring of one another or the encouraging and loving of one another? These are certainly questions all true believing Christians should consider as we approach the end of this age.
Let’s Pray:
Our heavenly Father, we thank You for Your revealing to us the two greatest commandments, which in reality are actually one commandment. Search our hearts Lord to see if there is any sin, iniquity, or lustful element that is lingering within us. Teach us to be found following the earthly and heavenly example that Jesus and others have left for us in the written and preserved record of Your Word, of which is Jesus. In Him Always, Amen!
According to Jesus 