The Great Commandments

The Law of God begins and ends here. Matthew 22.34-40

Matthew 22: The King and His Law (5)

Pray Psalm 2.7, 8.
“I will declare the decree:
The LORD has said to Me,
‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
Ask of Me, and I will give You
The nations for Your inheritance,
And the ends of the earth for Your possession..’”

Sing Psalm 2.7, 8.
(Agincourt: O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High)
Proclaim the message far and wide, that God has exalted the Crucified!
From heav’n He sent us His only Son, Who has for us salvation won!

Read Matthew 22.1-40; Meditate on verses 34-40.

Prepare.
1. According to Jesus, what is the purpose of God’s Law?

2. Did Jesus seem to think that purpose had ended? Or set aside?

Meditate.
The Pharisees and Sadducees were rivals, as we can see by the argument that erupted between them in Acts 23.6-9. The Pharisees must have been pleased to see their opponent set down by a single word from Jesus.

Now it was their turn. They put one of their “lawyers” up to asking Jesus, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” (v. 35) This was intended as a trap door, through which, no matter what He said, Jesus would fall into some disputation with the Pharisees about which law had primacy among the Ten Commandments. That would give them an opportunity to parade their “knowledge” of Scripture – which the Sadducees clearly lacked (v. 29) – and to entangle Jesus in an endless debate in which they felt sure they would have the upper hand.

But Jesus showed a superior grasp of the totality of God’s Law. Rather than, say, go with the Sabbath law – which seemed a pretty big deal to the Pharisees of His day – or one of the other commandments, Jesus went to the spirit of the Ten Commandments, and summarized them using two quotations from elsewhere in the Law of God.

The “first and great commandment” is from Deuteronomy 6.4,5. This passage, known as the shema (because it begins with the Hebrew word, shema, or hear), was known to everyone as a summary of the first four of the Ten Commandments. The Law of God commands us to love God, Jesus answered. Nothing is more important than that.

Then He went an “extra mile” with the lawyer and quoted from Leviticus 19.18 to summarize the remaining six commandments: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Mark tells us that the lawyer (“scribe”, Mk. 12.32-34) remarked positively on Jesus’ answer, and Jesus commended him in return. This was not the first time we’ve seen this test, as Luke shows in Luke 10.25-31. In Luke’s account, Jesus did the asking, and a “certain lawyer” (was it this same guy?) gave the right answers. So in our text for today, Jesus answered the Pharisees’ challenge with their own standard teaching about the two great commandments. How could they arrest Him for that?

The great commandments tell us how to read all the rest of God’s Law, from the Ten Commandments to the religious laws and all the civil statutes and rules, and all the rest of the Old Testament (“the Prophets). In other words, God’s Law – and all His Word – is all about love! And since love is the mark of a true disciple (Jn. 13.35), we would do well – and can expect to be great in the Kingdom (Matt. 5.17-19) – to learn, obey, and encourage others in the Law of God – the Law of love.

Reflect.
1. These are the great commandments. Are they the only ones? Explain.

2. How do the first four commandments teach us to love God?

3. How do the last six commandments teach us to love our neighbors?

Christ says that all the Law and the prophets depend on these two commandments; not that he intends to limit to them all the doctrine of Scripture, but because all that is anywhere taught as to the manner of living a holy and righteous life must be referred to these two leading points. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Matthew 22.40

Pray Psalm 2.1-6, 9-12.
Thank God for King Jesus, Who is bringing His Kingdom to earth as it is in heaven, according to His holy Law of love. Pray through the Ten Commandments to begin this day.

Sing Psalm 2.1-6, 9-12.
Psalm 2.1-6, 9-12 (Agincourt: O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High)
Why do the nations vainly rage, conspiring together from age to age?
Earth’s kings and all of their counselors stand against the Lord and His Right Hand:

“Now let us cast His yoke below, His Kingdom authority overthrow!
Throw off His Law, reject His Word; no more be governed by this Lord!”

The Lord in heaven laughs in wrath at all who embark on this cursèd path.
His angry Word to them is plain: “Yet shall My King in Zion reign!”

To Christ the Lord be given all who humbly embrace Him and on Him call.
Be wise, be warned: His judgment comes to break the prideful, sinful ones.

Rejoice with fear in Jesus’ grace, and worship before His exalted face!
Beware His anger and judgment grim: How blessed are all who rest in Him!

T. M. Moore

Worship the Lord!
Looking for a way to worship at home? Or in your small group? Download and share our free Worship Guides by clicking here.

If you value Scriptorium as a free resource for your walk with the Lord, please consider supporting our work with your gifts and offerings. You can contribute to The Fellowship by clicking the Contribute button  at the website or by sending your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 360 Zephyr Road, Williston, VT 05495.

Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006). All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (available by clicking here).