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LAW AND LOVE
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
Mark 12:28-34

Matthew 22:34-40

 

“On these two commandments hang

all the law and the prophets.”

 

LAW AND LOVE
 
Now a scribe or a lawyer (equivalent to a Doctor of Theology today) asked Jesus which commandment was foremost in the law. It is possible that this particular scribe was attempting to draw Jesus into a debate on which of the 613 extra-biblical rabbinical laws was the greatest. Of course Jesus would not be so foolish as to waste His time arguing over this. He drew this ThD back to the Scriptures. Citing Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:18, He answered, “The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Jesus effectively summarised all the commands of Scripture by these two overarching twin-commands of loving God and loving man. As a matter of fact, the Ten Commandments can be divided into these two parts: (1) the first five speaks of our duty to God, and (2) the next five speaks of our duty to man.
 
The scribe honestly admitted that Jesus had answered most excellently and truthfully. He not only affirmed Jesus’ words, but also added that loving God and our fellow man “is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” Jesus commended him for replying wisely, and said that he was not far from being saved. Although he was “not far from” the kingdom of God, he was not yet “inside.” If only this scribe would trust in the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who had kept the law perfectly for him, he would have been ushered into the kingdom.
 
THOUGHT: “The seat of the Law is not in the brain, but in the heart.” (Calvin)
PRAYER: Father, teach me to love especially those whom I find hard to love.

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