Wednesday, March 18. Matthew 22:34-46.
Today’s reading reminds us of three important things regarding Jesus and his teaching.
- Jesus was Jewish. He was not trying to start a new religion. When the Pharisees tried to trap him by asking him which is the greatest commandment, his answer was so purely Jewish and good that it stumped them. Jesus wasn’t dismantling the Jewish Law, he was upholding it perfectly.
- The answer is love. When we love God and love our neighbor, then it covers all the other laws, automatically. You can’t really sin against God and your neighbor when you are more interested in loving them.
- The Kingdom is more than political. The Jews were expecting the Messiah to be a man who came from the line of David to take the throne in Israel, overthrow the Romans, and take Israel to the top of the political food chain. Jesus’ question about David reminds us that the Kingdom of Heaven is something that goes far beyond the boundaries of any one particular country. The Kingdom of Heaven is not a political allegiance, but is a way of life that follows the love of God as demonstrated through Jesus.
Any questions? The Pharisees didn’t have any more.
