Matthew 22:34-40

Matthew 22:34-40
One by one various groups of the Jews confronted Jesus in an attempt to trip Him up in the presence of the people in order to discredit Him. Once the Pharisees saw that He had silenced the Sadducees, they came with another challenge. The scribes and Pharisees had long discussed which commandment would be considered the most important and greater in weight than all others.
Jesus’ answer did not center on any of the ten commandments nor on one of the laws of worship or observance of the Jewish festivals. The Jews might have placed circumcision at the top of the list since it was through this rite that a person came into covenant relationship with God. Instead, Jesus cites loving God with all of one’s heart, soul, mind, and strength as the first commandment and loving one’s neighbor as himself as the second.
The reason these two commands are the greatest and most critical is because they encompass everything God has ever said. Even the ten commandments are summarized in these two commands. The first four commandments have to do with loving God and the last six have to do with loving one’s neighbor.
The first thing we must consider is that we cannot have one with out the other. We cannot claim to worship God without loving our neighbor, nor can we claim to be in a right relationship with God by simply loving our neighbor. God requires an allegiance to Him through specific ways of worship as well as the way we treat our fellowman. For the religious man, there is a tendency to feel confident of salvation just on the basis of regular worship while neglecting one’s relationship with his neighbor. Others, believe they are saved simply because they are good to their neighbor but they never participate in the worship and praise of God personally or corporately. Both are necessary.
Second, no once can say they love God without keeping His commandments (John 14:15). Further, there is an intensity that is necessary. The love must be with all of one’s heart, soul, mind, and strength. Service to God is not a leisure-time pursuit. It is the pursuit if we expect to be saved.
Finally, there is an intensity of how we are to love our neighbor – as we love ourselves. That is a standard to which we rarely attain. There is no sacrifice too great if we are going to love the way Jesus loved (1 John 3:16).
Berry Kercheville