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LOVE THE LORD
YOUR GOD Mt 22:34-40, 1/11/15 Grace Bible Church,
Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I. THE QUESTIONS OF THE PHARISEES AND
SADDUCEES (MT 22:15-33) A. The Pharisees began to ask questions of
Jesus in order to “trap” (pagideuō - lit. a hunting term to lay a
snare or trap. Fig. catch someone off guard, entrap) Him with His words
(Mt 22:15). B. The first entrapment regarded whether
Jesus believed in paying poll taxes (Mt 22:15-22). If Jesus said, “no,” then
the Herodians (political non-religious party of the Jews) would charge Him
with treason against Rome (Mt 22:16). If He said, “Yes,” then the Pharisees
would accuse Him of disloyalty to the Jewish nation. Jesus answered saying, “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and
to God the things that are God's.” (Mt 22:21). The result after hearing His
wisdom was that the Pharisees left and went away (Mt 22:22). C. The second entrapment came by way of the Sadducees
and regarded the resurrection (Mt 22:23-33). They concocted a hypothetical
situation of a Jewish family of seven brothers. Each brother died so that
each one had to become the kinsman-redeemer to the wife and inheritance (cf.
Mk 12:19). They wanted to know which of the seven brothers would be the
woman’s husband in the resurrection. Jesus answered them saying they did not
understand the resurrection because in the resurrection there would be no
marriages (Mt 22:30). The result was that he “silenced” (phimoō -
lit. muzzle, fig. speechless) the Sadducees (Mt 22:34). II. THE THIRD ENTRAPMENT: THE GREATEST
COMMANDMENT (Mt 22:34-36) A. Having silenced the Sadducees, the
Pharisees conspired to have a lawyer of the Law (nomikos - expert of the
Law of Moses, an expert Pharisee) “test” (perazō - examine as in
a trial, and/or entrap) Him (Mt 22:34-35). B. The question was “which is the “great” (megas - comparative cf.
“foremost of all” Mk 12:28) commandment in the Law” (Mt 22:36) C. The Pharisees had wrangled over the Law to
determine which commandment(s) was the greatest in the Law. However, their
quest had been complicated by the addition of the traditions of men. They
divided the commandments into heavy and light commandments, the heavy
commandments being the most binding (cf. Pal. Talmud, Ber. 1:4; Yeb. 1:6.).
They had never come to an agreement on an absolute division and ranking.
Therefore, it could be assumed that they thought that Jesus had His own
ranking. This was especially probable due to Jesus’ new perspective on the
Law revealed by His teaching. Asking Jesus which was the greatest commandment
could uncover an unorthodox ranking, giving cause against Him. III. JESUS’ ANSWER (Mt 22:37-40) A. Jesus answered that the greatest
commandment was Dt 6:5, “You shall love
the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all
your mind.” B. This commandment, he stated was the
“great” (hā megalā - with the article) and “foremost” (prōtos
- first or foremost) commandment (Mt 22:38). C. Though they did not ask for it, Jesus
added the second greatest commandment from Lev 19:18, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Mt 22:39). D. Then Jesus clarified and summarized the
whole Law and the Prophets saying that they “depend” (kremannumi - hang, as a door hangs on its hinges, so the whole OT hangs
on these two commandments)
on these two commandments (Mt 22:40). E. In Mark’s account (Mk 12:32), we have the
reply of the lawyer, who agreed with Jesus’ answer (which included the Shema
- Dt 6:4). In fact, this lawyer had the right perspective of Law. He viewed
that loving God superseded the sacrifices or any external formalities (1Sa 15:22; Hos 6:6). To
this Jesus replied, “You are not far from the kingdom of God” (Mk 12:34). F. The result was that no one attempted to
trap Him again with more questions. IV. OBSERVATIONS ON THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS A. They Did not Love God - The religious leaders, who were
claiming that loving God was the greatest commandment were doing anything but
loving God. In fact, they were attempting to trap Him for the purpose of
condemning Him in the person of Jesus Christ They were exalting the greatest
commandments but were doing the exact opposite (Ps 69:4 cf. Jn 15:18; 23-25).
B. They Played Russian roulette - The
greatest commandment taught that true love for God was anything but mere cold
formalism. But because of their formalism, they used their 613 commandments
to play Jewish Roulette with the Son of God. If He was unfortunate enough to
choose the wrong commandment, He would be condemned. C. The Lawyer was not Far from the Kingdom
- The Pharisees were very far from the kingdom because they thought that
their works along with being God’s chosen people would save them. The Lawyer
was a little closer to salvation then the Pharisees. He knew that loving God
was better than sacrifices. He needed to come even a little further in
understanding that all are sinners because they do not love God with all
their heart and that no amount of sacrifices will ever make up for his sin.
He needed to place His faith in Christ’s sacrifice for sin on the cross
because no one is justified by the Law (Ro 3:20, 28; Ep 2:8-9 cf. Col 2:14). V. OBSERVATIONS FOR CHRISTIANS A. The Believer is to love Christ -
Are we to love God with our whole being though we are not under the Law? Yes.
Though the believer is not under the Law, he is under its moral obligations.
Since loving God is the pinnacle of man’s moral obligations, the concept is
repeated in the NT (Ro 8:28; 1Pe 1:8; Jm 1:12; 2:5). However, there is an
emphasis in the NT on loving the second member of the Godhead, the Son of
God, the Lord Jesus Christ (Jn 21:15-17; Phm 1:5; Ep 6:24; Re 2:4). Loving
Christ is obeying His Word (Jn 14:15). B. The Believer is to love Christ with His
whole being - When Mt 22:37 tells us to love God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all
your mind, it is using language to refer not to individual parts but with
man’s total being. If we were to look at each individual part mentioned, we
are to love the Lord Jesus Christ with the intention, purpose and treasure of
our heart (Mt 6:21; Ac 8:22; He 4:12). We are to love the Lord Jesus Christ
with the proper emotions, attitudes, and worship of our soul (Mt 26:38; Lk
1:46). We should love the Lord Jesus Christ with the thoughts, intellect, and
wisdom of our minds (Ro 12:2; 1Co 2:16; Col 3:2). We should love the Lord
Jesus Christ with both physical and spiritual strength in faithful obedience
and service (Ep 6:10; 1Pe 4:11). VI. OBSERVATIONS ON JESUS’ ANSWER A. God is the Most Glorious Being -
God is an all-wise, truthful, and righteous God. He would not tell man to
love something or someone with his whole being that is imperfect or unworthy.
Therefore, when He tells man to love Him with his whole being, it is because
God is the most perfect Being worthy of man’s total love. God is the most
glorious Being, the Chief Good, and the greatest conceivable Perfect Being.
It is the believer’s ultimate blessing to know and love the most glorious
Being, God. It is the greatest commandment because God is the most glorious
Being. B. God’s Nature is Love - God’s Law is
a revelation of His own nature and character. If loving God is the greatest
commandment and the second is loving man created in His image, then love is
central to God’s Law. Since the basis of the two greatest commandments is
love and God’s nature is revealed in His Law. Then, we can conclude that
God’s nature is love. It is the greatest commandment because God’s nature is
love. C. God’s Law is Based on Love - Since
God’s nature is love and the Law is based on God’s nature, then the Law is
based on love. In other words, the Law was not given to man because God is a
tyrant and desires to ensnare and punish man. The Law was given because it is
what is best for man based on God’s love (cf. Ro 7:12). It is because sinful
man cannot keep the Law that He needs the death of Christ to atone for his
violation of God’s Law (Col 2:14). It is the greatest commandment because
God’s Law is based on love. D. God Desires a Relationship of Love
- God, being a God of love, desires a relationship with man. God has loved
man and given Himself totally to man on the cross, the only proper response
of man is to give himself and love God with his whole being. It is the
greatest commandment because God desires a relationship of love with man. |
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Grace Bible Church · 4000 E. Collins Rd · PO Box #3762 · Gillette, WY · (307) 686-1516 |
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