Which is the greatest commandment ?
Matthew 22:37-40
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
What does it mean to love?
Matthew 22:37-40
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
What does it mean to love?
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21 comments:
"Love your neighbor as yourself"
So, if I had a neighbor who was dealing drugs, drinking, animal cruelty, domestic violence and pulling out a pistol when his drug deals went sour, I am supposed to love him as myself?
Not gonna happen...
Do unto others as you would have done unto yourself.
If you were doing these things, what would you expect others to do to you?
I have a relative that lives in Sweden. She started out with a degree in chemistry from the University of Washington. Then went to work for a company that did water quality work. They had a division in Frankfort Germany so she went there and attended the University of Frankfort to get her masters. She had to learn German along with school and work.
She meant her husband and everything changed!
A few years ago they were back for a family reunion. I asked her what happened that changed her direction. She no doubt had a promising future in industry. Her response was I have two beautiful children and a wonderful husband.
BTW: Her husband is a specailized dentist now professor.
An aside: Sweden is a small country and was considered a somewhat poor country until they discovered oil. They have universal
healthcare - which she likes because they don't have to worry about an event that might ruin them financially.
She and her children carry dual citizenships.
Love just might be finding someone
or something that is bigger and better than what we can do on our own. A reason to change direction!
"This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’"
I don't see this in the Decalogue in either Exodus or Deuteronomy.
Keep in mind that it is only one chapter in the Pentateuch (in Exodus) that separates the Decalogue from the rules permitting ownership of slaves and the 'eye for an eye and tooth for tooth" verse.
The interesting thing is the "Love your neighbor as yourself" quote was not from Jesus, but was from a scholar that was trying to test Jesus.
He then asked the definition of what a neighbor would be.
Jesus then told the story of the Good Samaritan (from a different religion from Judaism) who helped a Jew when he was in trouble. (Luke 10:30) This was after a priest walked by without helping him and a Levite (a person of a tribe in high religious regard in Judaism) also walked by and refused to help.
Jesus said: "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
That is what it means.
Let me ask you:
When we single out out-of-towners and bill them $600 for having the misfortune of having an accident in Ark City, how do you think that would play?
Are we being good neighbors?
Love means caring for the least of "these," as Jesus did. All around us there are people who have given up on God, people living in lonliness and desperation. People who feel unloved, unworthy, and unwelcome in the Church.
Who have we cast to the edges of our society; saying in effect, “stay away, you’re not welcome here? Is it the poor, the homeless, or the mentally ill? Perhaps it is those we have chosen to ostracize, simply because of whom the have chosen to love. Might it be those suffering from HIV and AIDS, alcohol or drug addiction? What about those in prison?
Remember, Jesus said, "Whatsovere you do for the least of these, that you do unto me."
The interesting thing is the "Love your neighbor as yourself" quote was not from Jesus, but was from a scholar that was trying to test Jesus.
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Read it again :)
the quote was from jesus.
nice job of making it relative to current events as well :) :)
Jesus' comment in Matthew.
Scholar's comment in Luke.
Interesting: Jesus' comment says the number one and number two greatest commandments are not from the "Ten Commandments" but are from Leviticus.
I guess even an old geezer can learn a thing or two on this blog.
Some theologians believe the greatest commandments - which Jesus gave, are a summary of the 10 commandments.
The first five relate to God.. Love God
the second five relate to other people - love your neighbor.
Also interesting to note, is that Jesus speaks with his own authority. Several times in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus says, "You have heard that it was said,... But I say to you."
Seeming to point to the fact that we don't always have a correct understanding of the law, or how to apply it.
There may be laws against healing on the sabbath, touching lepers, speaking to women..., but Jesus says greater than all these,is the law of love.
Jesus embraced the leper, healed on the sabbath, loved the woman caught in adultery. Jesus, much to the chagrin of the religious leaders of his day, restored these people to community.
There may be laws against healing on the sabbath, touching lepers, speaking to women..., but Jesus says greater than all these,is the law of love.
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THe law is often misunderstood, and misapplied.
Even the law of God.
You know there are times when lying is the right thing to do. Always telling the truth ruthlessly can be even more sinful than lying.
Also, in biblical times, the jews had created a thing called the Mishna, which was an extra-law. It was like a fence to keep them from getting even to the edge of breaking the actual law.
Might have been a good idea at the beginning, but by the time Jesus showed up, the Mishna was equal to, or even superior to , the actual law.
When the jews accused jesus of violating the law, they were accusing him of violating the Mishna, not the actual Law of God. (Please no one take that as anti-semitic, The reference to "the jews" is a reference to the leadership of the pharisees, a political-religious party of the first century.
Jesus was a jew.)
There is no biblical law against healing - doing good - on the Sabbath.
To say you can't do good - heal - on the sabbath is very hypocritical. It violates the spirit of the law of GOd, even if it does obey the letter of the law concerning the Sabbath.
That was the point Jesus was getting at with the sermon on the mount.
Jesus was talking more about the inner condition, motives, for what one does. He said somewhere, unless your righteousness exceed that of the pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
The pharisees were very righteous, they were like super-baptists. :)
But they were righteous to be seen by others, and they were legalistic, paying too much attention to the letter of the law and ignoring the spirit of the law.
You know there are times when lying is the right thing to do. Always telling the truth ruthlessly can be even more sinful than lying
That won't cut it. Perhaps the best thing to do when you feel you have to lie rather than tell the truth...'shut your mouth'. Lying is never the 'right thing' to do.
On February 16, 2009 10:35Anonymous said...
Lying is never the 'right thing' to do.
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There is the storry of a young girl in Nazi Germany whose family was hiding Jews in their home.
The girl had been raised by her parents to believe that telling the truth was of utmost importance. "Never tell a lie," they told her.
One afternoon in her home town, German soldiers were going from house to house,looking for Jewish sympathizers. When they reached her house, they asked her, "Are you hiding Jews?" Having been told by her parents, "Never tell a lie," she said yes. Hearing this, the soldiers rounded up the Jews, and executed them. The girls family was jailed...
In this case, was "telling the truth" the right thing to do?
We are told, "Thou shalt not steal," but what if your children were literally starving to death, and, you had absolutley no means of providing for them.
A wealthy man in town has more than he will ever need, his tables overflowing with abundance. Certainly, the food is his, but clearly he would not miss a loaf or two if it were stolen.
Would it be wrong for you to steal a crust of bread to keep your children alive?
Thats the same example I was thinking of.
Most of the time, 99 percent or better, truth is right, but there are rare cases.
There really is no black or white, only grey.
We can all agree that lying, stealing, murder is wrong. We can also agree that love must be are final arbiter in any decision we make.
Is it always loving to tell the truth? Tell that to the people who were killed in the above example.
Is it always loving not to steal? Tell that to the hungry children.
Is it always loving not to murder? What if by doing so, you could have stopped Hitler in 1942?
love must be *our final arbiter...
On February 15, 2009 3:12 PM anonymous said...
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"Love your neighbor as yourself"
So, if I had a neighbor who was dealing drugs, drinking, animal cruelty, domestic violence and pulling out a pistol when his drug deals went sour, I am supposed to love him as myself?
Not gonna happen...
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Actually, that's what Jesus calls us to do.
We are to love the unloveable.
Who knows what might have happened in that persons life that brought them to that point. Doesn't justify it, or excuse it. Doesn't mean he shouldn't be punished, but can we not have pity, compassion, or sympathy for him?
We are told, "Thou shalt not steal," but what if your children were literally starving to death, and, you had absolutley no means of providing for them.
A wealthy man in town has more than he will ever need, his tables overflowing with abundance. Certainly, the food is his, but clearly he would not miss a loaf or two if it were stolen.
Would it be wrong for you to steal a crust of bread to keep your children alive?
February 16, 2009 11:29 AM
Is this Obama's and current politician's way of looking at it? Is this why we tax the rich to pay for the poor?
I have not been put in the position of my children starving to death. Not to say that day is not coming... I'd like to think that I would not steal, but who knows what a mother is capable of when saving her children. Fortunately, I believe there are still good people out there who would lend a neighbor a hand in times of need. VOLUNTARILY! I have seen a lot of generosity, even in this town many have come to hate.
I guess what I'm trying to get at, is that one should never have to "steal" (tax) from the rich and give to the poor (welfare and the like) I believe that is the job of good neighbors, churches and volunteer organizations. Politicians and government were not created for this task. While everyone loves the story of Robin Hood, wasn't he standing up to "politicians" and not business owners, farmers or local merchants?
Anonymous said - "I guess what I'm trying to get at, is that one should never have to "steal" (tax) from the rich and give to the poor (welfare and the like) I believe that is the job of good neighbors, churches and volunteer organizations. Politicians and government were not created for this task. While everyone loves the story of Robin Hood, wasn't he standing up to "politicians" and not business owners, farmers or local merchants?"
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The problem is, our government is set up to favor those who already have. Those who are in power. It is often difficult for those who have nothing to get ahead.
I know several people who work 2 or 3 jobs, 12-16 hours a day. They might be working at the local Jump Start, but they are working, and working hard. I know people who are working at Kan-Pak, Rubbermaid or PPG, and busting their butts, but still they don't makle enough to provide for their families. Our economy depends on these workers, yet we don't pay them a living wage. Anyone trying to support a family on minimum wage knows that they fall below the poverty line.
In these cases, I think it is the governments responsibility to supplement their income.
I do agree, welfare should be workfare. You don't work, you don't get a check.
Clean a park, sweep a street, paint a toilet. I don't care, but do something for it.
It is our kids who have suffered the most. While we work ungodly hours trying to keep our heads above water, our kids are deprived of our time. Mothers are working their tails off to keep a roof over their heads, food on the table and pay the ungodly cost of daycare while the raising of our kids is being trusted to others. Why do we do this? Because our pride will not let us fail! All the while we are making poverty wages, we still find ourselves as taxpayers. We are supporting the cause of others. Our money is being spent on things which I, for one, do not approve of.
Sadly enough, it is our kids who will pay once again. They will soon repay the debt of corporate, bank, state government and wall street bailouts. If our generation thought we had it bad, just wait to see their future. Do we not have an obligation as parents to take a stand against frivolous spending? Did the house and senate members not have an obligation to at least read the bill before they signed off on it?
All I can say is that they had better pray this thing works. They have not yet convinced me that it was necessary. Hell hath no fury like that of a woman scorned!
I believe that is the job of good neighbors, churches and volunteer organizations.
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Yes I agree, that is where it should come from.
Problem is, it doesn't.
The only reason government got involved was because neighbors, churches and volunteer organizations, were not able to do enough.
I do think it is the job of government to look after the well being of its citizens, and to care for those that cannot care for themselves.
Of course there is abuse.
There is also abuse of corporate welfare which has been going on forever even before the bailouts.
More is spent to subsidize huge wealthy corporations than is spent on the poor.
Remember when gas was $4 a gallon. The republicans blocked ending some tax credits the oil companies were getting.
We were talking billions in tax money being given to oil companies while they were gouging and raping the american public at the pump.
Just seems a lot worse than some guy cheating the system out of $50 here and there.
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