Quote from Forum Archives on May 19, 2008, 8:13 pm

Posted by: forthrightmag <forthrightmag@...>

Forthright Magazine
www.forthright.net
Straight to the Cross

"Understanding Time." See this child's simple
solution.
brotherhoodnews.com/2008/05/17/understanding-time/

COLUMN: FINAL PHASE

The Two Greatest Commandments
by J. Randal Matheny, editor

Jesus answered, "The most important is:
'Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord
is one. Love the Lord your God with all your
heart, with all your soul, with all your
mind, and with all your strength.' The
second is: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
There is no other commandment greater than
these." Mark 12:29-31 NET

When Jesus declared, in conversation with a scribe, the
two greatest commandments in Scripture, he provided us
with great insight into the heart of God and the new
covenant.

#1. Hierarchy of the Commandments

Though no hierarchy exists among members of the body of
Christ, some commandments of God are more important
than others. These two are more basic, more sweeping in
their range than any other.

Paul can also talk about the "greater gifts" and urges
the Corinthians to seek, more than tongues, the gift of
prophecy (1 Corinthians 12:31; 14:1 NET). The
discussion of gifts is also crowned by a discussion of
love (chap. 13) and the next chapter equates the power
of edification as the measure of what makes a gift
great in the church.

Likewise, since "God is love," we should not be
surprised that love for him and for one's neighbor
should top the list of the commandments (1 John 4:16).

#2. History of the Commandments

The Bible is not a lawbook or manual, but a history of
God's salvation. Jesus took these two commandments from
different books of the Old Testament.

The first one the Jews recited twice daily. Edersheim
mentions that the "Shema" of Deuteronomy 6:4-9 was
written on "little parchment rolls specially for the
use of children."/1

The second one was buried in the book of Leviticus
(19:18), among rules about harvest gleanings and
holding grudges.

Jesus joined them together as the ultimate expression
of man's spiritual and ethical obligation.

Neither the Old or New Testament are law books. They
contain a story, many stories, and the standard for our
behavior is tied to the main character in that story --
God himself.

This two-item list also was not placed on tablets of
stone nor on a billboard to flash at passers-by. They
make up part of a conversation between Jesus and a
scribe.

We enter that coversation when we listen and laud, like
the scribe, the wisdom and truth of the Lord.

#3. Harmony of the Commandments

It's clear these two commandments were meant for the
new covenant as well. When the scribe praised Jesus for
citing them and developed his thought a bit, Jesus
said, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."

End of argument, end of story.

But what didn't end was the place in God's plan for
commandments.

New Testament grace didn't extinguish the need for old-
time obedience.

Commandments are such a part of the new covenant that
Peter tags the Christian faith as "holy commandment" (2
Peter 2:21).

The Two Biggies

As the two greatest commandments, this passage and the
parallel passages in Matthew (22:34-40) and Luke
(10:25-37) deserve our keenest study, as well as the
Old Testament texts from which they were quoted.

And, as the gospel of Luke reminds us, not only our
study, but our practice.
_______
1/ Alfred Edersheim, Sketches of Jewish Life, chapter
7. www.ccel.org/ccel/edersheim/sketches.ix.html

Read this article online, write your reaction, and
read others' comments as well. Click here:
www.forthright.net/final_phase/the_two_greatest_commandments.html

You can help get the word out. Here's how:
www.forthright.net/editorial/lend_a_hand.html