LOVE GOD BY RECEIVING JESUS AS LORD

Passage: Matthew 22:34-46

Key verse: 45

NIV

The Greatest Commandment(A)

34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,(B) the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law,(C) tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a](D) 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b](E) 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”(F)

Whose Son Is the Messiah?(G)

41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42 “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”

“The son of David,”(H) they replied.

43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,

44 “‘The Lord said to my Lord:
    “Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
    under your feet.”’[c](I)

45 If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 46 No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.(J)

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Footnotes
  1. Matthew 22:37 Deut. 6:5
  2. Matthew 22:39 Lev. 19:18
  3. Matthew 22:44 Psalm 110:1
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Great Commandment

34 (A)But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced (B)the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 (C)And one of them, (D)a lawyer, asked him a question (E)to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, (F)“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And (G)a second is like it: (H)You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 (I)On these two commandments depend (J)all the Law and the Prophets.”

Whose Son Is the Christ?

41 (K)Now while the Pharisees (L)were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, 42 saying, “What do you think about (M)the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, (N)“The son of David.” 43 He said to them, “How is it then that David, (O)in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying,

44 (P)“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
    until I put your enemies under your feet”’?

45 If then David calls him Lord, (Q)how is he his son?” 46 (R)And no one was able to answer him a word, (S)nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

The Pharisees wanted to test Jesus by asking which is the greatest commandment. This debate divided people, prompting discussion instead of action. Jesus gave them both the first and second commands, validating what they already knew. The problem isn’t knowing, but loving. We should love God with all our being; we should love our neighbor as ourselves. But we don’t do this well. Instead, we sin against God and against one another. These laws expose us as sinners (Ro 3:20).

This is why Jesus keeps turning the discussion back to the Messiah: What do you think about the Messiah (41-42)? They thought of Messiah as a human king, who would take care of their political and administrative needs. But David saw Messiah as deliverer and Savior, to conquer the enemies he could not touch (43-44). David called Messiah “Lord” – and so must we. Our problem must be solved by our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior and King, the Lord of David and each one of us. We may have everything else in this world, but without the victory he gives through the gospel, we are ultimately lost. On the other hand, as we yield and receive his saving grace, we find new life and power to love God and love one another, bearing the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23).

Prayer: Father, thank you for your commands, that reveal how desperately I need Jesus. Help me receive and follow Jesus my Lord today.

One Word: To love God is to receive Jesus