Our scripture this week is Matthew 22:34-46.
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” “The son of David,” they replied. He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says, “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.”’ If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Jesus has a question for the Pharisees as well. He asks whose son is the Messiah, and then quotes from Psalm 110 regarding their answer. He is reproving them for their attempt to discredit Him using scripture, but also asking them to consider what they think they know.
Jesus doesn’t test our knowledge to judge us, He asks questions to help us better understand what God intends for us. Through the guidance of God’s word given in scripture we are able to connect with Him and see the blessings that are planned for us. To know scripture is to know God.
John 1:1 tells us “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Jesus is the Word, so it is no surprise that His opponents were unsuccessful in their attempts to confuse Him with scripture. Jesus doesn’t want to confuse us but to lead us to the blessing of salvation and eternal life in Him.
Loving Lord, we stumble over Your teachings, trying to assign our own meaning to the lessons. Help us to truly understand that we may do Your will by loving God and each other. Amen.