Sunday 26 October 2008

Background

This passage comes as the last of a series of hostile challengesquestioning Jesus, in which he expertly turns the tables on hischallengers. In the version in Luke's Gospel (10:25-37) it is aquestioner who defines these 'greatest commandments' and Jesusresponds with the story of the Good Samaritan to answer the extraquestion "who is our neighbour?"

In stating the two greatest commandments Jesus identifies two keyelements of the reconciliation he taught, lived, died and roseagain for. These two commandments get to the heart of what makesfor a gospel of reconciliation.

First, reconciliation with God, essentially made possible throughJesus dying for us on the Cross. The first commandment to "love theLord your God with all your heart..." lays out the first part ofour response, which is to love God with everything we are.

Second, reconciliation with other people. Jesus demands a completechange in our lives that puts love for others equal to love forourselves, second only to our love for God. The story of the GoodSamaritan, told by Luke (10:30-37),demonstrates that Jesus commands us to love all people in thisway.

Incidentally, this commandment also puts a very high value onloving ourselves - something that today can be just as challengingfor us.

Discipleship (following Jesus) that takes these commandmentsseriously is easy to talk about but hard to do. Yet if today'sdisciples of Jesus did love others just as much as themselves thenwe might just see the power of a gospel of reconciliation. Forisn't reconciliation a side effect of loving others asyourself?

Sadly, many times we prefer to be 'right' rather than love othersas ourselves (which would include wanting them to be right just asmuch as we want to be). In the latter part of today's passage(verses 41-46) we see Jesus catching out those who always wanted tobe right by posing a question with no right answer (within theJewish culture at least).

To Ponder

What can you learn from the way Jesus responds tohostile questioning?

Thinking of those with whom you struggle, whatchanges to your normal response do these commandments suggest?

Reflect on the conflicts in your community (andwider). How might the two 'greatest commandments' lead to good newsof reconciliation?