Psalm 122:1-9, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 1 Corinthians 1:4-8, Matthew 22:34-46.
A). LET US GO TO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD.
Psalm 122:1-9.
The “house of the LORD” encompasses this Psalm (Psalm 122:1; Psalm 122:9). Jerusalem, in turn, encompassed the house of the LORD (Psalm 122:2; Psalm 122:3; Psalm 122:7). Jerusalem thus became the place of pilgrimage and thanksgiving (Psalm 122:4).
“Jerusalem” also represents the place of right judgment (Psalm 122:5; Isaiah 2:4). At times in her history she failed miserably in this respect, and hence the exile became inevitable - but when Nehemiah became Governor the city walls were rebuilt (Nehemiah 2:15-18). However, when Jesus arrived in Jerusalem He again found cause to lament, and the cycle of history was repeated (Luke 19:42-44).
There is a play on the word “house” (Psalm 122:5), such as we see also in 2 Samuel 7:5; 2 Samuel 7:10-11. The “house of David” represents his dynasty, reaching all the way down to Jesus. The “thrones of judgment” are “the thrones of the house of David” - and reach down to Jesus’ climactic judgment at the end of time.
We “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:6). We pray for the peace which flows from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:3) - ‘peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ’ (Romans 5:1). We pray for the salvation of Israel.
To the Jews, says Paul, were committed ‘the oracles of God’ (Romans 3:2). The Israelites, according to the Apostle, are those to whom pertains ‘the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; whose are the fathers, and of whom as pertaining to the flesh Christ came’ (Romans 9:4-5). The Apostle to the Gentiles goes on to declare that Israel is still of some accountability in the purposes of God (cf. Romans 11:12; Romans 11:15; Romans 11:25-27).
Those who love Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6), and pray for her peace and prosperity (Psalm 122:7), shall themselves prosper (Psalm 122:6). This takes us back to the promise to Abraham: ‘I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curses thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed’ (Genesis 12:3). For the sake of our spiritual kinsfolk (both Jew and non-Jew) - and on behalf of our companions in the pilgrimage towards ‘the Jerusalem which is above’ (Galatians 4:26) - we invoke God’s blessing of peace upon Jerusalem (Psalm 122:8).
As we have indicated, Jerusalem’s good is tied up with “the house of the LORD” (Psalm 122:9) - ‘whose house are we’ (Hebrews 3:6). Let us never forget what we owe Israel, for (as Jesus said to the woman at the well), ‘salvation is of the Jews’ (John 4:22). ‘Boast not against the branches,’ adds the Apostle to the Gentiles: ‘be not high-minded, but fear’ (Romans 11:18; Romans 11:20).
B). LOVE THE LORD THY GOD.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9.
One of the core texts in the whole Bible is the Shema (DEUTERONOMY 6:4-5). “Hear O Israel…” is something of a refrain in Deuteronomy, much as Jesus would later often say, ‘he who has ears to hear, let him hear.’ Here we are told who the LORD is, and what our duty is towards Him.
“The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” We know the name Yahweh (translated as the “LORD” in capital letters) speaks of the oneness of our God, who was, and is and ever shall be. Or perhaps, “the LORD our God, the LORD alone!” The LORD is God alone, and will tolerate no rivals (cf. Deuteronomy 5:7-9).
Yet the word “Elohim” (translated here as “God”) is in fact plural. So even in this statement (and in many other places in the Old Testament) we cannot rule out the presence of a plurality - a Trinity indeed - within the Godhead. This is a great mystery, but not our subject today.
“Thou shalt” (DEUTERONOMY 6:5). Who says that the Old Testament only teaches what thou shalt NOT do?
“Thou shalt love the LORD thy God.” A command to love.
“Love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” Love is not just an emotion, but a commitment. Jesus said, ‘If ye love me, keep my commandments’ (cf. John 14:15).
The precedent for our love of God, is that He first loved us (cf. 1 John 4:19; Deuteronomy 7:7-8; 1 John 4:10; John 3:16).
Ours is a heart belief (DEUTERONOMY 6:6). And it is the LORD who writes “these words” upon our hearts (cf. Jeremiah 31:33). ‘Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly’ (cf. Colossians 3:16).
“And you shall teach (these words) diligently unto thy children” (DEUTERONOMY 6:7). Our children are the future of the church, just as surely as the Israeli children were the future of the Joshua generation. The word of God should be the subject of our conversations, both indoors, and outdoors; both when we lie down, and when we rise up.
The word of the LORD is pictured figuratively as being upon our hand, and before our eyes (DEUTERONOMY 6:8). This is individual. The corollary is ‘lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul’ (cf. Deuteronomy 11:18).
When I was in my first year at Bible School, my ‘outreach’ involved working with a Christian mission to the Jews within our city. I would accompany a missionary as he went from door to door, sharing the gospel in the more obviously ‘Jewish’ areas. Sometimes we would be surprised: we might have identified a little box on the doorpost, which would have contained a copy of the Shema (cf. DEUTERONOMY 6:9), only to find that the Jewish family had moved out, and non-Jews were living there. Nevertheless, we still shared the gospel.
Interestingly, the doorposts was where the blood was sprinkled at the first Passover (cf. Exodus 12:7). Now that God has made His final sacrifice for us, surely our lives should be marked out, at least metaphorically, with the marks of the sacrifice of Jesus.
Finally, “thy gates” - the gates of the city - represent the place of law and justice. We may with some justification hold opinions about the separation of church and state. Nevertheless, if there is no acknowledgment of God in the state, there will be failures in the justice system.
"Hear O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one. Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might" (DEUTERONOMY 6:4-5).
The outworking of this commandment is seen in our ‘loving our neighbours as ourselves’ (cf. Leviticus 19:18). Jesus says, ‘There is none other commandment greater than these’ (cf. Mark 12:30-31). ‘Love is the fulfilling of the law,’ teaches Paul (cf. Romans 13:10).
C). THANKSGIVING FOR THE GRACE OF GOD.
1 Corinthians 1:4-8.
Paul offers thanksgiving to God for the church at Corinth (1 CORINTHIANS 1:4). This is good pastoral care: Paul wants the Corinthians to know that, even if he does have some stern words to speak to them, it is because his heart longs for them. The Apostle offers his thanksgiving to God, not just once but “always” on their behalf, and particularly gives thanks for their gift of grace.
In fact Paul celebrated the Corinthians’ gifted-ness, especially in speech and knowledge, in which they were enriched by God (1 CORINTHIANS 1:5). This is part of God’s grace to them. In this the testimony of Christ has been confirmed in them, and strengthened among them (1 CORINTHIANS 1:6).
Again Paul affirms their gifted-ness (1 CORINTHIANS 1:7), by which they can patiently wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ in His glory. As with all His people, God will not hold them liable to charges, and will confirm their blamelessness at the second coming (1 CORINTHIANS 1:8). He who has begun a good work in us will see it through to the day of Jesus Christ (cf. Philippians 1:6).
D). A SUMMARY OF THE LAW, AND A QUESTION OF IDENTITY.
Matthew 22:34-46.
This section begins with the Pharisees gathered together with just one malicious desire. They had heard Jesus “putting the Sadducees to silence” (Matthew 22:34), and yet they still imagined that they could outwit Him with questions of their own. Often men are more interested in proving the prowess of their own religious party, rather than in listening to Jesus.
So they chose a student of the Law to challenge Him with what they thought was a hard question. The verb used by Matthew indicates that this was a hostile attack - a ‘temptation’ (cf. Matthew 4:1; Matthew 22:18), or a “test” (Matthew 22:35). There is a place for valid questioning; but there is also such a thing as ‘tempting the Lord your God’ (Matthew 4:7): and, in our own lives, we should make ourselves aware of the difference.
The Rabbis taught that there were greater and lesser laws. Even Jesus spoke of a commandment as being ‘least’ (Matthew 5:19). So the question is, “which commandment of the law overarches all others?” (Matthew 22:36).
There are sins which are more heinous than others: but why do we always want to classify sins? ‘This’ may not be as bad as ‘that’ - but before God, ‘to offend in one point of the law is to be guilty of all’ (James 2:10). Break one link in a chain, and the whole chain is broken: all sin separates from God (Isaiah 59:2).
However, since you ask, the golden rule is the law of love. This consists first of all in words recited every day in what is known as the ‘Shema’ (Matthew 22:37; Deuteronomy 6:4-5), which calls for wholehearted love of God. Jesus calls this the first, and greatest commandment (Matthew 22:38).
Secondly, there is another commandment “like unto it” (Matthew 22:39): love your neighbour as you love yourself (Leviticus 19:18). On this likeness hinges “all the law and the prophets” (Matthew 22:40). Messiah ‘fulfils the law and the prophets’ (Matthew 5:17) by His own unique act of divine love (cf. John 3:16).
The hinge rests in this: ‘If a man says that he loves God, but hates his brother, he is a liar: for He who loves not his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?’ (1 John 4:20).
At this point, Jesus took over the agenda (Matthew 22:41). There are times when we need to stop speaking, stop questioning, and start listening to what God is saying in His Word. “What think ye of Christ?” (Matthew 22:42).
This is not unlike the question Jesus asked of His own disciples: ‘Whom do ye say that I am?’ (Matthew 16:15). What is our own response to Jesus? Do we stand in a personal relationship with Him?
Jesus was willing to challenge his challengers within the presuppositions of their pompous religiosity. “Whose Son is He?” Easy, they thought, “The Son of David” (cf. Isaiah 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5; Ezekiel 37:24).
Then Jesus astonished them with another question, arising out of their own Scriptures (Psalm 110:1). “How then doth David in spirit call Him Lord, saying, The LORD said to my Lord?” (Matthew 22:43-44). This statement itself is Trinitarian, and also gives a glimpse into the mechanics of Biblical inspiration: David, by the Spirit, was able to listen in to the counsels of Eternity.
“How - in what sense - is Messiah David’s son?” (Matthew 22:45). Jesus showed up the inadequacies of His interlocutors’ perceptions. More than David’s son, He is David’s Lord.
With this, at last, He rendered His enemies speechless (Matthew 22:46). They might then have surrendered their lives to Jesus, but we know that wasn’t about to happen. Instead they sought more violent ways to destroy Him…
