30th Sunday of Ordinary Time (Year A)
Scripture: Ex. 22:20-26; Ps. 18:2-4, 47, 51; 1 Thes. 1:5-10; Mt. 22:34-40
After cleansing the temple, Jesus was questioned by Pharisees, the Herodians, the Sadducees. In today’s Gospel, we are told that Jesus silenced the Sadducees. The Sadducees had questioned Jesus about the resurrection (Mt. 22:15-22). Because they did not believe in the resurrection of the dead but they believed in the traditional Jewish understanding of Sheol (it was the place of the dead). On the other hand, the Pharisees believed in the resurrection. Perhaps the Pharisees were excited to know about Jesus silencing the Sadducees. Perhaps, they wanted to prove themselves superior to the Sadducees. One of them, a lawyer by profession came up with a question. Now the lawyers were well versed with the law of Moses. They expounded it in the schools and the synagogues. The scribes and the lawyers had identical functions because they were lovers of the law. It is interesting to know the background of the question, “which is the great commandment in the law?”
The question was asked to challenge Jesus but the face value of the question in the prevailing situation suggest that it was an honest question. The Pharisees had identified 613 commandments in the Torah (the first five books of Moses). There were two hundred forty-eight commandments positive (thou salt) and three hundred sixty-five commandments were negative (thou shalt not). It was difficult to remember them. Therefore, some teachers made a distinction between important and lesser important commandments. There was also another custom to summarize them into a smaller number. King David proposed eleven (Ps. 15), Prophet Isaiah proposed six (Is. 33:15), Prophet Micah proposed three (Mich. 6:8) and Amos proposed one (Am. 5:4). In this situation, the Rabbis often gave their own importance to certain laws. Their followers often argued with each other to assert their opinion.
In such a situation, the lawyer-Pharisee raised the question. We must be grateful to the lawyer – Pharisee for raising this question. At least we came to know from Jesus the right answer. The Jews always believed the love for God was superior to any other laws. The love of neighbour was qualified and considered secondary. The Jews taught their children to love God. While answering Jesus quoted the scriptures. He did not propose something new. Jesus quoted Shema Yisrael (Hear, O Israel) which is found in Deuteronomy (6:4-9, 11:13-21) and the Numbers (15:37ff) to them that this is the first and the most important Commandment. He summarized the first four of the Ten commandments into the love for God. But He immediately points to one more i.e love for neighbour. The other six of the Ten commandments, Jesus quoted Leviticus (19:18) which mentions the love of neighbour. He brings the commandment to love neighbour to the level of loving God. Jesus brought novelty by linking both the commandments together. Jesus made a significant change by doing it. He made the love for God commandment and love for neighbor commandment one and inseparable. He made it very clear to the experts of the law that you cannot have the love for God without the love for neighbour. Fuller says love of God without the love of neighbour is a barren emotion. And the love of neighbour without the love of God is a refined kind of self-love.
Today’s first and second readings give us the witness of this fact. In the first reading, God revealed to Moses to take care of the downtrodden section of the society. There are three groups mentioned in today’s reading: the strangers, widows and the orphans. They were exhorted to safeguard them. In their failure, God would listen to their cry and come to their protection. This was the warning that God gave to the people of Israel. In other words, God conveyed to them the strong message that the love for God has to be seen in the love for neighbour. The Jews had a narrow understanding of neighbour. They considered their fellow Israelites as their only neighbours. Jesus had broadened their understanding of neighbour (the parable of Good Samaritan). St. Paul who preached the Gospel to the Thessalonians, had taught them the love for God and neighbour. He praised them for their exemplary life. They had become the witness to their neighbouring towns. It is precisely their love of God reflected in their love for their neighbours. Their good deeds brought good name to them.
Today’s liturgy invites us to make a self-evaluation. How do I practice the love of God and love of neighbour in my life? Is my love for God reflecting in the love of neighbour? The whole Old Testament (the law and the prophet) hung on these two commandments. Our Christian life is also dependent on these two commandments. Let this Eucharistic celebration help us to reach out to the poor and needy until we return to the altar. Thus, in loving our neighbour, we may love our God.
