THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT

Matt 22:23 46
Key verse 22:37
Have you ever heard someone say or yourself been of the same view that some
laws are made to be broken? Many of us used this statement in our teenage. Human
life has a pool of laws comprising of dos and donts. These laws are sanctioned by
society, culture, religion, family, government and other forms of authority. However,
the fact that we are imperfect leaves us frustrated with the failure of obeying the
many dos and donts. It was the same among the Jews. In todays message, Jesus
teaches us what is most important Love God, Love people. Jesus also gives insight
into the event where we can have perfection- that is at the resurrection. May we
possess resurrection faith and learn the command of love through this message.
Amen!

1. THE GOD OF THE LIVING (23 - )

Look at verse 23; That same day the Sadducees who say there is no resurrection
came to him with a question. That same day refers to the event in which Jesus
had rebuked the Pharisees through the parable of the wedding banquet. The
Jewish ruling council had three groups: Pharisees, Sadducees and a minor one
the Essenence. The Pharisees and Sadducees were rivals because of their
differences in belief about resurrection. The Sadducees said there was no spirit,
thus no resurrection. When the Sadducees saw that their rivals the Pharisees had
been silenced by Jesus, they wanted to seize the opportunity of being smarter.
What did they say to Jesus? Look at verse 24; Teacher, they said, Moses told
us that if a man dies without having children, his brother must marry the widow
and have children for him. They quoted this from Deut 25:5,6. This is called the
Levirite law of marriage. Levirite means a husbands brother. Among the Jews,
family heritage was very important. They expected the Messiah to come from
among them, but they did not know whose family it would be. Therefore, every
man had to have an heir. To die without children was to break ones family
linenage.
In this age, some cultures still practice Levirite law. However, to us Levirite law
may not be that important. What is important among Christians is to establish
exemplary marriages. Exemplary marriages should raise biological and spiritual
children. It is Gods desire that those who build house churches should raise
godly offspring. This way we may evangelize the whole world.
What concocted story did the Sadducees bring to Jesus? Look at verses 25 28;
There were seven brothers among them. The first one died and the Levirite law
was followed till the seventh without children. Finally the woman also died. At

the resurrection, whose wife will the woman be? This story was ridiculous. How
can all seven brothers die without a child? Even if it were true, how can the
Sadducees talk about resurrection which they did not believe in? They may have
had two motives. The most obvious was to outsmart the Pharisees by giving
Jesus a hard question. For Jesus to prove whose wife the woman would be at the
resurrection, he had to quote from the Pentateuch. The Pentateuch does not
have a direct teaching about the resurrection. The other was to prove that there
is no resurrection, just as they believed.
Here we should consider the lifestyle of those who live without resurrection faith.
They only give themselves to eating, drinking and canal desires.