The Greatest Commandment

When Jesus is asked what the greatest commandment is from G_d he responds by combining two passages from the Hebrew Text (Old Testament) – Deut. 6.4 and Leviticus 19.18. For many of us we only know this passage from Jesus’ usage of it in the New Testament, but to the believers of Jesus’ day they would have known particularly Deut. 6.4 – you see as a Jew you were to pray this prayer when you lie down and when you arise – This passage is called the She’ma (which means “Hear”) because it begins with, “Hear O Israel, The Lord is your G_d, The lord alone. Love the Lord your G_d with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your might…” The imagery here is that of total dedication to G_d. The heart is your will, the soul is your thoughts, your might is your actions. So we could say (loosely) that this verse should read something like, “Love the Lord your G_d with all your will, with all your thoughts, and with all your actions.” Wow! How amazing that would be to live in this manner.

Jesus takes it a step further. He says that that is a good way for you to live…but we (being fallible) could make this all about us. G_d has always been about community and relationship – we on the other hand can be self-centered and not desire to be in community with others. Our faith is best lived out in relationship and so Jesus knowing our hearts reminds us at the end that though it is the most important thing – Loving G_d, with your will, thoughts, actions – it must be done in close relationship with the way in which we act toward our neighbors! 

The passage: “Love your neighbor as yourself” comes from Leviticus and it concludes a section of Text that speaks to how we are to treat each other and even more specifically to those who may not have what we have. Earlier in the passage G_d commands us to leave the corners of our field for the poor and the person passing through (Lev.19.9-10). This strikes me because G_d leaves it to us to determine how much of our field to leave. He just says ‘corners’ – we are left to wrestle with what that looks like in our lives. G_d is calling us to radical generosity to those around us. G_d then goes on to express (v. 11-12) that we should not steal, take advantage of, or lie to those around you…you should not profane His name – which means that you should not act in a manner that is not of G_d’s character and represent yourself as being in His character. In other words, don’t do what G_d wouldn’t do and then declare it to be godly. I love the next section of this passage (v. 13 – 14). G_d tells us that we should not curse in the ear of a deaf man – another way of looking at this is that even if a person doesn’t know that the way you are behaving is wrong it IS still wrong. Next He says not to put a stumbling block in the path of a blind man. A stumbling block is something that is done to intentionally trip somebody up. We should have no part of that! G_d then goes on to talk about how we should be about Justice for those around us – not self-serving but true justice! Wouldn’t that be a great day when the church becomes known for its justice and not its judgment? All of this leads up to verse 18 where G_d says, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself…”

When we start to understand what G_d is calling us to and who He is calling us to become we begin to understand how truly great this commandment really is. I pray that each of you would take the time to read Leviticus 19.9-18 and allow that to begin to shape in you what loving our neighbor is supposed to look like. So live a life of radical generosity, Godly character, personal integrity, and protection of the innocent…and you will live out the Greatest Commandment!

Human-doers!?!

In a culture where individuals would be more accurately described as "human-doers" as opposed to human-beings...I believe more than ever that it is time for the church to rescue this world from that oppressive mindset. Unfortunately, the church is in no position to help...for we are the ones more often than not that propagate such an existence. How did the church become so distant from the way of being that G_d desires for us?

As Christians we often spend a lot of time (too much time) talking and contrasting the difference between the Hebrew Text of Laws and the New Covenant and its freedom in grace (alone?)...ironically after we flaunt what we have - we revert back to the very way that we've quickly condemned! First we need to understand that the Torah was not a tool of rules and oppression - after all G_d just rescued the Israelites from slavery and oppression in order to make them a free nation...G_d did not follow this up by creating another oppressive regime to lord (pun intended) over the people! Rather I believe that G_d created a guide for living in freedom and community - that would be healthy and beneficial to everyone within the kingdom. This is why G_d (speaking through the Prophets) often told His people that He does not desire the sacrifices but rather desires their hearts! That doesn't make the Law (Torah is a better way of saying this) bad...just dangerous if misunderstood about its intent for G_d's people.

Grace is the same thing...Grace has always been offered...nobody believed that they could perfectly be obedient to Torah - each individual depended completely upon the grace of G_d for salvation and deliverance. Today we've rejected Torah (the Law) which was designed and delivered by G_d and have replaced it with our law or expectations of how people should live...what they should do...who they should become!

This is the part that is so dangerous - yet people have become so unaware of what we are doing...or is it denial?!? G_d gave us a way to live - Torah - we've rejected it and replaced it with our expectations...the way that we see fit for people to live. G_d's way shapes us into the way of being that He prescribes and desires for us (Shalom) - our way turns us from that and removes us from a way of being and creates in us a way of doing.

I hear people often say that they don't know what it is that G_d would have them do. Because we put the expectations of man into the mind of G_d. What if G_d were more interested in the way that we are being His kingdom as opposed to what we are doing? Granted when we begin to be the kingdom of G_d we also start doing kingdom work - but those are two very different ways!

The value of the Image of G_d within each of us is not what we do rather it is who we are - reflecting that Image to those around us.

Judas...Friend...

(A post from Nov. 2006)

In my study time I stumbled across something that has blessed me immensely...

I (right or wrong) am an avid defender of Judas...Kierkegaard says that every generation of Christians can be measured based on how they treat Judas...I think that that is an interesting assertion...for too long the church is quick to condemn him...so here are a few of my thoughts!

Let's begin in Matthew 27 v.3,4:

"When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. "I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood."

Okay...what I find interesting about this passage is that Judas' response to Christ being condemned is guilt for betraying innocence...so is that to mean that Judas had an epiphany at the moment of Christ's conviction? Or could it be (and obviously this is only a hypothesis) that Judas (may I remind you a religious zealot) thought or convinced himself that if he turned Christ over to the Pharisees and Sadducee that during their interegation of him that he would demonstrate to them that he was indeed the Messiah...but what transpired was that Jesus didn't defend himself and he did declare that he was the Son of God and they didn't believe him...Then they condemned him - When Judas saw this he realized that his plan had backfired and now he was guilty of the death of an innocent man - that he never intended to see killed!

Sidebar: Now I know that it says that the devil entered into Judas - but anytime someone does something that is meant to deceive they are referenced as either having the devil possess them or are called sons of the devil or are referred to as the devil himself (think Peter)...this was a way of saying that you are deceiving those around you...and rabbis used this language on a fairly regular basis (some of the Pharisees accused Christ of the same thing)

Now check out John 15 v. 13,14:

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.

Okay roll that around for a moment...and now read this verse - picked up at the moment that Judas hands Christ over to the Sanhedrin...

Matthew 26 v. 50:

Jesus replied [to Judas], "Friend, do what you came for."



Read this! From the book of Zechariah!

4 This is what the Lord my God says: “Pasture the flock marked for slaughter. 5 Their buyers slaughter them and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, ‘Praise the Lord, I am rich!’ Their own shepherds do not spare them. 6 For I will no longer have pity on the people of the land,” declares the Lord. “I will hand everyone over to his neighbor and his king. They will oppress the land, and I will not rescue them from their hands.” 
7 So I pastured the flock marked for slaughter, particularly the oppressed of the flock. Then I took two staffs and called one Favor and the other Union, and I pastured the flock. 8 In one month I got rid of the three shepherds. 
The flock detested me, and I grew weary of them 9 and said, “I will not be your shepherd. Let the dying die, and the perishing perish. Let those who are left eat one another’s flesh.” 
10 Then I took my staff called Favor and broke it, revoking the covenant I had made with all the nations. 11 It was revoked on that day, and so the afflicted of the flock who were watching me knew it was the word of the Lord. 
12 I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. 
13 And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the handsome price at which they priced me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord to the potter. 
14 Then I broke my second staff called Union, breaking the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. 
The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996, c1984), Zec 11:4-14.


What are your thoughts? How do you view Judas?