October 20, 2025
Two Questions - Part 1
Matthew 22:34-36
10/20/2025
34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced
the Sadducees, they gathered together.
35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to
test him.
36 ``Teacher, which is the great commandment in the
Law?'' (ESV)
The Church Year is quickly coming to a close. Next Sunday
we will celebrate the Reformation, where the Church rediscovered
the truth of the Gospel. After that comes All Saints' Day, an
ancient festival of the Church which commemorates all those who
now rest from their labors. That leaves the three last Sundays
of the Church Year as we ponder the last days of this earth and
the coming of Christ Jesus to judge the living and the dead.
Therefore, we will take this final week of what some call
``ordinary time'' to review the two questions which determine if
we understand the purpose of Jesus' incarnation, death, and
resurrection. How we answer the questions shows our
understanding of the purpose of the Church, the purpose of God's
Word, and the grace of God. The two questions are simple. What
is our condition as we compare ourselves to God's Law? Who is
Jesus?
On Monday of Holy Week, the day after Jesus triumphantly
rode into Jerusalem to the shouts of palm-waving crowds, the
Sadducees and Pharisees, the rulers of the Temple, attempted to
trick Jesus with a series of question. What sounds like a
legitimate question was actually meant as a trap.
But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the
Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a
lawyer, asked him a question to test him. ``Teacher,
which is the great commandment in the Law?''
This is a legitimate question when you consider that there
are 613 laws which are observed in the Jewish religion. But this
question was meant as a test, so that whatever answer Jesus gave
could be twisted.
May our Lord grant us faith and wisdom to answer questions
about Jesus. Amen.