SUMMARY
After the failure of the Sadducees, the Pharisees try to trap JesusJesus is the Messiah whose life, death, and resurrection are God's saving act for humanity. again. He responds by summarizing the heart of the TorahThe Torah is the law of Moses, also known as the first five books of the Bible. To many the Torah is a combination of history, theology, and a legal or ritual guide..
ANALYSIS
After the Sadducees fail to to trap Jesus, the Pharisees give it another try. The questioner this time is a lawyer and it’s important to note that “lawyer” is meant here in the sense of canonA canon is a general law or principle by which something is judged. The body of literature in the Old and New Testaments is accepted by most Christians as being canonical (that is, authentic and authoritative) for them. law. The questioner is not the kind of lawyer who represents people in court, rather he is an expert in the Torah, which is the reason that his question hinges on the commandments. In response to his question, Jesus puts aside his trickster ways and gives a traditional answer to the question of the greatest commandment. His answer corresponds to the shema, a prayer derived from Deuteronomy 6:4-5 in which observant Jews confess their allegiance to God and God only. Jesus goes further to add a second commandment, based on love for neighbor. This juxtaposition of love for God and love for neighbor is often seen as corresponding to the heart of the Ten Commandments which MosesProphet who led Israel out of Egypt to the Promised Land and received the law at Sinai. received from God on Mount Sinai and which form the basis of all of Jewish law.
