Daily Writing

Thursday, 17 September 2026

And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:39

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Second, also, like it: You will love the ‘neighbor, yours’ as yourself.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus, referring to His citation of Deuteronomy 6:5, said that it is the first and great commandment. This answered the jurisprudent’s question, but Jesus has more to say before finishing, saying, “Second, also, like it.”

The addition of these words is not superfluous, even if unasked for. Rather, when He finishes, He will sum up the reason for providing the second great commandment. For now, the word “like” is translated from the Greek word homoios. It signifies like in appearance or character. The nature of the second commandment is the same as that of the first.

In order to reveal the second great commandment, Jesus refers to the book of Leviticus. In Chapter 19, there is a long list of moral and ceremonial laws covering a whole host of topics. Jesus says, “You will love the ‘neighbor, yours’ as yourself.”

The first and great commandment is to love God, as Jesus described it. The next deals with human relationships, but with the same theme: love. His words specifically come from Leviticus 19:18, where it says –

“Not you will avenge, and not you will maintain ‘sons, your people’. And you will cherish to your associate according to you. I – Yehovah.” (CG)

In Leviticus, the word translated as maintain is nuanced. It has to be understood as maintaining a grudge, as if it were a garden and someone continues to tend to it, allowing the grudge to fester. Despite being in a long list of ceremonial laws, and affixed to the end of one of them, Jesus pulls this short thought out as the second great commandment.

A key point, thus, is to know that Jesus was fully aware of its presence and the context in which it was placed. His use of it then is not arbitrary. He looked to the thought, determined the essential nature of the words, and held them up as an ideal that goes beyond the individual laws which surround it.

Loving one’s associate is not elevated above loving oneself. Rather, the law, as well as Jesus’ citation of it, holds them in the same position. One who does not properly tend to himself in a cherishing manner cannot properly tend to others in an appropriate way.

Life application: This is another law that condemns us. Although people have claimed they have never borne any ill will toward others, it is hard to accept such words. Human interactions inevitably lead to disagreements where ill feelings result. We may hide such thoughts away as if they don’t exist, but they do.

As this is so, the very nature of the law continues to condemn us. But notice how the two commandments, which are held up by Jesus as the two greatest, reflect His nature. He is the incarnate Word, the God/Man. Thus, He is capable of both types of love. He can fully love God, and He can fully love His neighbor as He loves Himself (who is both God and Man).

His fulfillment of these commands is then credited to us when we believe the gospel. Our imperfect love is covered by Christ so that God only sees Christ’s perfection in love – for His Father, for His associates, and for Himself (being both God and Man).

All things are reconciled for us through Christ. Forever and ever we can, and we will, thank God for what He has done through Jesus.

O God, we are filled with shortcomings, faults, and errors in our conduct toward You and toward others. And yet, You have covered over our failings and imperfections with the precious blood of Christ our Lord. Thank You for what You have done. We praise You with hearts full of joy and thanks. All praise, glory, and honor to You. Amen.

Wednesday, 16 September 2026

This is the first and great commandment. Matthew 22:38

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“This, it is – first and great commandment.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus responded to the question of the jurisprudent, saying, “You will love – ‘Lord, the God, yours’ in all the ‘heart, yours’, and in all the ‘soul, yours’, and in all the ‘cognition, yours’.” Having said that, He continues, saying, “This, it is – first and great commandment.”

Some manuscripts change the words around and add in the definite article, saying, “This, it is, the great and first commandment.” Either way, the intent is a total and complete focus on the Lord as preeminent in observing the commandments.

As noted, the commandment that Jesus says is the first and great of the commandments actually encompasses all of the commandments because the commandments stem from God. They are what He expected of His people, being the standard by which they would be judged.

As a violation of one of the commandments, any one of them, reveals imperfection in His standard, the first commandment is impossible for man to fulfill. To covet means a person has not loved the Lord with all of his heart, soul, and cognition. This is just an example which extends to every commandment found in the law.

Therefore, this first and great commandment is a mark of condemnation for all who live under the law. Any person who says they have perfectly fulfilled this commandment only separates himself further from God because he has lied to himself and God, and maybe others also, that he has perfectly fulfilled it.

This is why Jesus came. God knows our inability to love Him as the law requires. There is too much involved in what the command demands. But in sending Jesus, we can love God more perfectly than the law would ever make possible.

Because Jesus fulfilled the law, He embodies the perfect love of God demanded in this first and great commandment. Therefore, in loving Jesus, believing that He embodies this law, and focusing on His grace that extends from His fulfillment of it, we can – through Him – meet the demand of the commandment.

Life application: The Geneva Bible’s comment on Matt 22:34 says, “The gospel does not abolish the precepts of the law, but rather it confirms them.” Depending on their meaning of “confirm”, what they said is true, or it is the most ridiculous commentary possible on the matter.

Their words are similar to what Paul says in Romans 3:31, “Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.”

Some read these words and take it that the precepts of the law are still binding. That is not at all what Paul means. The law of faith is a means of validating or strengthening the law. We have failed at fulfilling it, but Jesus fulfilled it on our behalf. Think of Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:17 –

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”

Fulfill it He did! Now, by faith in His work we are free from the very law which He fulfilled on our behalf. His merits are credited to us when we place our faith in what He did. Thus, the law is established in us, it is upheld in us, and thus it is obsolete to us.

When something is fulfilled, it is no longer necessary. As He fulfilled it in our stead, we are free from its constraints. This is the amazing work of Jesus on our behalf. Our love of God is magnified through our faith in Christ. He is how we can truly love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Lord God, thank You for Jesus who makes our imperfect love and devotion to You complete. Through Him, we are set free from trying to earn Your favor. Rather, Jesus has done it all. Our faith in Him fulfills every limitation that once stood against us. We praise You with all of who we are for what You have done. Thank You for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Tuesday, 15 September 2026

Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ Matthew 22:37

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“The ‘also Jesus’, He said to him, ‘You will love – ‘Lord, the God, yours’ in all the ‘heart, yours’, and in all the ‘soul, yours’, and in all the ‘cognition, yours’.’” (CG)

In the previous verse, the jurisprudent asked Jesus his question, which was, “Teacher, which-such commandment – greatest in the law?” In response, Matthew records Jesus’ words, beginning with, “The ‘also Jesus’, He said to him, ‘You will love – ‘Lord, the God, yours’.’”

In Mark, Jesus begins with Deuteronomy 6:4, saying, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.’”

That is not so much a command as a statement of mental preparation and factual information about the nature of God. Matthew doesn’t include this but goes directly to answering the question. Jesus words are found in Deuteronomy 6:5, saying that Israel is to love the Lord their God.

Love in this sense is not an emotional love, but a volitional one that places the object of the love above all else. Involved in this is the idea of honor, giving priority to, etc. That continues to be seen in the next words, “in all the ‘heart, yours’.”

In Scripture, the heart is the center of one’s being. Not the physical being where the heart pumps blood, but the desire-producing center. In this thought there is included the idea of cognition, moral preference, etc. It is the point of man that establishes the “who I am” of the person in nature. Every bit of this is to be directed to the Lord God. And more, He continues with, “and in all the ‘soul, yours’.”

This speaks of the person’s distinct identity, which leads to the thought of his individual personality. Thus, this establishes the “who I am” in personal identity. Israel is told they are to take everything that establishes them as individuals and to love the Lord God from that perspective. Also, Jesus says, “and in all the ‘cognition, yours’.”

Here is a new word, dianoia, deep thought. It is from dia, through, and nous, the mind or intellect. Thus, it is more than just the mind, but what is going on in the mind. The word cognition suits quite well, although in Ephesians 2:3, it is rendered in the plural and would need explanation for it when using the word “cognitions”, as in mental machinations.

Everything that goes on in Israel’s gray matter was to be directed in a volitional love toward the Lord God. Jesus went from the jurisprudence’s general which-such question to a specific answer that covers all laws within the Law of Moses. This is because all laws are covered through the sense of obedience, which is then reflected in the heart, soul, and cognition.

Life application: One can think of these aspects of a person’s page on a social media site. The heart is seen in the overall profile of the person. The Who I Am in my nature in the overall presentation is seen in the heart. The Who I Am in my personal identity and preferences is seen in the soul. The Who I Am as I reveal myself through interactions with others and how I present my worldview would be reflected in the cognition aspect.

Each part reflects something about me that can be evaluated. Someone may see my general profile and say, “I want to share with this person.” He may see my identity and preferences and say, “This guy likes what I like. We can share our traits together.” Another person may see my posts and say, “He is spot on in how he evaluates the political wrangling going on. I want to watch as he interacts with people on this level.”

God is evaluating all of us on these things at all times. He knows our makeup, what identifies us as individuals, and how we interact with Him. But He also knows our limitations. The law did not allow for limitations. If Israel thought about the words of Deuteronomy 6:5, they would have seen, right from the beginning, that what is demanded is impossible to meet.

Some people focus on the Lord way, way more than others. And yet, they still fall short of the perfection demanded by the law. To violate one precept of the law is to have failed to meet the requirements of the truth stated in Deuteronomy 6:5. This is why Jesus said in Matthew 11 –

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

The law was a burden no person could carry. It only brought condemnation, apart from its allowances for sin forgiveness as provided in the sacrificial system. Jesus came, however, to fulfill the law. In His fulfillment of it, that burden has been removed from us.

This is known as grace. This is why it is so important that we never mar grace by reinserting the law into our lives or by attempting to insert it into the lives of others. We are to trust in God’s grace, knowing it is sufficient to cover all our failings.

Our effort, after salvation, is to do our best to honor God with deeds of righteousness apart from the Law of Moses. We are never to set aside God’s grace. That can only lead us to pride in self and giving up on the grace we so desperately need from moment to moment throughout our lives.

Lord God, thank You for the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank You. May we never attempt to override what He has done, but to rest in His fulfillment of the Law of Moses. May our deeds of righteousness be in honor of Jesus from this day forward. Amen.

Monday, 14 September 2026

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Matthew 22:36

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Teacher, which-such commandment – greatest in the law?” (CG)

In the previous verse, a jurisprudent was introduced ready to ask a question of Jesus. He now asks what is on his mind, beginning with, “Teacher, which-such commandment.”

The question is formed around an individualizing interrogative. It was introduced in Matthew 19:18. It is used in asking something like what sort of. It can be based on the words where, which, what, etc. In this case, the question is about the commandments.

There are different types of commandments in the law. His choice of wording appears to mean he wants to know which sort of them is the most important. Maybe he is curious if it is the Levitical type. But they can be divided into moral, ceremonial, civil, etc.

There are positive commandments and negative commandments. There are commandments directed to the nation as a whole and then those directed to individuals. These and other such types of commandments are probably what this jurisprudent is asking about. Of them, he asks which-such are “greatest in the law?”

The question itself is basic, but the answer to it will have to be carefully considered. This does not, however, appear to be a trap. There is no hint of an argument after Jesus gives His response. Further, the person who interacts with Jesus, as noted in Mark 12, not only agrees with His answer, but He will also give more words to support Jesus’ response.

Vincent’s Word Studies nicely evaluates the intent of this jurisprudent’s question –

“The A. V. and Rev. alike miss the point of this question, which is: which kind of command is great in the law? That is, what kind of a commandment must it be to constitute it a great one? Not, which commandment is greatest as compared with the others? The scribes declared that there were 248 affirmative precepts, as many as the members of the human body; and 365 negative precepts, as many as the days in the year; the total being 613, the number of letters in the Decalogue. Of these they called some light and some heavy. Some thought that the law about the fringes on the garments was the greatest; some that the omission of washings was as bad as homicide; some that the third commandment was the greatest. It was in view of this kind of distinction that the scribe asked the question; not as desiring a declaration as to which commandment was greatest, but as wanting to know the principle upon which a commandment was to be regarded as a great commandment.”

Life application: In April 1847, the false prophetess Ellen G. White claimed to have had a vision where she supposedly saw the Ten Commandments inside the Ark of the Covenant. She claimed that the first four commandments shone more brightly than the other six but that there was a halo of glory around the fourth commandment.

As such, the Seventh-day Adventists view the fourth commandment as a vital seal of God’s authority and a memorial of creation. They see it as a test of loyalty to God in the end times, linking the Creator’s authority directly to the obligation to rest and worship on the seventh day.

There are so many things wrong about the teachings of the Seventh-Day Adventists that going point by point over her false visions and their false teachings would take books of information. It is an exercise in futility.

Knowing what is true is really all that is necessary to form proper doctrine in this matter. Paul writes about observing days in Romans 14, Colossians 2, and elsewhere. It is clear from the book of Acts that Sunday, not Saturday, was the day when most gathered.

Hebrews 4 explains the Sabbath and what it meant for the Jewish people. A summary thought concerning the Sabbath is found in Hebrews 4:3, saying, “For we who have believed do enter that rest.”

The Sabbath was given as a type or shadow of the good things to come in Christ. Christ came. He fulfilled those types and shadows. He also fulfilled the Law of Moses. Therefore, the Sabbath is fulfilled in both type and in law.

If observing the Sabbath is a test of loyalty and an obligation, then salvation is not by grace through faith. Sabbath observance negates the principal point of the gospel. As noted, knowing what is right is all that is necessary to know what is wrong.

We don’t need to go through pages of false writings from a false prophetess to know that the overall doctrine of the SDA church is wrong. We just need to know what the Bible says and adhere to its precepts accordingly. Keep reading the Bible, but do so from the overall understanding that salvation is by grace through faith.

If something you have been taught deviates from that basic premise, you can chuck it in the garbage.

Lord God, may we not get duped into nutty doctrines that are formed in the delusional minds of people for whatever perverse agenda they may have in mind. Help us to reasonably and responsibly consider Your word at all times. To Your glory, we pray. Amen.

Sunday, 13 September 2026

Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, Matthew 22:35

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And he queried, one from them – ‘jurisprudent, testing Him’, and saying…” (CG)

In the previous verse, Matthew noted that when the Pharisees had seen how Jesus muzzled the Sadducees, they gathered together. From that group, it next says, “And he queried, one from them.”

The meaning is that he is from the just-mentioned Pharisee gathering. The reason for putting him forward isn’t specified, but it could be as simple as him first raising the question that will be put forth to Jesus. From there, they may have responded that, based on his knowledge of the law, he should be the one to ask. That is seen in the next words, where Matthew notes. He came as a “‘jurisprudent, testing Him’, and saying.”

The adjective nomikos, jurisprudent, is first seen here. It is derived from nomos, law. It signifies “pertaining to the law.” This is not a lawyer as we think of one today. It refers to knowledge of the law and the ability to expound on what it says. Other translators say, “doctor of the law,” “skilled in the law,” “expert in the law,” “expounder of the law,” etc. These are attempts to describe the situation.

The Godbey New Testament says theologian. That narrows the focus too much. The word jurisprudent is an exact fit. It signifies a jurist, legal expert, or someone knowledgeable in the theory and philosophy of law. This is the only use in Matthew. Luke will use it six times, and Paul will use the word twice in Titus.

In Mark, this person will be called a scribe. Thus, we can deduce that some scribes were also considered jurisprudents. This guy may have said, “I am curious about a particular matter. Maybe this Jesus has a suitable answer. After seeing his understanding of the matter with the Sadducees, it’s possible.” From there, they may have said, “Well, you’re the jurisprudent! You go ask!”

The reason for this speculation is that in Mark, his question to Jesus, along with their interaction, seems non-confrontational. This person seems to have really wanted a suitable answer to his question and figured Jesus’ insights may prove invaluable.

Life application: If this person was a known jurisprudent and yet he didn’t have the answer to the question he would raise to Jesus, it means that he was in the dark about something very important. There was a knowledge gap that required attention.

Matthew only provides a bit of the interaction between them, but Mark shows that the answer Jesus provided allowed this man to think further on the subject he was deficient in. He obviously didn’t know Jesus is God at this point, but this gives us a basis for what we can do when we are looking for an answer to a question we are wondering about. If we really want to know something in the Bible and cannot think the matter through, where should we go? To God!

It doesn’t take any time or effort at all to say, “O God, I am not understanding this. Please help me know what this means.” God truly wants His word understood. He certainly doesn’t want a void in the understanding of His children concerning it.

As such, ask in faith that He is listening. If the question you have concerning His word has been answered, likely, you will soon hear a sermon or read a commentary that exactly answers your question. It may be that you will turn to another part of the word as you are reading it, and it will come to you what was being conveyed in the matter you had previously questioned.

It also may be that what you want to know is not yet ready to be revealed. God will illuminate an understanding of His word according to His wisdom. If you have searched, meditated, pondered, listened to sermons, and asked all the specialists you can and no suitable answer has been forthcoming, it may be that this is not ready to be revealed. In such a case, we must allow God to be God and not run ahead with wild speculation.

No matter what, if you really want to know what the word is saying, repeatedly asking God to reveal to you the truth of the matter is an important part of what you should be doing.

Lord God, open the eyes of our understanding concerning Your word. Lead us to those who can rightly instruct us. Keep us from deceivers who would manipulate our thinking. May our pursuit of Your word be rewarded. It is a treasure for us to consider. Thank You for this precious and wonderful word. Amen.