On These Two Hang All Law
The Pharisee lawyer was smart and was determined that Jesus would not escape his snares by tricky phrases and generalities. So he asked directly ‘Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” The earlier session with the Sadducees alerted Jesus to the motives of the group of religious doubters and he answered them directly.
“You shall love the Lord with all your heart, and with your soul, and with your mind”. This is the greatest and first commandment. And the second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”He left no room for argument when he added “On these two commandments hang all the law and the Prophets.”
Jesus earlier had spoken many parables and rules of conduct which were important for all people for all generations, but with this reply we hear Jesus state the very essence of all human relationships, all laws and all rules of conduct.
In this twenty second chapter of Matthew’s Gospel we have a yardstick for measuring, a rule for determining the rightness of any action. Whether it deals with world, national or local affairs; whether it is in a business or a church or between individuals, the rightness of an action or attitude can be judged by the reply Jesus made to that Pharisee lawyer.
That yardstick can be used to identify many errors and mistakes that have been made by nations, business organizations, churches, civic organizations and individuals. Many of those errors have been acknowledged and attempts have been made to make amends for them. Some have been successful but many failed.
The concern of this paper is the present. It seeks to appeal to organizations of all types and to individuals of the whole world to enter into a new covenant with every other organization and every individual to adopt those two commandments as rules to govern their conduct in the future.
It has to be assumed that every Christian Church has already made such a commitment and at this time will reaffirm their intention to comply fully with those commandments. Consideration of reaffirmation might well result in action by some churches to drop references to Christ from their name. Others might simply ignore this chapter in the conduct of their church’s affairs. Those and other possible actions are the responsibility of the governing authority of each Church.
Logically, it is time to consider my own Church, the United Methodist Church.
I feel certain that the General Conference of the United Methodist Church would reaffirm its position as a Christian Church. Sincerely believing in the rightness of the actions of previous Conferences it would reaffirm its principles, rules and regulations as set forth in The Book of Discipline. However, a review of history might bring to light instances of error in judgment that have violated the spirit of those commandments and questions of conduct which have been deferred for later consideration but conveniently forgotten.
Further, the Reaffirming Conference might well hear questions relating to the conduct of self-affiliating organizations which represent themselves as a part of the Church at the same time they pursue causes which fail to meet the standards of the Great Commandment. Also the Reaffirming Conference might find attitudes and actions of some of the Boards and Agencies need changes to bring them into compliance with the spirit of the Great Commandment.
It would appear that discussing whether or not we are in compliance with the spirit of the Great Commandment amounts to what is referred to as ‘opening a can of worms’. Could not we continue as we are, and keep quiet about those controversial matters. We recognize the fact that every organization has a few radical, disgruntled members who delight in stirring up controversy and promoting trivial ideas. Only a few persons are involved and they seldom cause any disruption of the general purposes of the church.
If the General Conference can convince itself that this type of rationalization complies with The Great Commandment the problem would be solved---until it and its leaders come face to face with their conscience and their rational minds to realize that they can’t ignore the instances of non-compliance and be silent about the controversial issues and yet truly believe that they love their neighbors as themselves.
So, it is back to the drawing board. Words and Speeches won’t do it. Silence and withdrawal won’t solve it. It is the heart and the soul that must be alerted to the problems and called forth to take a stand.. If we want to be a Church of Christian people we must believe and act as Christ declared we must. We must learn to love our neighbors as ourselves. The Great Commandment gives us no wiggle room. “On it hangs the law and the prophets”
Jerry Clements
2/14/08.
“You shall love the Lord with all your heart, and with your soul, and with your mind”. This is the greatest and first commandment. And the second is like it: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”He left no room for argument when he added “On these two commandments hang all the law and the Prophets.”
Jesus earlier had spoken many parables and rules of conduct which were important for all people for all generations, but with this reply we hear Jesus state the very essence of all human relationships, all laws and all rules of conduct.
In this twenty second chapter of Matthew’s Gospel we have a yardstick for measuring, a rule for determining the rightness of any action. Whether it deals with world, national or local affairs; whether it is in a business or a church or between individuals, the rightness of an action or attitude can be judged by the reply Jesus made to that Pharisee lawyer.
That yardstick can be used to identify many errors and mistakes that have been made by nations, business organizations, churches, civic organizations and individuals. Many of those errors have been acknowledged and attempts have been made to make amends for them. Some have been successful but many failed.
The concern of this paper is the present. It seeks to appeal to organizations of all types and to individuals of the whole world to enter into a new covenant with every other organization and every individual to adopt those two commandments as rules to govern their conduct in the future.
It has to be assumed that every Christian Church has already made such a commitment and at this time will reaffirm their intention to comply fully with those commandments. Consideration of reaffirmation might well result in action by some churches to drop references to Christ from their name. Others might simply ignore this chapter in the conduct of their church’s affairs. Those and other possible actions are the responsibility of the governing authority of each Church.
Logically, it is time to consider my own Church, the United Methodist Church.
I feel certain that the General Conference of the United Methodist Church would reaffirm its position as a Christian Church. Sincerely believing in the rightness of the actions of previous Conferences it would reaffirm its principles, rules and regulations as set forth in The Book of Discipline. However, a review of history might bring to light instances of error in judgment that have violated the spirit of those commandments and questions of conduct which have been deferred for later consideration but conveniently forgotten.
Further, the Reaffirming Conference might well hear questions relating to the conduct of self-affiliating organizations which represent themselves as a part of the Church at the same time they pursue causes which fail to meet the standards of the Great Commandment. Also the Reaffirming Conference might find attitudes and actions of some of the Boards and Agencies need changes to bring them into compliance with the spirit of the Great Commandment.
It would appear that discussing whether or not we are in compliance with the spirit of the Great Commandment amounts to what is referred to as ‘opening a can of worms’. Could not we continue as we are, and keep quiet about those controversial matters. We recognize the fact that every organization has a few radical, disgruntled members who delight in stirring up controversy and promoting trivial ideas. Only a few persons are involved and they seldom cause any disruption of the general purposes of the church.
If the General Conference can convince itself that this type of rationalization complies with The Great Commandment the problem would be solved---until it and its leaders come face to face with their conscience and their rational minds to realize that they can’t ignore the instances of non-compliance and be silent about the controversial issues and yet truly believe that they love their neighbors as themselves.
So, it is back to the drawing board. Words and Speeches won’t do it. Silence and withdrawal won’t solve it. It is the heart and the soul that must be alerted to the problems and called forth to take a stand.. If we want to be a Church of Christian people we must believe and act as Christ declared we must. We must learn to love our neighbors as ourselves. The Great Commandment gives us no wiggle room. “On it hangs the law and the prophets”
Jerry Clements
2/14/08.
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