Sijo Chemmannur
Member
In Mundaka Upanishad (Hindu Scripture), the disciple Saunaka asks his teacher Angiras "What is that by knowing of all the knowledge be shown?". The teacher replied him that there are two kinds of knowledge. The lower knowledge is what we attain from the writings of all the sacred books (vedas), which endows the man with the knowledge of the universe, but higher knowledge is the self realization of the imperishable truth of the universe in personal life with the help of the attained knowledge. Hence it is an imperative understanding as well as application of the knowledge in life.
There was a period in Jesus Christ’s life when he was continuously debating with the teachers of the laws and making them understand the fulfillment of the laws given to Moses at the mount of Sinai. With man-made and worldly questions and interpretations, they wanted to encounter Jesus and tackle him. His authority, nativity, comments against socio-political affairs were all questioned. While they were prepared for materialistic and objective answers, Jesus Christ tends to treat each of the questions with wholeness and transcended it into revelations of divine will. At the end, a teacher of law came to him and asked him, “Which is the most important commandment?”
It is important to study the character of that teacher who posed this question to Jesus. All the Jews, especially the teachers of law believed the infallibility of the word of God. All the commandments are sacred and unquestionable. It is considered heresy and highly condemnable to even prioritize the commandments of God as it was divine and flawless. On that context, it is astonishing to notice that one teacher of the law raise a question to seek the most important commandment. Jesus Christ gives the correct answer to him by stating the commandment from the book of Deuteronomy 6:4 and emphasizing about the importance of love as the greatest commandment. The teacher of the law acknowledges the answer of Jesus Christ and reinstates that this commandment is above all burnt offerings and sacrifices.
All the teachers of the law, Pharisees and the priests of the Jerusalem temple knew the Holy Scriptures word by word. They might be reciting it and preaching daily in the temple. But it was sad to notice that they never realized it in their heart and handed the son of God to be hanged in front of them as a murderer. They never experienced the word of God or valued it in their lives. This is a danger we all Christians face. We read the word of God and recite it daily. Like teachers of law we also believe in the infallibility of the word of God. But aren’t we blind many times to realize and experience the love of Christ in our personal lives? Are we ready to take a next step after understanding the word of God to live for the will of God and submit our lives for Jesus Christ? Are we asking Jesus Christ the right question? How blessed we will be to get a statement from Jesus Christ "You are not far from the kingdom of God...”
There was a period in Jesus Christ’s life when he was continuously debating with the teachers of the laws and making them understand the fulfillment of the laws given to Moses at the mount of Sinai. With man-made and worldly questions and interpretations, they wanted to encounter Jesus and tackle him. His authority, nativity, comments against socio-political affairs were all questioned. While they were prepared for materialistic and objective answers, Jesus Christ tends to treat each of the questions with wholeness and transcended it into revelations of divine will. At the end, a teacher of law came to him and asked him, “Which is the most important commandment?”
It is important to study the character of that teacher who posed this question to Jesus. All the Jews, especially the teachers of law believed the infallibility of the word of God. All the commandments are sacred and unquestionable. It is considered heresy and highly condemnable to even prioritize the commandments of God as it was divine and flawless. On that context, it is astonishing to notice that one teacher of the law raise a question to seek the most important commandment. Jesus Christ gives the correct answer to him by stating the commandment from the book of Deuteronomy 6:4 and emphasizing about the importance of love as the greatest commandment. The teacher of the law acknowledges the answer of Jesus Christ and reinstates that this commandment is above all burnt offerings and sacrifices.
All the teachers of the law, Pharisees and the priests of the Jerusalem temple knew the Holy Scriptures word by word. They might be reciting it and preaching daily in the temple. But it was sad to notice that they never realized it in their heart and handed the son of God to be hanged in front of them as a murderer. They never experienced the word of God or valued it in their lives. This is a danger we all Christians face. We read the word of God and recite it daily. Like teachers of law we also believe in the infallibility of the word of God. But aren’t we blind many times to realize and experience the love of Christ in our personal lives? Are we ready to take a next step after understanding the word of God to live for the will of God and submit our lives for Jesus Christ? Are we asking Jesus Christ the right question? How blessed we will be to get a statement from Jesus Christ "You are not far from the kingdom of God...”