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As I preach through the Gospel according to Matthew, I do my best to bring the historical and canonical context of Jesus actions and sayings to light. One of the things that happen, as the result of this, is that the oddness of the things Jesus said and did becomes apparent.  I use the word odd because from a first century and Old Covenant perspective Jesus was doing and saying things that were, to put it mildly, odd. A good example of this is found in Matthew 22.34 ff and the question about the Law. If you think about the question in its context it is easy to see why it is asked, for after all Jesus seemed to have little or no regard for the Law. The question might be rephrased something like this: Jesus, since you seem to have little regard for piety, as expressed in the purity laws and the traditions about separation, what then, in your view, is most important or non negotiable  commandment?

Jesus answer of course is not only concise but is right in keeping with the sorts of things He had already been doing: loving people.

Now to say that love of one’s neighbor is at the heart of the Law would not have been any more controversial in Jesus day than his first answer (love God with all your heart, soul, mind, body and strength). The problem was of course just who Jesus considered to be His neighbor for you see the real problem was this: Jesus loved (and still loves) sinners.  Jesus was always welcoming sinners, and the sinful and the unclean into His company and to His table.  Now that was something that the scribes, Pharisees, and Herodians simply could not put up with in a Messiah or anyone else. It was a real stumbling block for it made religion and personal effort of little or no value. Worse than that it placed sinners (that is people who were not only sinful but also well aware of it) in a place above those who saw no need for forgiveness at all.  That sort of thinking was controversial for it had the very real effect of turning things upside down, and of making the first last and the last first. Jesus actions and teachings were a real obstacle to some in His day and are still an obstacle today. Yet its one for which I am very grateful. For if it is true that Jesus Christ loves sinners it is also true that He loves me.

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