Examining Matthew 12:18–34 a little more closely….

Oh, the Bible (every last verse read in context) is SO FULL of wisdom … wisdom that could only have come from above! Let’s take a look at just this passage in Matthew 12:

Matthew 12: 18. And the Sadducees came to him, those who say that there is no resurrection, and they were asking him and saying, 19. “Teacher, Moshe wrote to us that if a brother dies and leaves a wife, but no sons does he leave behind, he should take his brother’s wife and raise up seed for his brother. (See Deuteronomy 25:5, 6)

20. There were seven brothers, and the first took a wife and died, though he did not leave behind any seed. 21. And the second took her and died though he also did not leave behind any seed. And the third likewise.

22. And all seven of them took her and did not leave behind any seed. The last of all of them also died as did the woman. 23. Therefore, in the resurrection, which one of them will she be a wife of? For all seven of them took her.

24. Y’shua said to them, Isn’t it because of this that you err, that you do not understand the Scriptures nor the power of Elohim. 25. For when they rise from the dead, they do not marry women, nor are women given in marriage to men. Rather, they are like the Messengers who are in heaven.

26. Now concerning the dead who (you say) will not rise, Have you read in the book of Moshe of how from the bush Elohim said to him, “I AM the Elohim of Awraham and the Elohim of Yitz’chak and the Elohim of Ya’akov. 27. And he is not the Elohim of the dead, but of the living. You err greatly, therefore.

28. And one of the scribes drew near and heard them disputing and saw that he answered them the matter well. And he asked, “What is the first Commandment of all of them?” 29. And Y’shua said to him, The first of all the Commandments is “Hear O Israel. Master YHWH our Elohim is one.

30. And you should love Master YHWH your Elohim with all of your heart, and with all of your soul, and with all of your mind, and with all of your strength.” This is the first Commandment. (See Deuteronomy 6:4, 5)

31. And the second that is like it is that. “You should love your neighbor as yourself.” (See Leviticus 19:18) There is no other Commandment greater than these.

NOTE: Some people are so hung up on that “love you neighbor as yourself” mantra, they forget that the FIRST and GREATEST command is to “Love God” – which comes straight from Torah. Take a look:

Deuteronomy 6: 4 "Sh'ma, Yisra'el! ADONAI Eloheinu, ADONAI echad [Hear, Isra'el! ADONAI our God, ADONAI is one]; 5 and you are to love ADONAI your God with all your heart, all your being and all your resources. (CJB)

Deuteronomy 11: 1 "Therefore, you are to love ADONAI your God and always obey his commission, regulations, rulings and mitzvot. (CJB)

(See also Luke 10:27.)

So, to reiterate the importance of Torah, take another look at Matthew 22:36-40, above, to see that verse 40 in NO WAY implies that all of God's original instructions were replaced, nullified or abolished! In fact, verse 40 tells us the Torah and the Prophets HANG/ARE DEPENDENT ON those two commands!

There's more to it than just "loving God and loving your neighbor!" Those who DO the Commandments, are they who love YHWH (Matthew 19:17; 1 John 5:2 and 3). Without love, observance of Torah is vanity, and without Torah one’s “love” is vanity.

In other words, SIN is still sin (sin is “transgression of the Torah – Romans 4:15; 1 John 3:3-6) and God still expects His people to adhere to His Divine Standards for moral, holy living! So, it is important to keep in mind that Torah HANGS on those “two commandments”...

CONTINUING WITH MATTHEW 12:

32. That scribe said to him, “Well said Rabbi! You have spoken in truth that he is one and there are no others apart from him. 33. And that a man should love him with all the heart and all the mind and with all the soul and with all the strength, and that he should love his neighbor like himself. This is greater than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34. And Y’shua saw that he answered the matter wisely. He answered and said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of Elohim.” And no man again dared to question him! (AENT)