30th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A

In our gospel reading for the 30th Sunday, a scholar of the law tested Jesus by asking, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” The test goes to the heart of the Mosaic law, and as such, it is appropriately raised by a scholar. But the “gotcha” was to see if Jesus would “rank” the laws since the scholars held that such a view was to assume the mind of God. In addition, choosing one command of the law over others carried the risk that other teachers, who might have made a different choice, could accuse Jesus of belittling the importance of some other equally scriptural principle. Any answer must risk pleasing some at the expense of alienating others. Keep in mind the leaders were already suspicious they believed Jesus came to abolish the law (Mt 5:17).

Nonetheless, Jesus chooses two commands centered on love

There is a lot more to this gospel. Sit with it for a moment on the back porch.

Full Text of the Sunday Readings

Detailed Commentary on the Gospel

The Pharisees Question Jesus (Les pharisiens questionnent Jésus), James Tissot | 1886-1894, Brooklyn Museum, PD-US