LXVIII
THE FIRST GREAT COMMANDMENT: AND THE SECOND—"WHOSE SON IS CHRIST?"—WIDOW'S MITE
A.D. 30. Age 33. Jerusalem, in the Temple.
Matthew 22, 34-46: Mark 12, 28-44: Luke 20, 41-47; 21, 1-4.
THE Pharisees had heard that Jesus had put the Sadducees to silence; and one of them which was a lawyer, perceiving that Jesus had answered the Sadducees well, asked him, tempting him, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Which is the first commandment of all? Jesus said unto him,
The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. There is none other commandment greater than these.
And the scribe (lawyer) said, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other: and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength; and to love his neighbor as himself, is more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.
Jesus saw that he answered discreetly; and said unto him,
Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.
¶While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,
What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?
They say unto him, The son of David. He saith unto them,
How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?
And no man was able to answer him a word: neither durst any man from that day forth ask him questions. The common people heard him gladly.
¶While Jesus taught in the temple, he said,
How say the scribes that Christ is David's son? For in the book of Psalms David himself saith by the Holy Ghost, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and how is he then his son?
Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples,
Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts; which devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: these same shall receive greater damnation,
¶Jesus sat over against the treasury. He beheld people cast money and gifts into the treasury. Many that were rich cast in much. He saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites, which make a farthing. He called his disciples, and saith unto them,
Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow doth cast in more than they all which have cast into the treasury: for all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
