The Talmud tells us that there are 613 commandments (mitzvot) in the Torah (which is the first five books of the Hebrew bible) or "the law;" 248 Positive Commandments (do's) and 365 Negative Commandments (do not's). We know from our study and conversations that the Pharisees were members of a Jewish, religious party who studied legal matters and established religious traditions and mores around these laws and commandments.

The list of mitzvot is exhaustive. It certainly contains the laws you'd expect...

• To know there is a G‑d—Exodus 20:2
• Not to profane His Name—Leviticus 22:32
• To emulate His ways—Deuteronomy 28:9
• Not to make an idol for yourself—Exodus 20:4

Then, maybe, some you hadn't thought of...

• Not to engage in astrology—Leviticus 19:26
• Not to take the mother bird from her children—Deuteronomy 22:6
• Not to be superstitious—Leviticus 19:26
(No word if you're just a little stitious. Source)

And then some a little from left field...

• Not to eat worms found in fruit once they have left the fruit—Leviticus 11:42
• Break the neck of a calf by a stream following an unsolved murder—Deuteronomy 21:4
• Men must not shave the hair off the sides of their head—Leviticus 19:27
• Not to tattoo the skin—Leviticus 19:28
(These last two will land me in trouble.)

There are 613 of these! No wonder it was a full-time job for men to keep track of them all AND to keep track of everyone in the country and whether they were keeping the laws.

It was one of these cagey, full-time Pharisees who, in Matthew 22 asks, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

There are 613 of them! Which ONE's the greatest?!?! I'm sure you'll remember Jesus' answer.

Matthew 22:37-40 (NIRV)
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Did you see it? See how Jesus turns their trickery on them?

Jesus knows that every one of the 613 commandments (even the weird ones) has their motivation in one of two places. Our love for God and our love for one another. He says the entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments. In our obedience to the "do's," we're loving God and others. In our disobedience to the "don'ts," we're unloving towards God and others.

Jesus simplified the faith. At every turn, I need only to ask myself: Is this loving towards God? Is it loving towards others? If it's not, I do NOT do those things (Source). At least I try.

We don't need to remember 613 commandments. Or church traditions. Or rituals. Or mortal and venial sins. If we're focusing on loving God and loving others, we'll naturally steer clear of trouble.

Simple.

And THEN, we take that easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy plan and share it with EVERYONE we know and encounter.

Matthew 28:19-20a (NIRV)
"Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you."

It's easy for us to see Jesus' teaching as an alternative to the heavy-handed righteousness and religiosity of the Pharisees. Such a faith was a burden. A complex web of do's and don'ts and observances and judgments. A heavy yoke placed on the shoulders of a people who were already being crushed by Roman oppression. The religious leaders were just piling on. Jesus came to set them free from that; to set US free from that.

He says "my yoke is EASY and my burden is LIGHT."

I need that kind of simplicity. Don't you? I need to focus on Love, Love, and Go! And that's why it's our truism.

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Praying for God's grace and peace in your life,

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