Matthew the apostle wrote how, “one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And he said unto him, Why do you call me good? there is none good but one, that is, God:but if you will enter into life, keep the commandments. He said unto him, Which? Jesus said, You shall do no murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness”, and in chapter nineteen and verse nineteen of his book, Matthew shares how Jesus continued his list with who to, “honor and love” where we read:
Honor your father and your mother: and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
The verse reads, “Honor your father and your mother:”. Matthew began with the words, “honor” or “fix value upon, revere and venerate” “your father” which refers to “the young man's male ancestor and progenitor” “and your mother” which means “and the young man's female ancestor and progenitor”. Matthew shared how Jesus continued His list of God's commandments with “honoring” his “father and mother”.
The verse goes on to say, “and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew added the words, “and, You shall love” which means “and the young man was to welcome, entertain, be fond of, be well pleased with and love dearly” “your neighbor” or “any other person, and where two are concerned with whom the young man encountered” “as yourself” or “in like manner and in the same way the young man loved himself”. Matthew wrote how Jesus added “loving your neighbor” in the same way the young man loved himself to the list.
When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Jesus added two more laws to His list of God's commandments for the young man. The first related to the young man's personal family and in particular, his “mother and father”. God desires for people to “honor and revere” their parents. The second related to every other person, and the young man was to “love” them. This word love is the Greek word “agapaō” which is a God kind of unconditional love and is only obtainable through the power and help of God. God honors parents, and He loves everybody. He sent Jesus to save people from their “sins”, and when people put their faith and trust in Him, they begin to realize although parents and neighbors have flaws, they have a capacity to “honor” and “love” them. May God help all who are reading these words to obey Jesus' commands.
Next time Matthew shares how the young man says, “All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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