This reading is an excerpt from the “book of the
covenant” (Ex 20:22-23:19). The materials in this book are akin to many legal codes of the
ancient Near East, the most famous of which is the Code of Hammurabi
(twentieth century B.C.E.). The biblical code was apparently
crystallized in the ninth century B.C.E.
Today’s reading comes from a section of the code dealing with
laws of social conduct. They inculcate a social ethic based upon
compassion. Abstract justice is not enough, especially for the
underprivileged. This lesson was obviously chosen to go with the
summary of the Law that forms today’s gospel reading. The
effect is to slant the summary in a social direction.
Responsorial Psalm: 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51
This is a royal psalm of thanksgiving for victory in battle, possibly written by David himself. The selected stanzas make an appropriate hymn of praise for any occasion, but it is difficult to discern any specific connections with the other readings here, except perhaps in the refrain, which takes up the thought of the love of God found also in the summary of the law.
Reading II: 1 Thessalonians 1:5c-10
This week we continue Paul’s thanksgiving for the progress of
the Thessalonians in the gospel.
This passage is particularly important for the hints it gives of
what Paul had preached at Thessalonica on his foundation visit:
“you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God,
and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the
dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.”
From this it may be inferred that Paul’s gospel to Gentile
audiences would have comprised:
- an apologetic for monotheism;
- a proclamation for the deliverance wrought by Jesus through his (death and) resurrection;
- the prospect of Jesus’ impending return.
In his evangelistic preaching to pagans, Paul could take less for
granted than when preaching to the Jews. He had to start with faith
in the one God.
We shall see later how the promise of the parousia would lead to
serious problems for the Thessalonians when some of their number
died before it occurred.
The summary of the law is not original with Jesus. Its two parts
represent a combination of Dt 6:5 and Lev 19:18. Nor is the combination itself original to Jesus, for it is found
in at least one earlier Jewish work, the Testaments of the Twelve
Patriarchs, an amalgam of wisdom and apocalyptic materials.
Jesus’ thought was similarly cast in both molds, wisdom and
apocalyptic, and the summary of the Law represents the wisdom facet
of his teaching. Jesus undoubtedly appeared not only as the final
apocalyptic preacher but also as the authoritative declarer of
God’s wisdom.
In the Jewish parallels, the two commandments stand side by side, as
a convenient summary. Jesus understands the interlocking of the two
commandments in a new and quite radical way.
You cannot have one without the other. Without the love of neighbor,
the love of God remains a barren emotion; and without the love of
God, love of neighbor is but a refined form of self-love.