Leviticus, Jesus, and Teflon

Since the Pharisees were pretty sure they had an edge on the truth – they knew the law like no others – they decided to show the Sadducees up with their own question for Jesus. They put their best expert in the law forth to question Jesus – to prove once and for all he was a fraud and didn’t know the law. “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Matthew 22:36

I’m not sure what answer they were expecting or even what they thought the right answer was. But when Jesus was done answering them, they were left speechless and feared asking any more questions. Jesus answered them by quoting from Leviticus 19 (one of the books that keeps many of us from reading through the Bible in a year!). Over and over in Leviticus 19, the Lord says, “I am the Lord your God.” He says “Be Holy because I, the Lord your God am holy.” Leviticus 19:2 He goes through the Ten Commandments (found in Exodus 20) with addendums, constantly reminding them, “I am the Lord your God.” Then he says, “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” Leviticus 19:18

When Jesus replies to the Pharisees, he says, “’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.” Matthew 22:37-40

I like to compare Leviticus to the rules of using Teflon coated cookware. Rule after rule… don’t stack… don’t use knives or sharp objects… don’t use metal spoons… don’t overheat… and we could go on until we had at least 100 rules about the use of Teflon. Or, we could say, Teflon can be damaged by scratching the surface. Therefore, do not do anything with a Teflon coated pan that would cause it to be scratched. The difference is that we can either memorize 100 rules to preserve the Teflon (oops – forgot that one – now the Teflon is damaged) or we can think about how we are using the Teflon and constantly ask ourselves the question: Will what I am about to do damage the Teflon?

When I look at Leviticus that way, I can see that Jesus summed it up very well. Every law in Leviticus can go back to love God and love your fellow travelers in this world. Our human nature wants to make ourselves our own god and we want to lord it over those around us – to be in control. But God didn’t create us to be our own gods or to control others. He created us to walk with him and to worship him. He created us to bring glory to him.

As I journey through this world, I wonder if asking myself the question, “Is what I am about to do going to bring glory to God?” would help me come up with better responses in the many choices I make each day. Would it help me live a life that is holy – free from idolatry and full of worshiping God? I wonder if asking the question, “Is what I am about to do going to help or harm others on this life journey?” would help me to make better decisions regarding what I buy, how I spend my time, where I go, etc. Would it help me to think about justice, peace, service, caring for the poor, etc.?

I wonder if maybe the entire Word of God can be boiled down to these two commandments: Love God and Love each other. The rest is examples and explanations. I make it way more difficult than it is because I forget that I am the created… not the Creator. I am made in the image of God – and his character is holy, loving, full of mercy and grace, patient, forgiving…

Lord, help me to keep my focus simple so others will see your love and mercy through how I interact with you, with them and with the world.