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not impressive

Luke 10:27&28
"27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
28 And He said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live."

We are about to read a very familiar parable that Jesus told. We are going to pay attention to the questions He asks along the way. An expert in Old Testament law, maybe a Pharisee, asks, "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" He did not ask this because he didn't know. He asked because he was trying to catch Jesus on a technicality. This was a common question in Jesus's day. One that was taught in Jewish synagogues. Jesus doesn't recite the answer, He asks another question, "What is written in the law? how readest thou?" To paraphrase, "you're an expert in the Law, you can answer your own question."

What the expert recites in today's verse is called The Shama. The Shema is a powerful and important prayer in Judaism, a reminder of the importance of loving God, living a virtuous life, and connecting with our heritage. It is a source of comfort, a unifying force, and a guide to living a meaningful life. The Shama is taught and recited twice daily, as part of the morning and evening prayer services, and is also recited as a climax of the liturgy on Yom Kippur, and as a final profession of faith before death. We might compare it to the Lord's Prayer for Christians. It's profound and important. It is also commonly known and used. This "expert" has not impressed anyone, so far.
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