Faith Daily Lectio Wednesday, November 4, 2026 Gospel
Wednesday, November 4, 2026 · Wednesday in the week of the Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 26)
Gospel
Oratio (prayer)
Lord Jesus, You are David's Son and David's Lord. Send Your Holy Spirit as I read Matthew 22, that I may know the Scriptures and the power of God, and trust You as my living Savior. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Meditatio (meditation)
Matthew 22:23-46
23 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
24Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
25Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:
26Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.
27And last of all the woman died also.
28Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.
29Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
30For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
31But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
32I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
33And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.
34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
35Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38This is the first and great commandment.
39And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
41 While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,
42Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David.
43He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying,
44The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?
45If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?
46And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.
Consider even rereading in another translation.
You could also consider listening to this chapter, narrated:
KJV (Max McLean) · ESV (Max McLean) · NIV (dramatized)
You might read the whole reading slowly, aloud, more than once.
Consider this verse, for example:
“What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?” (Matthew 22:42)
What other lines speak to you?
On the same day, the Sadducees, who deny the resurrection, test Jesus with a story of seven brothers and one wife. Jesus answers from the Scriptures that God is the God of the living. Then a lawyer asks which is the great commandment, and Jesus names love for God and love for neighbor. Finally Jesus asks the Pharisees a question of His own: whose Son is the Christ? David calls Him Lord, and no one can answer Him a word.
The Law Jesus tells the Sadducees, "Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God" (v. 29). Then He sums up the whole law: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind" (v. 37), and "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (v. 39). Measured by that, none of us has loved God or neighbor as we ought.
The Gospel Then Jesus turns the question to Himself: "What think ye of Christ? whose son is he?" (v. 42). He is David's Son, born of Mary, and David's Lord, seated at God's right hand. He kept the great commandment for us, loving the Father with all His heart and loving us all the way to the cross. And because "God is not the God of the dead, but of the living" (v. 32), the grave will not hold those who are His. That promise is for you.
Prayer Lord Jesus, I confess that I have not loved God with all my heart, nor my neighbor as myself. Forgive me for Your sake. Teach me the Scriptures, and keep me trusting in You, the Son of David and my Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Tentatio (trial)
Clever questions about faith can unsettle us, as the Sadducees hoped to unsettle the crowd. Under trial it may help to notice how Jesus answered. He went back to what God has said: "I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob" (v. 32). You might bring your hard questions to His Word, and rest in Him who answered every challenge.
Prayer Lord, when doubts and arguments press on me, hold me to Your Word. Keep me in the hope of the resurrection, and let me love You and my neighbor today. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version.
My church home: Peace Lutheran Church, McMurray, PA. Looking for a church? See About Daily Lectio.
