In Deuteronomy 22, Moses expresses the principle of love for neighbor with some concrete examples. Verses 1-4 emphasize making sure that lost possessions be returned to their owners. Verse 8 is about concern for a neighbor's safety.
The cases in verses 1-4 also involve taking care of injured animals. Compassion for animals appears again in verses 6-7, a prohibition against taking a mother bird from a nest with her young. This case teaches prudent management of resources as well.
The case in verses 6-7 is accompanied by a blessing---"that it may go well with you, and that you may live long." The same kind of blessing is associated with showing honor to parents (see Dt 5:16).
The fact that the same blessing goes with following both a major commandment (honoring parents) and a minor one (sparing a mother bird) implies, according to Jewish tradition, that none of God's instruction should be ignored. A related teaching of Jesus advocates placing emphasis on major principles while not neglecting minor ones (Mt 23:23).
In a sermon at Church of the Messiah on July 15, 2023, Rob Wilson noted that when Moses says "you shall let the mother go" in verse, he places emphasis here with a "doubled verb" construction. (The NIV, for example, reflects this emphasis by rendering it "be sure to let the mother go." The Midrash Rabbah gives the explanation that by doing this, one will hasten the coming of Elijah and the Messiah.
The idea of "hastening the coming of the Messiah" is also a part Christian tradition. Rob pointed out that Peter spoke of Christians "waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God" (2 Peter 3:12). Peter says much in his epistles about how to live as we wait for Jesus' return. For example, he instructs Christians in 1 Peter 4:7-10 to
- be self-controlled;
- be sober-minded;
- love one another;
- show hospitality;
- use the gifts God has given us to serve one another.
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