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There is a profoundly countercultural message in the Beatitudes. Jesus pronounced blessing on the poor, those who mourn, the meek, the merciful, the peacemakers, and the persecuted. In doing so, he challenged the prevailing values of wealth, military power, and social prestige.

That challenge remains relevant today. The Beatitudes invite Christians to question popular views and values when they conflict with the Gospel. They call us not to overlook injustice, suffering, or exclusion simply because they have become socially accepted or expected.

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In the Gospel reading Matthew 22:34-40 Jesus is asked which commandment is the greatest. I suspect he meant which commandment is the most important. Jesus responds to the question by combining two teachings one. He quotes from the Torah, Love God: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might”, Deuteronomy 6:5. Love your neighbour: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”, Leviticus 19:18. Jesus creatively brings these two commands together in passage.

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There is also a sub-story here—one hidden in plain sight. Why were some Pharisees so adversarial toward Jesus? The first point worth noting is that not all Pharisees were against Jesus.

Sadly, however, there was a small group of Pharisees who actively worked to undermine and trap Jesus at every opportunity. I am sure Jesus was likely annoyed by them. Yet, ironically, some of Jesus’ most powerful teachings emerged from his dialogue with the Pharisees.

As a psychologist, I wonder why those particular Pharisees were so opposed to Jesus when many of their colleagues were not. You may have heard the expression “overreacting.” People often use it to describe someone whose response seems far greater than the situation warrants.

But I would argue that people are not necessarily overreacting.

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