It is the twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost. Today’s Bach cantata is “Herr Christ, der einge Gottessohn” (Lord Christ, the only Son of God):

Today’s Gospel reading is Matthew 22:34-46:

The Greatest Commandment

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

Jesus replied: “‘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. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Whose Son Is the Messiah?

While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?”

“The son of David,” they replied.

He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
under your feet.”’

If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions.

The text of today’s piece is available here. It contains these words:

Lord Christ, only Son of God,
of the Father in eternity,
sprung forth out of His heart,
just as it is written,
He is the morning star,
His gaze extends far and wide
and is more brilliant than other stars.

Happy listening! Soli Deo gloria.