Jesus and John the Baptist have asked for repentance. In the Gospel of Mathew, we have this verse which refers to the statement by John the Baptist. In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’” ( ref Matthew 3:1-3). In the very next chapter, towards the end we have From that time on, Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near. ( ref Matthew 4:17)

Many tried putting Jesus in a trap by asking him ‘wise questions’. The Sadducees tried, but Jesus responded with superior wisdom and they were silenced. But the Pharisees wanted to ask and try. They discussed among themselves and the one who was an expert in the law asked Jesus which was the greatest commandment. Before going to the answer, let us understand the important precepts about love.

To understand praise, as a first step, we look at the differentiation with thanksgiving. While thanksgiving is the first step to entering the gates of the Kingdom of God, praise is the key to entering God’s court. Thus, your proximity to the King of Kings is closer when you are praising God.