The Greatest Commandment

The Greatest Commandment is pretty familiar.

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. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Matthew 22:37-39

Have you ever noticed the quotation marks? Jesus was quoting portions of the Old Testament, and just like when we quote something now, more than the actual quote is understood - its context, its implications, etc - that makes the our quoting it funny or applicable.

The greatest commandment wasn't one of the big Laws; it was part of the Shema - part of what Moses said to the people of Israel before he died, in Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (emphasis added)

"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."

The second is quoted from Leviticus 19:18, right in the thick of other "various laws."

"Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord."

Before the greatest commandment, and after the second, is a statement that God is the Lord. When Jesus quotes it in Matthew, he seems to not only be saying "Love God and Love Neighbors," but also connecting himself with the Lord our God. Then Jesus says,

"All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

It is true that if we keep those two commands, we will be keeping the heart of all the other Laws. The Law also points to Jesus and is fulfilled in Him. But here, in the summary of the Law, we are presented a picture of bookends: "The Lord our God" at the beginning and Jesus implying, "I am the Lord" at the end. In between those bookends is Love from God, Love for God, and Love through God. This is only emphasized clearer in 1 John 4.

"God is Love."

1 John 4:7-5:12 is about how God's love for us shown in Jesus Christ is the foundation for our love for others, but John also points out that the entire Gospel is about this love that is bookended by the nature of the Trinity. Using the quotes that Jesus used, the entire message of the Bible is summarized. It ties together who God is, who we are, how we are separated from God, what God has done to fix it, and what we are supposed to do about it.

Here I've written seven paragraphs, trying to make loose connections. John took two chapters and makes clearer connections. Jesus did it in three sentences.

No wonder the Pharisees were silenced.