When asked about the greatest commandments, Jesus provided a profound and transformative response that encapsulates the essence of Christian ethics. This moment is recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and it serves as a cornerstone for understanding the moral and spiritual life that Jesus calls His followers to lead.
In Matthew 22:34-40, we find the Pharisees testing Jesus with this very question. One of them, an expert in the law, asked, "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. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40, NIV)
Similarly, in Mark 12:28-34, a scribe asks Jesus, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" Jesus answers:
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘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 mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:29-31, NIV)
These two commandments are not arbitrary rules but are deeply rooted in the Jewish Scriptures. The first commandment Jesus cites comes from Deuteronomy 6:4-5, known as the Shema, a central declaration of the Jewish faith. The second commandment comes from Leviticus 19:18, which emphasizes the importance of loving one's neighbor.
Loving God with All Your Heart, Soul, and Mind
The command to love God with all one's heart, soul, and mind is a call to total devotion. It means that our love for God should permeate every aspect of our being. The heart, in biblical terms, often represents the center of our emotions and desires. The soul can be understood as the life force or the essence of who we are. The mind involves our intellect and thoughts. Together, these terms signify a holistic love for God that engages our emotions, our very life, and our intellect.
This commandment challenges us to prioritize our relationship with God above all else. It calls us to a love that is not superficial or partial but is complete and all-encompassing. This kind of love is demonstrated through worship, obedience, and a continual pursuit of God's presence and will.
Loving Your Neighbor as Yourself
The second commandment, to love your neighbor as yourself, extends the love we have for God to those around us. It implies a deep sense of empathy and compassion. Just as we naturally seek our own well-being, we are called to seek the well-being of others with the same intensity and care.
This commandment is radical in its simplicity and its challenge. It means that our love for others should be as genuine and committed as our love for ourselves. This love is not limited to those who are like us or who we find easy to love. Jesus expanded the definition of "neighbor" to include even our enemies (Matthew 5:43-48).
The Interconnection of the Two Commandments
Jesus' genius in linking these two commandments lies in their interdependence. Loving God and loving others are not mutually exclusive but are deeply intertwined. Our love for God should naturally flow into love for others. The Apostle John emphasizes this connection in his first epistle:
"Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister." (1 John 4:20-21, NIV)
This interconnection means that our devotion to God is validated and expressed through our actions towards others. It is in loving our neighbor that we demonstrate our love for God. Conversely, our ability to love others genuinely is rooted in our experience of God's love for us.
Implications for Christian Ethics
These two commandments form the foundation of Christian ethics. They provide a framework for understanding how we are to live in relation to God and to others. All other commandments and ethical teachings in Scripture can be seen as extensions or applications of these two principles.
For instance, the Ten Commandments can be divided into two categories: the first four commandments focus on our relationship with God (e.g., having no other gods, not taking God's name in vain), while the last six focus on our relationship with others (e.g., honoring parents, not committing murder, not stealing). Jesus' summary of the law encapsulates these two dimensions.
Moreover, the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) provide practical applications of these commandments. When Jesus speaks about anger, lust, divorce, oaths, retaliation, and love for enemies, He is showing what it means to love God fully and to love our neighbor as ourselves in concrete situations.
Living Out the Greatest Commandments
Living out these commandments requires more than mere intellectual assent; it requires a transformation of the heart and a commitment to action. The Apostle Paul provides a beautiful description of what this love looks like in practice in his letter to the Corinthians:
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, NIV)
This passage, often read at weddings, is not just about romantic love but about the kind of love that should characterize all our relationships. It is a love that reflects the nature of God and fulfills the commandments to love God and neighbor.
Conclusion
In summary, the two greatest commandments according to Jesus are to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. These commandments are deeply interconnected and form the foundation of Christian ethics. They call us to a holistic and transformative love that encompasses our entire being and extends to all those around us. As we seek to live out these commandments, we reflect the love of God in our lives and fulfill the purpose for which we were created.
