“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 22:36-40
The Pharisees wanted to do things right. Which meant, to make sure they got everything right, they made things complicated. If they created all these extra rules that they had to follow they would be sure to follow the Law and maintain the commandments God required of them. We do the same thing, don’t we? If we are sure to do all the good Christian things we are supposed to do, we are bound to live in obedience to God! In this passage, Jesus tells us that following his way and living with his heart is much more simple: it means to love God and love others.
Read the passage again:
“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.”
Jesus is quoting two passages, Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 that his audience would have been deeply familiar with, yet in all of their debates and worrying about getting it right, they had overlooked the core of what God was asking them to do. As followers of Jesus, we, too, are deeply familiar with these passages. I’m sure if most of us were asked to recite the two greatest commandments we could rattle them off immediately. But how often do we remember that they are the heart of what is asked of us as followers of Jesus? How often do we remember that this is what Jesus himself lived out?
Make these commandments your prayer today. Ask God to show you opportunities to love him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength today, and to love your neighbor. At the end of the day, review the ways you saw God work and thank him for all he did!
By Jessica Rust
