The Greatest Commandment
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “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 neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these. Mark 12:28-31
Each of the gospel writers, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, have all been very careful to place material with the same themes together. This means the key to understanding any passage is its context – what’s said before and what’s said after that particular passage.
The text above lies in the midst of Jesus’ direct challenge to the place of the temple in Israel’s life. The temple was meant to be the meeting place between God and man on earth. In the surrounding passages Jesus says over and over that time is finished. The priests have failed the people. He came as the last prophet and His message has been rejected. The generation who heard and refused will be the generation who faces the resulting judgement.
What did God want? He wanted a people who themselves wanted to live in relationship with Him, based on His grace and calling and their thankful, excited, loving acceptance. He wanted them to love others as He loved them.
Nothing’s changed. Number one: love God. Number two: love others.
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