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Matthew 22:37-39
The Two Greatest Commands
Matthew 22:37-39
Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
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Why it is worth knowing
- Jesus summarizes the entire law in two commands: love God, love neighbor
- The three-part love of God (heart, soul, mind) involves the whole person
- Love of neighbor is inseparable from love of God
- These two commands are the lens through which all other commands are interpreted
Where it sits: Matthew 22:36-40
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
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Background
A Pharisee asked Jesus which commandment was greatest, hoping to trap him. Instead Jesus gave an answer so comprehensive that no one could argue with it, drawing from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. His summary (love God, love neighbor) became the organizing principle of New Testament ethics. Paul echoes it in Romans 13:9-10 and Galatians 5:14. Augustine’s saying captures it well: “Love, and do what you will”: because if you truly love God, your will is shaped by his.