Two greatest commandments

Matthew 22:36-39 (LB)

“Which is the most important command?” Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment. The second most important is similar: Love your neighbor as much as you love yourself.”

This question to Jesus, like many other questions He was asked, was an attempt to cause Him to stumble.  Note that this lawyer asked Jesus a question “to test Him” (verse 35).  The motive of this lawyer’s question likely was more egotistical to show that he could embarrass Jesus rather than a sincere question to learn from the answer.  Someone has determined that there are 613 commandments in Jewish Law so this lawyer thought that he could entrap Jesus by forcing Him to select just one that would give the crowd reasons to dispute, even laugh, at Jesus.

Jesus’ answer actually quotes the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 6:5 about loving God and Leviticus 19:18 about loving your neighbor).  In loving God first, you must love Him

·  with all your heart (your desires and affections)

·  with all your soul (your spiritual nature)

·  with all your mind (your intellect)

In loving your neighbor, you must love him/her

·  with agape love, the highest form of love

·  always have his/her best interests at heart

·  no more, but no less than you love yourself

What does it mean to love the Lord your God?  There is a direct relationship between loving God and keeping His commandments (John 14:21 and 23).  Did you know that the first four commandments of the Ten Commandments focus on the proper love of God and the other six commandments focus on the proper love of your neighbor?  So to love the Lord your God means that you obey the first four commandments:

1.  We should love, honor and respect Him so much that He alone is the supreme authority and model in your life.  Is there anything (work, money, sports, pleasure, interests, etc) or anyone (friend, family member, teacher, employer, etc) preventing you from serving and obeying Him?

2.  Are you sharing your love for God equally or more with anyone else, especially meaningless idols (work, money, other people, etc)?  How are you worshipping Him?  Are you spending more time with and money on other idols than God?  

3.  Do you respect God and not use His name in vain?  How is your speech, your attitude and your behavior toward God?  Do others see in you your respect for and honor of God?  Do you misuse His name in any way? 

4.  Do you remember the Sabbath?  Do you take one day a week and rest from what you do the other six days of the week?  Do you take special time to love and worship God?  Do you ignore the Sabbath?

The remaining six commandments focus on your love for your neighbor (see also Romans 13:8-10).  These commandments focus on standards of conduct toward individuals, families, and society:

5.     Do you respect your parents?  If you do not have parents (death, divorce) or their wickedness does not allow you to respect one or both, how well do you submit to authority, how well do you listen to mentors in your life? 

6.     Do you respect other human beings?  Our next devotional will focus on this commandment that you love and not hate others, even those who might hate you. 

7.     Is there any kind of sexual immorality in your life?  While this commandment speaks of adultery, it is also speaking about all human relationships.  However, the main thrust is that there must be no sexual relationship outside of a marriage.

8.     Do you love and respect others by not stealing what belongs to others?  Is there any cheating in your life?  Is there any dishonesty in your life?  Is there more generosity than greed in your life?

9.     To love others means that you never deceive them or lie to them.  Telling the truth is emphasized so much in the Bible.  Do you have any problem with lying or telling partial truths, or deceiving anyone?   

10.  The sin of covetousness is bad because it leads to greater sin.  Do you covet something that is not yours?  Do you rejoice or feel sorry for yourself when you see others blessed or prosper?  The sin of coveting is both a sin of the heart and sin of the mind.  All relationships you have with others should be focused on rejoicing for them, not coveting what they have.     

Think through all these qualities of loving God and loving others.  Where are you strong?  Where are you weak?  What help do you need from God and from others to help you overcome your weaknesses?  Praise God for His blessings to you for the areas of love where you are strong and following His commandments.