Love God, love your neighbor.
Jesus' summary of the entire law in two commands.
The episode in a glance.
- 01All 613 Old Testament commands hang on two.
- 02Love God — totally; with everything.
- 03Love your neighbor as yourself — as much as.
- 04The second is like the first — same heart, two directions.
Read along.
A lawyer asked Jesus which commandment was greatest. Jesus answered: 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.'
All 613 Old Testament commands, Jesus says, hang on these two. Love God. Love neighbor. Get those right, and everything else falls into line.
'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.' Totally. With every part of you. Nothing held back, nothing fenced off.
'Love your neighbor as yourself.' As much as. You already factor your own needs in automatically. Jesus says factor your neighbor's needs in the same way.
'And the second is like the first.' Same heart, two directions. You can't separate them. Love of God that doesn't lead to love of neighbor isn't really love of God. And love of neighbor that isn't rooted in love of God burns out.