Matthew 22

The Great Commandment

Matthew 22:37-40 “And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. [38] This is the great and first commandment. [39] And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. [40] On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Growing up I was always taught the 10 Commandments. I have been told the story of Moses on top of Mt. Sinai with God, receiving the 10 commandments countless times. It is a story that many are familiar with. One question that I remember thinking is “which one is the most important?” That is exact question that is asked by Jesus in Matthew 22.

Jesus has finally made His way to Jerusalem. It is the capitol city of Israel and many wars and battles have raged all centering around Jerusalem. In the last chapter we saw Jesus riding into the city on a donkey and people laying out palm branches before Him. What the people didn’t know is that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem because it was going to be the place where He would be put to death. Jesus entered on a Sunday, by the next Friday He would be put to death on the cross.

During His stay in Jerusalem Jesus did many signs and miracles and ministered to a lot of people. During one of His battles with the religious leaders a guy asked Jesus a very simple question that I am sure many had wondered before. “which is the great commandment?” Being that there are 613 recorded laws in the Old Testament, there is no way that anyone could go their whole life without breaking at least 1 law. To make it easy the religious leaders made a list of important and unimportant laws. But they did not know that if you break just one of the laws you are guilty of breaking all of them(James 2:10).

Jesus response(above) was simple. Love God with all that you are and have and love others the way you love yourself. The love that we are called to love God with is not just an emotion and it is not just a choice. It takes all that you(feelings, will, strength). God loves us with everything that He is and so we should love God with everything that we are and have. But it does not stop there.

We are also to love others the way we love ourselves. Jesus knows that we love ourselves. There is no getting around it. But what if we all loved each other the way that we love ourselves? There would be no more war, hate, crime, gossip, slander, lying and more. This is a high calling! This is a tough calling.

We can not love God and others the way we are supposed to by ourselves. It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we can do this. Do you lack love? Do you want to love people the way God has told you but find it to difficult? Ask God for help. As the Holy Spirit to give you more love for God and others and He will give it to you!