The Greatest Commandment

READ

In today’s passage, something unusual happens. After all the traps and trick questions, a teacher of the law approaches Jesus with what seems like a genuine question: "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"

Let’s take a moment to read Mark 12:28-34:

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 neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

REFLECT

Jewish teachers had identified 613 different commands in the Torah – 365 "thou shalt nots" (one for each day of the year) and 248 "thou shalts" (one for each part of the body, they said). With so many rules to follow, people naturally wondered which ones mattered most. Was keeping the Sabbath more important than dietary laws? Did temple worship outrank honoring parents?

Instead of getting caught in these details, Jesus goes straight to the heart of faith. He begins by quoting words every Jewish person recited twice daily, the Shema from Deuteronomy 6:4-5: "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."

It's worth noticing that Jesus slightly expands the original text. Where Deuteronomy mentions loving God with heart, soul, and strength, Jesus adds "mind" – highlighting that loving God involves our intellectual capacity alongside our emotions and actions. True faith engages our entire being, not just our feelings or behaviors.

Then Jesus does something the teacher didn't ask for – He offers a second commandment: "Love your neighbor as yourself" (from Leviticus 19:18). Although the questioner only asked for one command, Jesus insists these two cannot be separated. They're like two sides of the same coin – love for God and love for people belong together.

The teacher's response shows he really gets it. He affirms that these twin loves are "more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." This was a bold statement for someone immersed in temple traditions! He recognizes that religious rituals, while not unimportant, mean little without the inner reality of love for God and others.

Jesus commends him: "You are not far from the kingdom of God." This rare compliment suggests the teacher has moved beyond superficial rule-following to understand what truly matters to God's heart.

This passage offers us a simple but profound framework for our complicated faith journeys. When we're confused by competing priorities or unsure about difficult decisions, Jesus gives us this clarifying question: What most expresses love for God and love for neighbor in this situation?

Notice that Jesus doesn't set these loves against each other. Some Christians emphasize personal devotion to God while neglecting active love of neighbors. Others focus on social justice and helping others while their relationship with God grows distant. Jesus refuses this false choice – authentic faith includes both vertical and horizontal relationships.

The sequence matters too. Love for God comes first because it forms the foundation and motivation for neighbor-love. When we experience God's incredible love for us, we're empowered to extend that love outward. Without this divine source, our efforts to love others will eventually run dry.

The comprehensive language – heart, soul, mind, and strength – reminds us that love isn't just warm feelings but whole-life engagement. The heart speaks to our emotions and desires, the soul to our deepest being, the mind to our thoughts and understanding, and strength to our actions and resources. No part of us remains untouched by this love.

RESPOND

Take a moment to process what God might be leading you to do in light of what you read.

• If someone observed your daily life, what evidence would they see of your love for God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength? In which of these areas might your love be strongest or weakest?

REST

Take a moment to rest in God’s presence and consider one thing you can take away from your time reading, then close your devotional experience by praying:

Loving Father, thank you for first loving me and showing me what true love is through Jesus. Help me to love you with my whole being—not just in feelings or words, but in every thought, decision, and action. Let my love for you overflow into genuine love for others, even when it's difficult. Simplify my faith by keeping me focused on this great commandment. Amen.