How can the greatest commandment be two commandments?
Why does Jesus say two commandments when he's asked for one? Well, this might be the answer.
One of the things that really bothered me as a teenager was Jesus' answer when he was asked what the greatest commandment was.
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12: 29-31 NIV)
Now I don't know if you can count, but that's two commandments (sometimes abbreviated as)
- Love God
- Love people
So what's the deal? Was Jesus saying that these are equal? That really that there's no single greatest commandment, but in fact two of equal weight? Or something else?
Well, that sat for me for a long time, but recently a friend provided an insight that rings true to me. Now, I'm not saying this is the correct interpretation, but it seems the best to me at this moment.
Loving our neighbour as ourselves IS how we love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.
Here's why I like this explanation.
- It makes sense of why there are two commands (it's the how to the what)
- It makes sense in context (Jesus is critiquing the religious leaders for failing to truly love God in part due to their poor treatment of the community)
- It makes sense of his ministry in Mark.
Lord, when did we ...
But one of the main reasons I think this example holds true is because of Matthew 25.
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
In this passage, Jesus equates loving one's neighbour and the acts of grace we perform for them as the same as having done them to Jesus.
The text is intriguing here, as it states that the disciples did this without awareness that they are doing this for the Lord (but this could be an instructional device). This could mean that the act of love doesn't have to be driven by (or an overflow of) love for God, but I doubt this is the right interpretation.
Instead, I think it's more likely that these acts of love are supposed to come out of our love for God, our love for the image of God within others, and seeing others with the love that God sees them. This, to me, matches the idea of "what you did for one of the least of these..." and loving God and loving neighbour being one command.
What do you think?
Honestly, I think this makes sense but it's not something I've heard shared a lot so I'm really open to push back and correction. But even if this isn't exactly right, loving God and loving our neighbour are the greatest commandments, and worthy of reflecting and acting on.
