What is the Greatest Commandment?

The Greatest Commandment in Matthew 22

In Matthew 22, a lawyer approached Jesus and asked him this question, Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law? Now the lawyer was out to test Jesus. He may not have actually been looking for an answer, but the answer Jesus gave him was awesome.

He said, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And the second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets. Now at first glance, a person might look at Jesus' answer and say, Okay, so love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. Well, that's not one of the Ten Commandments.

That's Deuteronomy 6 .5. And love your neighbor as yourself is Leviticus 19 .18. Obviously, Jesus was drawing from the whole law, not just the Ten Commandments. But here's the catch. To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind is actually the basis of the first four of the Ten Commandments.

And to love your neighbor as yourself is the basis of the next six. So basically, when Jesus was asked, Which is the greatest commandment? His answer was, All of it. It's all important. All of the law and the prophets command us to worship God and love one another.

Christ Fulfills the Law and the Prophets

All of the Bible points to Jesus Christ, who fulfilled all the law and the prophets. In Him, we are forgiven our trespasses against the law and given eternal life. Those who are in Christ will be the ones who keep His commands.

First John 5 .3 says, For this is the love of God, that we keep His commands. And His commandments are not burdensome when we understand the text.