The Great Commandment(s)

Next in line to test Jesus is an expert in the law (of Moses)–an esteemed rabbi. He addresses Jesus as “teacher,” (an outlaw) teacher of the law of Moses. He asks Jesus what is the great(est) commandment in the law (Matthew 22:34-36).

Jesus answers by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul (self) and all your mind.” He says this is the great(est) and first commandment; then he adds that the second is like it, and quotes Leviticus 19:18: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” He concludes that all the law and prophets “hang” (depend) on these two commandments (Mat. 22:37-40).

Jesus’ two quotations are from the law of Moses, but his phrase “all your mind” is his added emphasis to all your heart (the mind, will, and feelings) and all your soul. He wants the “expert” to not be so narrow-minded, and miss the importance of the second commandment that also speaks of love, but now of the neighbor. And he adds that not only the law of Moses, but also all the prophets, emphasize both commandments.

In Mat. 5:43, Jesus tells his disciples they have heard (the rabbis say) “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” Indeed Leviticus 19:18 defines the neighbor as “the sons of your own people.” But Jesus goes on to say that he commands his disciples to love their enemies, so that they become sons of their Father in heaven (Mat. 5:44-45). The main enemies would be those not of your own people, that is, Gentiles (or Jews that work with Gentiles, like tax collectors). So when Jesus calls the tax collector Matthew to become a disciple, he is loving an “enemy.” But when Jesus then eats at Matthew’s house with other tax collectors, Pharisees ask why he is eating with tax collectors and sinners (Mat, 9:9-11). He tells them to go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.” Jesus is quoting the prophet Hosea (6:6), whose point is that God above all wants merciful compassion shown to others, and not be satisfied with sacrifices to God in worship. If they really want to show their love to God, show love to other people.

In Mat. 19:19, Jesus again quoted “Love your neighbor as yourself.” When the rich man claims to have done this, Jesus tells him to sell his (expensive) possessions (lands, houses) and give the money to the poor, and come follow Jesus (19:20-21). He is calling the man to show merciful compassion to the poor–probably especially his poor workers on his lands, his “neighbors.” This fits with the emphasis of many former prophets, like Isaiah (1:17), who called Israel to “learn to do good, seek justice (for the poor), correct oppression, defend the fatherless (orphan), plead for the widow.”