Matthew 22:34-40
Two Greatest Commandments
34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Mark 12:28-34
The Greatest Commandment
28 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?”
29 “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.”
32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 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.”
34 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.
Luke 10:25-28
Love God With All Your Heart, Your Soul, and Your Strength
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
1 John 4:7-21
God is LOVE
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
In St. Matthew we read that Jesus teaches us that we should, love the LORD our God with our heart, with all our souls, and with all our mind...Knowing this is the first and greatest commandment...The second greatest commandment is very much like it...We are to love your neighbor as we love ourselves...All the Law and the Prophets and the Bible hang on these two commandments...
St. Mark also says these are the Two Greatest Commandments...
Then St. John goes on to write something very similar...This is love, not that we love God, but that God has sent His Son to us as atoning sacrifice for our sins...Since God so LOVES us, we also ought to love one another...No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us...
St. Luke says that Jesus teaches on one occasion where an expert in the law stood up to test Him...“Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”..“What is written in the Law?” He replied...“How do you read it?”...He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”...“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”...
Each of the gospel writers write about this Teaching of Jesus...All these commandments are about loving God and loving those around us...Hopefully, have we forgotten this Great Teaching, as we look at others who do not believe what we do or look like we do...
Author Philip Yancey writes, “When I ask, “Tell me the first word that comes to your mind when I say Christian,” not one time has someone suggested the word love...Yet without question that is the proper biblical answer.”...