“Now one of the experts in the law came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”
Jesus answered, “The most important is: ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
The expert in the law said to him, “That is true, Teacher; you are right to say that he is one, and there is no one else besides him. And to love him with all your heart, with all your mind, 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 thoughtfully, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Then no one dared any longer to question him.” —Mark 12:28-34
Hearing the debate, and noticing Jesus giving a good answer, one of the teachers of the law–meaning a scribe or someone who was knowledgeable of the law–approached Jesus with this question: What is the most important commandment? And Jesus’ very simple answer? The Lord our God is one, we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. And, He adds, we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Nothing is greater. With this answer, Jesus referred to what the Jews consider to be one of the most important texts in the Old Testament–the Shema–found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9. Literally the Hebrew word Shema means to heed, listen, and obey. The passage is beautiful:
“Listen, Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! You must love the LORD your God with your whole mind, your whole being, and all your strength.”
These words I am commanding you today must be kept in mind, and you must teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, as you lie down, and as you get up. You should tie them as a reminder on your forearm and fasten them as symbols on your forehead. Inscribe them on the doorframes of your houses and gates.” —Deuteronomy 6:4-9
God understands we are but dust. Throughout His Word we are compared to sheep numerous times. Typically, sheep are thought to be dumb animals, possibly because they always follow each other around in the flock! God knows we need to be led¸ and we need to be reminded of certain truths lest we forget. This is for our good. He wants us to love Him and listen to Him, because He has the heart of a shepherd! God is asking for whole hearted love, which includes our desires, feelings, affections, passions, understanding, and intellectual capacity. God is not asking something of us that He has not already shown to us. He placed such a value on man–showed such love for him that though we deserved rejection, God, the Father sacrificed Jesus Christ, his only Son for our salvation. Paul tells us in Romans:
“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (For rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person perhaps someone might possibly dare to die.) But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” —Romans 5:6-8
In addition to our love for God, Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves. The word neighbor literally means anyone within close proximity–the parable of the Good Samaritan is a perfect illustration of this (Luke 10:37). Loving a neighbor requires that we treating someone as we would want them to treat us–showing mercy and kindness and love even when it is undeserved. Again, this is how God treats us–with undeserved mercy and unmerited favor.
Take It to Heart
God desires our love … as expressed in our obedience to Him. Does your life reflect the love you have for God?
“Then Samuel said, “Does the LORD take pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as he does in obedience?
Certainly, obedience is better than sacrifice; paying attention is better than the fat of rams.For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and presumption is like the evil of idolatry.
Because you have rejected the LORD's orders, he has rejected you from being king.” —1 Samuel 15:22-23
“For I delight in faithfulness, not simply in sacrifice; I delight in acknowledging God, not simply in whole burnt offerings.” —Hosea 6:6
“With what should I enter the LORD's presence? With what should I bow before the sovereign God? Should I enter his presence with burnt offerings, with year-old calves? Will the LORD accept a thousand rams, or ten thousand streams of olive oil? Should I give him my firstborn child as payment for my rebellion, my offspring – my own flesh and blood – for my sin?
He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the LORD really wants from you: He wants you to carry out justice, to love faithfulness, and to live obediently before your God.” —Micah 6:6-8