The Great Commandments:

Context:

• The Pharisees observed Jesus silencing the Sadducees, then asked Him their own question.
• Religious leaders were known to debate about which commandment was the most important.

Deuteronomy 6:5 “...You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might...”

Matthew 22:37-40 “...And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets...”

Mark 12:29-31 “...Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these...”

What was the first of the ten commandments?

• Exodus 20:3 “...You shall have no other gods before me...”

Was Jesus ignoring the 10 commandments?

• Jesus did not cite one of the 10 commandments.
• He stated that all the Law and the Prophets arise from Love God, Love your neighbor.

What does it mean to love the Lord your God will all your heart, soul, mind, and strength?

• It’s a commitment, not a feeling.
• It’s from the core of your being as well as from your intellect.

Is it possible to fulfill these 2 commandments while breaking others?

• Breaking any of the 10 commandments is only possible if one of these commands is being ignored.

In the Mark account, the questioner responded with “...You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices...”

Mark 12:34 “...And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions...”

Did Jesus need the scribe’s approval?

• No, but He did appreciate his wise reply.

What was the scribe starting to realize?

• The burnt offerings and sacrifices that were such an integral part of Judaism, were not as important as loving God and loving people.
• Religious activity without love falls short.

1 Corinthians 13:1 “...If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal...”

Have you witnessed noisy gongs or clanging cymbals?

Have you been a noisy gong or clanging cymbal?

What is the difference between asking Christians tricky questions, and asking Jesus tricky questions?

Do we walk into the traps set by faithless men?

Would steering them to Jesus be a wiser tact?