Great Commandment
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The Great Commandment (or Greatest Commandment)[a] is a name used in the New Testament to describe the first of two commandments cited by Jesus in Matthew 22 (Script error: No such module "Bibleverse".), Mark 12 (Script error: No such module "Bibleverse".), and in answer to him in Luke 10 (Script error: No such module "Bibleverse".),
According to Jesus of Nazareth, the first and greatest commandment is that "the Lord is our God, the Lord is one."[1]
According to Mark 12 (Script error: No such module "Bibleverse".) in full answer of the which commandment is first:
Both the first and second commandments came from the Old Testament[2][3] and meant to be obeyed by Jews and followers of Jesus.Template:Quote
Most Christian denominations hold that these two commandments, taken together, form the core of the Christian religion.[4][better source needed]
New Testament accounts
Gospel of Matthew
Gospel of Mark
In the Gospel of Mark, the first verse of the Shema Yisrael (which the first part of the Great Commandment refers to) is included:
Gospel of Luke
Old Testament reference
Deuteronomy
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Love the Lord your God
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Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, wrote: Template:Quote
"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God" is interpreted by Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz to mean "Act in such a manner that God will be beloved by all His creatures."[5] Consequently, Israel, being, as the priest-people, enjoined like the Aaronite priest to sanctify the name of God and avoid whatever tends to desecrate it (Lev. xxii. 32), is not only obliged to give his life as witness or martyr for the maintenance of the true faith (see Isa. xliii. 12, μάρτυρες; and Pesik. 102b; Sifra, Emor, ix.), but so to conduct himself in every way as to prevent the name of God from being dishonored by non-Israelites.[6]
Twice every day (during Shacharit and Maariv, the morning and evening prayers) observant Jews recite the Shema Yisrael, which contains the words: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might" (Deut. vi. 5). This verse is interpreted by Rabbi Even-Israel Steinsaltz to enjoin him to willingly surrender life and fortune whenever the cause of God demands it, while it at the same time urges him to make God beloved by all his creatures through deeds of kindness, as Abraham did (Sifre, Deut. 32).[7]
Although only asked about the first commandment, Jesus included the second commandment in his answer. This double reference has given rise to differing views with regard to the relationship that exists between the two commandments, although typically "love thy God" is referred to as "the first and greatest commandment", with "love thy neighbor" being referred to as "the second great commandment".[8] It may simply reflect the "seven rules (Middot) of Hillel", in this case the first one, called Ḳal wa-ḥomer (Hebrew: קל וחומר).
Most Christian denominations view the Great Commandment alongside the law to love one's neighbor as forming the core of the Christian religion. The second passage is considered to be a form of the Golden Rule.[9]
See also
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- Christian–Jewish reconciliation
- Christianity and Judaism
- Judeo-Christian
- Law of Christ
- New Commandment
- Ten Commandments
References
Notes
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- ^ Although most English versions of the Bible use the word "great", (from the Greek feminine μεγάλη big, great) a few versions change the word to "greatest". See multi-version comparison of Matthew 22:36.
Citations
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- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."What does Mark 12:29 mean?". BibleRef.com. Retrieved 5 March 2025.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."What does Deuteronomy 6:4 mean?". BibleRef.com. Retrieved 5 March 2025.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."What does Leviticus 19:18 mean?". BibleRef.com. Retrieved 5 March 2025.
- ^ Catholicity – LDS – GreatBibleStudy
- ^ Sifre, Deut. 32; Yoma 86a
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Ethics". Jewish Encyclopedia. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Judaism". Jewish Encyclopedia. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."catholicweb.com". Home.catholicweb.com. Archived from the original on 8 April 2013. Retrieved 28 March 2013.
- ^ Plaut, The Torah – A Modern Commentary; Union of American Hebrew Congregations, New York 1981; pp.892.
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External links
Page Template:Sister-inline/styles.css has no content.Script error: No such module "Sister project logo". Quotations related to Great Commandment at Wikiquote
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