Great Commandment

File:Thou Shalt Love - Sister Maurice Schnell.jpg

An art piece depicting the Great Commandment

The Great Commandment (or Greatest Commandment)Template:Efn is a name used in the New Testament to describe the first of two commandments cited by Jesus in Matthew 22 (), Mark 12 (), and in answer to him in Luke 10 (),

According to Jesus of Nazareth, the first and greatest commandment is that "the Lord is our God, the Lord is one.

According to Mark 12 () in full answer of the which commandment is first:

Both the first and second commandments came from the Old Testament and meant to be obeyed by Jews and followers of Jesus.Template:Quote

Most Christian denominations consider these two commandments as, together, forming the core of the Christian religion.Template:Better source needed

New Testament accounts

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:

Old Testament reference

Deuteronomy

Template:QuoteLeviticus Template:Quote

Love the Lord your God

Matthew Henry sums up the question of which is the great commandment: Template:Quote

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." 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.

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).

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". 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.

See also

• Christian–Jewish reconciliation
• Christianity and Judaism
• Judeo-Christian
• Law of Christ
• New Commandment
• Ten Commandments