When a lawyer and expert of the law asked Jesus what the most important commandment is, Jesus responded, "To love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind...The second is to love your neighbor as yourself." All of Christianity comes down to how we love God and how everything we do - relationships, work, entertainment, education, displays our love for God.
When asked what was the greatest commandment in the law, Jesus responds in Luke 10:27 (King James Version): And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
The two verses Jesus quoted are listed below and note that Deuteronomy 6:5 is seventeen verses right after the second reading of the Decalogue. So did all the law hang on these two Commandments in the Old Testament? There can be no doubt since Deuteronomy 6:5 immediately follows the second reading of the law.
Jesus was asked this very question by a Pharisee who was considered to be “an expert in the law” ( Matthew 22:34–36 ). Jesus answered by saying, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.
Paul also clarifies in the following passage that the two greatest Commandments are just a means of summarizing the law. Note that Paul specifically refers to the phrase loving your neighbour as yourself as a “saying” that covers all the Commandments.
Jesus answered by saying, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments” ( Matthew 22:37–40 ).
Both the Pharisees of Christ’s day and today’s many versions create a whole system of rules and regulations for people to live by and yet are guilty of breaking the most important commandments of all because they “cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but not the inside” ( Matthew 23:25–26 ).
All of man’s best efforts toward world peace will fail as long as men are living in rebellion against God. When asked by another Pharisee how one could “inherit eternal life,” Jesus answered that it is by keeping these two commandments ( Luke 10:25–37 ).
After all, the gospel of Christ “is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,” for “the just shall live by faith” ( Romans 1:16–17 ). Because Jesus answered this very question and His answer is recorded in Scripture, we don’t have to wonder or search for the answer ourselves.
That is why “if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” ( Romans 10:9–10 ).
In these passages, Jesus' breaks down the most important things to how we should live.
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is non e other commandment greater than these.
And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
The Golden rule is often referred to as "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." You can also see other Bible verses in Matthew 7:12 KJV:
Jesus' Great Commandment. Jesus said that to love God supremely is the first and greatest Commandment. (Matthew 22:38) It is first and greatest in that it represents the heartbeat of every one of the Commandments. But while it is the first Commandment, it is not the only one as Jesus quoting from the second of the Ten Commandments also said, ...
This is the type of obedience a slave gives. Other Christians make the effort to do what is right because they believe they will be blessed for doing so. This is effectively like obeying God because He is paying them to do so. Their relationship with God resembles more that of a servant than a member of His family.
Some Christians try to do the right thing because they think God will punish them if they don't. While the Word does say God chastens every child he loves, ( Hebrews 12:5-7) this is the wrong motive for obeying our Heavenly Father. This is the type of obedience a slave gives.
This does not mean that this so called lawyer practiced law but was one who was learned or skilled in the law of Moses. Mark calls him one of the scribes, which means the same thing.
We see in verse 34 that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, so this lawyer now makes an attempt to trap Jesus by asking Him which is the most important Commandment. Jesus cleverly responds by quoting the Old Testament as He quite frequently does. Here is the full passage in contention.
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven…. Matthew 15:6. And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free.
Strong's 1320: A teacher, master. From didasko; an instructor.
Strong's 1785: An ordinance, injunction, command, law. From entellomai; injunction, i.e. An authoritative prescription.