34 When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, 35 and one of them [a scholar of the law] tested him by asking, 36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 37 He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the greatest and the first commandment. 39 The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” (Matt 22:34-40)
LOVE AS THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT
“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” What makes this question in the Gospel of today strange and ironic is that it was asked by an expert of the Law. From the text we do get the reason for the question: the lawyer asks Jesus to test him. However, even apart from this context, this can be the question of many people who find the number of commandments in the law overwhelming—the decalogue, the rules for offerings, for ritual purity, and so on. Yes, which commandment of the law is the greatest?
The answer given by Jesus was a passage from Scripture that is most familiar with every pious Jew, and certainly a no-brainer for the lawyer. The passage “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” is taken from Deut 6:5. This is the first and the greatest commandment; this is a sure and unimpeachable answer. But Jesus says more: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” This is from Lev 19:18. This is unique in Jesus: he juxtaposes these two commandments. Then he pronounces that all of Scripture depends on these two.
We can know the level of the moral development of a person by looking at the reasons why he or she follows the law. Some people obey the law because they are afraid to be caught and punished or because they are expecting a reward, material or otherwise. Others obey the law because they know that it is right and noble thing to do. But there are those who obey the law because of their love for God and neighbor. Our Gospel passage affirms the last situation. That which should motivate our words and action is love.
Reflection Questions:
1. What motivates me in doing what is good and right? Is it love of God and love of neighbor?
2. What are the concrete ways of loving God with all my heart, soul and mind? How do I love my neighbor as myself?
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