What is the greatest commandment? (love God and love your neighbor)

Topical

Short answer

When asked "which is the great commandment in the Law?" Jesus answered with two, and said everything else hangs on them (Matthew 22:36–Matthew 22:40):

First: … (Matthew 22:37), "the great and first commandment" (Matthew 22:38).
Second, "like it": "You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:39).
… (Matthew 22:40).

Jesus is not inventing these, He is quoting the Old Testament. The first comes from the Shema, Israel's daily confession, … (Deuteronomy 6:4; Deuteronomy 6:5); the second from Leviticus 19:18. In Mark's account Jesus begins with the Shema's opening line about God being one (Mark 12:29).

Question

What is the greatest commandment? (Jesus on loving God and loving your neighbor)

Analysis

Two commands, one fabric

Jesus binds love of God and love of neighbor together and calls the second "like" the first (Matthew 22:39). The point is that the whole Law, "all the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 22:40), is a commentary on these two loves. Elsewhere the New Testament says the same: … (Galatians 5:14; Romans 13:9; Romans 13:10). Love does not replace the commandments; it is what they were always aiming at.

Rooted in the Shema

The first and greatest command is the heart of the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4–Deuteronomy 6:5), which observant Jews recited daily and which Israel was to teach its children and bind to hand and forehead (Deuteronomy 6:6; Deuteronomy 6:7). By quoting it, Jesus places Himself squarely within Israel's oldest confession, and the scribe who asked agrees with Him that these two loves are "more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices" (Mark 12:32; Mark 12:33).

"As yourself"

The second command measures neighbor-love by a standard everyone already knows, the care each person naturally gives themselves (Leviticus 19:18). Luke records that a lawyer, wanting to define the limits, asked "who is my neighbor?", and Jesus answered with the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29; Luke 10:36; Luke 10:37), widening "neighbor" past every boundary.

Sources, trace every one

Every cited verse, in full. Tap any reference to open it in the reader.

Matthew 22:36bsb
“Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the Law?”
Matthew 22:40bsb
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:37bsb
Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
Matthew 22:38bsb
This is the first and greatest commandment.
Matthew 22:39bsb
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Deuteronomy 6:4bsb
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One.
Deuteronomy 6:5bsb
And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
Leviticus 19:18bsb
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
Mark 12:29bsb
Jesus replied, “This is the most important: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.
Galatians 5:14bsb
The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Romans 13:9bsb
The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Romans 13:10bsb
Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Deuteronomy 6:6bsb
These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts.
Deuteronomy 6:7bsb
And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Mark 12:32bsb
“Right, Teacher,” the scribe replied. “You have stated correctly that God is One and there is no other but Him,
Mark 12:33bsb
and to love Him with all your heart and with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. This is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

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