Greatest Commandment

Setting and Overview
After Jesus silences the Sadducees and their challenge regarding the resurrection, the Pharisees appear again in verse 34 ready to take one more shot at hindering Jesus’ popularity. In a familiar pattern to the earlier accounts in the chapter, the parties and topic change, but the goal stays the same. This account has some differences from the earlier accounts, however, differences which aren’t as evident in Matthew as they are in Mark, and which become especially evident in Mark’s account of the expert’s response to Jesus’ answer. Matthew doesn’t preserve that part of the exchange for us, and instead focuses on the intent of the Pharisees and on how Jesus uses this as an opportunity for further teaching.

Exposition
Verse 34 begins with the Pharisees again assembling to come up with a plan of attack (similar to 22:15), although we learn nothing of their deliberations. Previously their deliberations had led to them sending representatives, and when we see the expert approach Jesus with a test, we may assume that he is going to carry out their plan. Both the background and aftermath in Mark (Mark 12:28, 32-34) would seem to indicate that he is at least more open to Jesus’ teaching than the prior interlocutors, but Matthew doesn’t preserve that for us. The expert’s question is a common one for the time: which of the commandments is the greatest? Rabbinical tradition had identified 613 laws in the Old Testament, and rabbis were commonly asked to comment on which they felt was most important or significant. The most common answer of the time seemed to be Leviticus 19:18, which is also included in Jesus’ answer. Before he gets to that, however, Jesus also references another verse that was very well-known and important to pious Jews: Deuteronomy 6:5. This was the second verse of the shema, which Jews were supposed to recite every day, and which commanded fully loving God. He then adds to that the second commandment, which is the familiar Leviticus 19:18, the command to love our neighbors. While we do see these two commandments linked by another expert in the law in Luke 10:25-29, this was the first time that we know of a teacher using these two commandments to answer that question. This seems to indicate that Jesus is using familiar knowledge in a unique way to answer a common question. He then builds on that by adding that all of the law and prophets depend on those two commandments. The relationship between the two commandments is seen in Leviticus 19:18, where the command to love others is grounded in a relationship to God. Further, the primacy of heart obedience to God in keeping other commandments is seen clearly in the Old Testament as well (Deuteronomy 10:12, Micah 6:6-8.) Jesus builds on that to say that these two commandments don’t just occupy a primary position among the 613 commands of the Mosaic Law, but among all of the Old Testament (“law and the prophets.”) This doesn’t mean that the rest can be ignored or even assumed from those two commandments, but rather that the rest “hangs from” those commands. Those two commands are intended to receive primary and continuing focus, since without understanding and following them, we will not be able to truly understand and follow any of the rest.

Examination and Application
“Doing” love is not something that comes familiarly or naturally to us, yet that is exactly what the Bible commands. So, how do we “do” love of God and love of others in a way that is faithful? Obviously that is an overwhelmingly broad and challenging mandate, but God helps us by focusing it down. We focus on loving others (Matthew 7:12, James 2:8, Romans 13:8) as fulfillment of the law. We further focus especially on loving other Christians as the starting point and most essential component of loving all others (I John 4:20-21.) This doesn’t render the rest unnecessary, but it does give us a good measuring tool for how well we are truly following the great commands. As we recognize how we fall short, we then seek to draw closer to God and His Word, so that we might see how we can grow in obedience.