Love: Mark 12:28-31
We cannot say we obey God’s commands if love does not reign supreme in our heart. In writing his letter to the Corinthians, Paul understands this dynamic. If I have the gift of prophesy but don’t use it in love, am I following God? If I can speak in God’s tongue but don’t speak in love, am I following God? Even if I give everything away but I don’t do it in love, am I following God?
While dealing with the religious elite, a scribe comes up to Jesus and asks a phenomenal question. Jesus treats the inquiry honestly. He tells the scribe to pay attention to the nature of God. If we want to live life pursuing God’s ways, we start by paying attention to God’s nature. The more we understand who God is, the more likely our mindset and decision-making process aligns with His. So, who is God?
The first passage that Jesus quotes is Deuteronomy 6:4-5. Jesus is still quoting the Pentateuch. There are still plenty of Sadducees around; it is good for them to continue to hear teaching from the books to which they adhere.
God is Lord. He reigns. He has power.
God is ours. God is about relationship. He does not standoff to watch from on high.
God is one. He is unique. There is none like Him. He alone can do all that is ascribed to Him.
Once the nature of God is declared, the passage teaches us to love God with our whole heart, soul, and strength (Jesus adds mind to the quote). Given God’s character, He deserves our focus. Our heart – the passion, energy, and emotion of life – is focused on God. Our soul – the being, force of spirit, and human will – is submitted to God. Our strength – the power, physical aspects, and fruit of our hands – is obediently committed to God. The greatest commandment is the one that reminds us that God is worthy of being followed and we should be committed to following Him.
The second passage Jesus uses comes from Leviticus 19:18. Here, God tells us that because He is the Lord, we should love our neighbor. This naturally flows out of the thrust of the first passage. God is love, so if we are following Him we should likewise show love. Our relationships with each other should be modeled after God’s relationship with us.
In using these passages, Jesus demonstrates how important love is to God. God is love. Love is what drove God to create us. Love is the chief means through which we relate back to God. Love is also the chief means through which we relate to each other. We cannot say we obey God’s commands if love does not reign supreme in our heart.
