The Greatest Commandment

Following Jesus around must have proved very confusing. He did and said things that transgressed a lot of boundaries and provoked a lot of consternation. Why so much confusion? Why so many rules being broken? Why such disregard for the traditions? Why such extraordinary happenings? It’s because a new age had dawned with the coming of the Promised One. He was the one to whom the Law and the Prophets had pointed and now that he was here it was incumbent upon all to put aside their own understanding and hear and heed him.

This new interpretive framework was at issue when Jesus answered another question, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” With the coupling together of these two commands, Jesus points to himself as the object of wholehearted love and obedience.