The Greatest Commandments
The two commandments that Jesus delineated as being of utmost significance are often called the “Greatest Commandments”. They are recorded in Mark 12:30-31 1):
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” “The second is: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these.”
How they relate to the Ten Commandments
The relationship between these two commandments and the Ten Commandments given to Moses in Exodus 20:1-17 can be understood by examining the underlying principles of each set of commandments.
The Ten Commandments can be divided into two broad categories: commandments that dictate our duties towards God and those that prescribe our responsibilities towards our neighbors.
The first four commandments of the Decalogue focus on our relationship with God. They exhort us not to have any other gods before the Lord, not to make idols, not to misuse the name of the Lord, and to keep the Sabbath day holy. These commandments emphasize the primacy of God and our responsibility to honor and worship Him exclusively. They align closely with the spirit of Jesus' first commandment to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30).
The last six commandments in the Decalogue dictate how we should relate to our fellow humans. They instruct us to honor our parents, not to murder, not to commit adultery, not to steal, not to bear false witness against our neighbor, and not to covet anything that belongs to our neighbor. These guidelines for human interaction can be seen as practical applications of Jesus' second commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:31).
The Ten Commandments
While Jesus' Greatest Commandments encompass the essence of the Ten Commandments, it's important to note that they do not replace or supplant the Decalogue 2). Rather, they distill the spirit and intent of the moral laws in the Old Testament into two easily remembered principles. These Greatest Commandments offer a simpler, more unified framework for understanding God's will and the moral obligations of His followers.
This interpretation is supported by Jesus' own words in Matthew 5:17, where He asserts, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them.” Jesus is not dismissing the Ten Commandments or other Mosaic laws; rather, He is affirming their validity while highlighting the core principles at their foundation: love for God and love for neighbor.
The Meaning of "Law" and "Prophets" in the New Testament
In the New Testament, the terms “law” and “prophets” are used to refer to the Jewish Scriptures, what we now commonly call the Old Testament. The “law” (also known as the Torah or Pentateuch) consists of the first five books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. These books contain the foundational legal and moral code given to the Israelites, including the Ten Commandments.
The “prophets” refer to the writings of the prophetic books, including both the “Former Prophets” (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings) and the “Latter Prophets” (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the twelve minor prophets). These books often serve to admonish Israel for its failure to uphold the law and to call the people back to obedience.
When Jesus refers to the “law and the prophets” (as in Matthew 5:17), He is indicating the entire body of Scripture as it was known at that time. His claim to fulfill them underscores His role as the Messiah, the one who perfectly embodies and fulfills all the expectations and prophecies contained within these Scriptures.
Affirmation of the Decalogue by Jesus and the Apostles
With regard to the “law” as pertains to the Ten Commandments, there are several instances in the New Testament where Jesus and His apostles affirm them.
For example, in Matthew 19:16-19, a man approaches Jesus and asks what he must do to have eternal life. Jesus replies, “If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” When the man asks Jesus which commandments He is referring to, Jesus responds by citing several of the Ten Commandments.
The apostle Paul also upholds the value of the Ten Commandments in Romans 13:8-10, where he writes, “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.” Paul then mentions several commandments, including “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and then states that “any other commandment, are summed up in this word: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”
In these ways, Jesus and the apostles do not reject the Ten Commandments; instead, they affirm them. They present love as the unifying principle behind the commandments and as the means through which the law finds its true fulfillment. Through love for God and neighbor, Jesus' followers not only abide by the letter of the law, but also manifest its spirit.
Keeping His Commandments
The notion of keeping His commandments appears throughout the New Testament, stated by Jesus and echoed by His apostles. In John 14:15, Jesus states, “If you love me, you will obey my commandments.” Similarly, the apostle John, in 1 John 5:3, reiterates, “For this is the love of God: that we keep his commandments. And his commandments do not weigh us down.”
From these passages, it becomes clear that “keeping His commandments” does not solely refer to an external, legalistic adherence to rules. It instead points to a deeper, more profound acceptance and practice of the underlying principles espoused in Jesus' teachings. These principles are not restricted to a list of prohibitions or obligations, but encompass a comprehensive ethic of love for God and our fellow human beings.
The Apostle Paul succinctly captures this idea in Galatians 5:14, stating, “For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment, namely, 'You must love your neighbor as yourself.'” This statement reveals that the essence of keeping the commandments is an active demonstration of love in our daily actions and attitudes.
Conclusion
In summary, the Greatest Commandments that Jesus emphasized do not supplant the Ten Commandments but rather amplify their underlying principles in a more personal and universal manner. They prioritize love as the foundation for all commandments, providing a profound understanding of their original purpose and the inherent value they hold in guiding moral behavior. When the New Testament speaks of keeping His commandments, it refers to the embodiment of this love for God and for others in our daily lives, thereby fulfilling not just the letter but the spirit of God's law.