Our Lord gave us 2 Commandments. According to him there is no greater commandments than these 2 commandments. What is the 1st Commandment?

MARK 12:29-31

29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Hello @Godsgood, perhaps Matthew's Gospel can help shed some light on this for us?
The Lord, in Mark's Gospel, begins His answer (to the scribe's question) by reciting the opening portion of the Jewish prayer & creed* that is known as "the Shema". The first "commandment" (of the two) then, is what follows immediately after the Shema (as the passage from Matthew makes a bit clearer for us above).

God bless you!!

~Deuteronomy (David)



*("creed" means, "what we believe")

If you love God and you love people then you would not sin that is why they are the 2 greatest laws.

A person may not steal obeying that but then fornicate but to love you would not sin at all.

1Jn 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Rom 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

1Co 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil.
1Co 13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.

Charity, love in action, does not sin.

A person that sins is not made perfect in love.

Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.

Creation testifies there is a God and of His attributes which one of them is love for He provided food, and the means to make clothing and shelter, so people should love God and people and testifies of the 2 greatest laws love God, and love people.

1Co 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

Jas 2:14 What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
Jas 2:15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
Jas 2:16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
Jas 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

1Jn 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
1Jn 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

Without love there is no faith then there is no grace.

2Ti 2:19 Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.

Gal 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

2Ti 3:4 lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
2Ti 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

A lot of excuses going on.

And let us nor omit JN 13:34a, "A new command I give you: Love one another, as I have loved you."

That is the commandment given in the new covenant.

1 Jn 3: 19-24:
And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

Yes, the one that summarizes all OT moral commandments and surpasses them per MT 5:17-48, and thus is a reason along with the sacrificial atonement of Christ that the NC supersedes the OC/T per HB 7:18-10:1.

The first command ----Is to LOVE GOD ----this Love in this scripture is not any of these 3 ---

"eros" (romantic love), "philia" (brotherly love), and "storge" (familial love). -----

this Love is Agape ---which is a fruit of the Spirit -------so you have to Have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to keep the first Command -----only then can you Love --Agape your neighbour ---

Strong's Lexicon
agapaó: To love
Derived from ἀγάπη (agapē), meaning "love.

The Greek verb "agapaó" refers to a selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love. It is often used in the New Testament to describe the love of God for humanity and the love that believers are called to have for God and one another.

I say ------ without obeying the First command ---the Second command is fruitless ---------


From Google
Are humans capable of agape love?

Agape love does not come naturally to us in our sinful state.
However, it does come naturally to God and is an integral part of Him. By drawing closer to Him and experiencing His love, we can begin to understand what this real love means. Only through Him can we show and experience agape love.

They do not understand the difference between the new and the old covenant.

They have both covenants together, awkward I know, but they had no choice.

Love is a gift of the Holy Spirit, you don't generate agape love by legal obedience.

Galatians 3
So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by works of the Law,
or by hearing with faith?

Do you receive the Holy Spirit (agape love) by sabbath obedience?

Sabbath obedience is a work of the law!

You receive all gifts of the Holy Spirit by hearing with faith, Paul states.

Not drawing closer to God.

You receive the Holy Spirit by receiving Jesus as your Lord and Saviour ----so you have to be Born Again to receive the Holy Spirit ----only then can you begin to Agape God with all your heart --soul --mind and strength ---Agape is a fruit of the Holy Spirit who dwells in you --

Kindly let us read the verses again.
In this situation. The Scribes question is WHICH IS THE FIRST COMMANDMENT OF ALL?
Then let us read again when Jesus start to answer the question THE FIRST OF ALL THE COMMANDMENTS IS.

Let me repeat my question:
What is the first Commandment answered by Jesus?

MARK 12:28-30
28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?

29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

You asked a question and provided the answer in the text you quoted. What else are you expecting?

Let's get this straight.

You said, 'I say ------ without obeying the First command ---the Second command is fruitless --------- '.

Your effectively saying loving others is impossible without loving God.

The scripture says we receive the Holy Spirit when we believe in Jesus Christ.

When you receive the Holy Spirit you are gifted with agape love.

The scripture does not say if you obey the greatest commandment (the law) you will receive
the Holy Spirit.

Your statement, 'I say ------ without obeying the First command ---the Second command is fruitless --------- ',
is just not true.

It's said that the opposite of love isn't hate but indifference, with reason given that one has to care enough about someone or something to hate. However, I'm not convinced that I'm actually hating anyone in any indifference toward them.

So, in order to understand love and hate more, the better to gauge my attitude toward any particular individual, either God or my neighbor, while skimming through the conversations currently trending about love and hate, and conducting a cursory survey of cross references offered of God's declaration of having hated Esau, it seems to me that hate is the equivalent of rejection. And if this is so, then understanding how to love God, and our neighbor as ourselves becomes, practically, easier to achieve.

Given the tendency to equate the rejection of an individual's ideas with a rejection of of the individual altogether, this definition needs some refining to include how rejecting an individual equates to hating them but hating doesn't necessarily equate to rejection. This likely must be correlated, somehow, to the individuals ideas and/or attitudes toward God, which most surely does calibrate any love directed toward others.

Noting at the scriptural truth that we love God because He first loved us, then would it be valid to claim that God rejects us because we first rejected Him?

It is what it is, that I am not perfect at, thanking God Father and Son for this gift given me to stand in and not harm others along the way, learning this deeper and deeper, yet still need God having a messenger of satan to buffet me to keep me humble in this gift, God saying to me "My grace is sufficient for me" Therefore I see to glory in my iniquities (Need) for God to lead, and not use iniquities for any self gain, thanks I copied those scriptures in notes

I can see that your understanding here is limited ------there are 4 loves -----you can love your neighbour with 3 of these Loves but these 3 Loves will fail you -----


https://www.cslewis.com/four-types-of-love/---read all for yourself ----


Affection (storge)
Affection covers an array of loves. Like animals, the care of mother to babe is a picture of affection.

you can have affection for your neighbour but when they slap your child that affection will disappear and anger will arise in you ---so you now have failed loving your neighbour ---this love fails

Friendship (philia)
This love you can give to your neighbour ----your good friend is alway there for you except one day you find out that she has stabbed you in the back and this Philia love is now tarnished and your trust in your neighbour has failed ---Love failed

Romantic (eros)
This love you can show to your neighbour ---

C.S Lewis says ----
The danger in romantic love is to follow blindly after a feeling of passion. Then, we celebrate the passion and think its absence means such love has died.


So all 3 of these Loves fail to Agape your neighbour -----which is what we are suppose to do ----

so lets look at Agape which Comes from the indwelling Holy Spirit ----

Charity (agape)


This is our chief aim, the unconditional love of the Father given to us through his Son. ----you have to receive His Son and when you do the Holy Spirit cvomes to dwell in you and this Agape is poured into your heart

This is what God has for us Agape --Love that is unconditional ---it loves the unlovely no matter what the neighbour does to you or your family you still love them ----you don't have to love their act or speech but you love that person no matter What they say or do -o you or others ---

We are sinners --we disobey God ---many hate God but God is Agape and God loves us all with all our baggage and hate for Him =====

Galatians 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

This Love from the Spirit is Agape ----without the Spirit you can only have and show the 3 Loves that will fail -----God's Loves Agape Never Fails -----so you need to obey the First command ---to have the right Love to show your neighbour -----and fulfil the 2nd Command ---period

This Love is a gift from God

Authorized (King James) Version
1 Cor 13:4-7
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
the only way to be given it, that I see comes from God Father to us, that are serious in asking, having no desire to use it for any self gain over it thanks for your post

Just a little correction here.

You said, "My grace is sufficient for me".

The actual verse is 2 Corinthians 12:9

“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness...”

Leave out the inverted commas next time.

Good post and that is one powerful verse you alluded to.

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What I have noticed with Jesus answer on question, which is the first commandment of all?
Then Jesus said the first of all the commandment is HEAR, O ISRAEL; THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD.

It seems like not a commandment but since Jesus said The First of All The Commandment is.
The First commandment then is HEAR, O ISRAEL; THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD.

The completion of the first commandment was also expressed by God in the Old Testament:
DEUTORONOMY6:4-5
4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord:
5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might