Love Like No Other
Love Like No Other
The Context
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one
The Greek word for “love” in vv. 30–31 is agapan, which in the NT is the form of love characteristic of God (1 John 4:7; 1 Corinthians 13). Whoever does not find the source of love in God will fail to exhibit God’s unique love to one’s neighbor. Love of God is prior to love of neighbor and establishes its possibility.
Each of the four commandments is prefaced by the Greek preposition ex, meaning “from the source of,” rather than “by means of.” Thus, we are commanded to love God not simply with our whole heart, but from our heart. Both the Hebrew and Greek versions of Deut 6:4–5 describe a threefold response to God—heart, soul, and strength. Mark quotes Jesus adding a fourth response, the love of God with one’s whole mind or understanding.
29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ m 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ n There is no commandment greater than these.”
There is no commandment greater than these,’ ” concludes Jesus, thus bringing the commandments to love God and neighbor into a unity
Love of neighbor, moreover, is the chief means of loving God, and is received as love of God; likewise, love of God expresses itself in love of neighbor
At the same time, the two commandments are not blended into a compromising hybrid. The order in which Jesus declares the commandments implies that love of God is prerequisite to loving one’s neighbor.
The Greek word for “love” in vv. 30–31 is agapan, which in the NT is the form of love characteristic of God (1 John 4:7; 1 Corinthians 13). Whoever does not find the source of love in God will fail to exhibit God’s unique love to one’s neighbor. Love of God is prior to love of neighbor and establishes its possibility.
Each of the four commandments is prefaced by the Greek preposition ex, meaning “from the source of,” rather than “by means of.” Thus, we are commanded to love God not simply with our whole heart, but from our heart. Both the Hebrew and Greek versions of Deut 6:4–5 describe a threefold response to God—heart, soul, and strength. Mark quotes Jesus adding a fourth response, the love of God with one’s whole mind or understanding.
There is no commandment greater than these,’ ” concludes Jesus, thus bringing the commandments to love God and neighbor into a unity
Love of neighbor, moreover, is the chief means of loving God, and is received as love of God; likewise, love of God expresses itself in love of neighbor
At the same time, the two commandments are not blended into a compromising hybrid. The order in which Jesus declares the commandments implies that love of God is prerequisite to loving one’s neighbor.
