The First and the Second Commandment.

Jesus answered, "The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The Second is this, ‘You Shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these."

Please read the entire passage of Mark 12.28-34 for context.

I am sure every Christian is familiar with the verses quoted above. In fact, in most of our churches before the "Confession of sins" during the worship service, the congregation recites "Our Lord’s Summary of the Law with Responses" which is based on these verses. This is how important these verses have been in our Christian tradition.

Why? The context in which we live in Pakistan is consumed with debates on "Tawheed" the oneness of God! We Christians are often told that we are "Kafirs" because we do not believe in "Tawheed"! Well, I believe that the verse quoted above leaves no confusion concerning our Christian concept of the relationship with Our one Lord God! So not much needs to be said about the first commandment. It is clear and self-evident.

The second commandment is also self-evident! We are to love our neighbor, as we love ourselves. So what is so difficult about these verses? Let us ponder a little on what was the context in which these verses emerged. The Scribes, who are the typical opponents of Jesus in the Gospel according to Mark, approach Jesus with the problem of the "first principles". They wanted a simple formula, which would give them the assurance to heaven in afterlife, and pride of being religious in this life! Isn’t that what we all fall for? A simple formula which would help us get everything in an instant!

Jesus’ response was direct quotations from the Scriptures! (see Leviticus 19.1-37) Why? This way the great literary ones could not hold anything against our Lord! But also, because Christ wanted to set their religious concepts right. Love of our one God is definitely the most important, but equally important is our dealings with our brethren! If we only believe in Christ so that we can prove our greatness, and in so doing, hurt others, we need to think again about being religious.

May God help us love our One God, and in the same instance, give us the strength, wisdom, heart and soul, to love our neighbor like our own.

May God continue to bless us.