Then one of them, who was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. Matthew 22:35-38, KJV

This is the story of the first and the most important commandment of God. We can see in the first verse that a lawyer is asking Jesus a question. The author of the text clearly thinks it is important to mention that this person is a lawyer, i.e., to know the laws. Matthew usually calls these legal experts teachers of the law or knowers of the law. This term only Matthew uses in his Gospel. However, it is present in almost all ancient Greek manuscripts. 

Jewish religious scholars of the law (lawyers) appeared during the Babylonian exile. Ezra is a typical representative of that group (read Ezra 7:10). In a sense, they took the place of the local Levites. They are answered practical questions about the written and oral Law (Talmud) and its application in everyday life.

From the start of the story, we can see that this lawyer wants to test Jesus. He wants to see does Jesus knows the law as he does. His question is trucky, what is the greatest commandment? The legal experts of the law claimed that in the texts of Moses there are about 700 in total positive and negative commandments. 

However, the greatest commandment is given in Deuteronomy 6:5. Jesus quotes this verse. So, Jesus knew the answer to the question even though he wasn't, for them, the knower of the law. It doesn't concern the human dichotomous or trichotomous nature but deals with the person as a whole.  Humans are spiritual beings who have a relationship with God and spiritual realms. However, it would be wrong to base theology on these different descriptions of human nature. The essence of this verse is in the word that is repeated three times: "to all", and not in the alleged division into heart, soul, and mind.

The question of the greatest commandment

The Bible teaches us how to love each other. It is what we want to do when God is first in our life. If we don't love God, we won't love either other. So, Jesus is saying that love your God first that way you could love all the people around you. How selfless of Him. Citing this essential affirmation of God's uniqueness, Jesus inextricably connects the Old Testament and New Testament understandings. The New Testament is the realization of the Old testament. This is something that the lawyer in the story didn't know. The Lord is now revealed as the only Trinity.

It is interesting to emphasize that this lawyer, the knower of the law, did not ask for another commandment, but it shows that we must maintain a balance between the love of believers for God and their love for their neighbors. It is impossible to love God and hate people. God created humans as beings who can love. Love, however, cannot exist without freedom. Moral freedom is often compared to moral law. Love rests on freedom. Therefore, the core of God's jurisdiction, foundation of that rule must be His love. 

We love Him because He first loved us

We see God’s love in giving his only begotten Son into the world. His love was fighting for me, even when I was against Him. That is our God. He knows our deepest, darkest secrets, and yet He is still fighting for our soul. He was working hard to win my soul while I was lost. That is who He is. God is the truth, the way, and the life. The one who came to set you free from the chains of this world. Like Jesus said himself, He is the way, the truth, and the life. The one who died and resurrected to set you free. So keep in mind that His love is ideal.

People often ask me how I can see the love of God in this cruel world? It is very easy, I look at the cross, and I see love!  I see God’s love in the face of a stranger, being kind and helpful to me, and reaching out a hand when I needed the most help. I see God’s love in the Church when the pastor or preacher talks about exactly what I am going through. I see His love in the faces of the people that I love, and He blesses me with. His love is all around us, just have a look.

The only love the lawyers had was for the letter of the Law. They loved rules and guidelines around what to eat, drink, wear. The lawyer wanted the answer to the great commandment to be the Sabbath or something law-related. It was their only concern! Agape love was not the concept they knew. Even today, we have in legalist churches pastors who only talk about the law and almost nothing about the love of God. 

Just like God loves us, He commanded us to love each other. I’ll agree it is hard to love some people. Try to see it deep inside yourself, and I am sure you will find it. Therefore, let us keep His commandments and love our God and our neighbors.