Two great commands
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? And Jesus answered him:
The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 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. And the second is like this, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
And the scribe said unto him: Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God, and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him,
Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that dared ask him any question.
Mark’s Gospel: Chapter 12
We also see another version in Matthew’s Gospel with the words; on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets; (22:40) but without mention of the actual Commandment. Matthew’s record only states how we must love God; he does not record the full conversation we see in Mark. Yet, when we combine the two accounts they provide a complete testimony. Let’s now compare the first Command from Jesus with that given to Moses at Horeb:
I am the Lord thy God and thou shalt have no other gods before me. (Exo 20: 2-3)
The first thing we notice is the LORD declares that He is God: a statement of authority, inscribed in Law spoken to His people. Jesus on the other hand, speaks on the nature of God; that He is one LORD the Ever-Living and Father of all, yet it fully connects to the Law given to Moses. It also speaks to trinity, which Jesus opposed giving His Commandment the LORD is one Lord. Thus, He is the Salvation of the LORD come forth in Himself – The LORD and His Christ.
Matthew and Mark also have different accounts of the character of the questioner. Mark simply states he is a scribe, Matthew that he is a Pharisee and lawyer out to test Jesus. So, we get a bigger picture when take both reports into account. The full message therefore is the LORD is one and we must love Him completely. These two Great Commands reflect the Prophets pertaining to God and hence our Salvation.
The next important aspect to the Commands given by Jesus is they contain no judgment; they are distinct from the tables of Moses as they speak to truth rather than ruling. His response contained facts, making no room for argument or debate stopping the conversation dead in its tracks. And no man after that dared ask him any question. But, the questioner did respond in agreement that to keep the Command was worth more than all the burnt offerings, which Jesus acknowledged as true and correct.
The Second Commandment encapsulates the Second Table to honour our parents, not to murder, commit adultery, steal or bear false witness and not to covet, all covered by loving our neighbour, the heart of the Law given to Moses. Therefore, in these Two Commands we see the fundamentals pertaining to love, charity and eternal life:
the LORD is one Lord and we love our neighbour as ourselves.
To dispute either one is to deny the authority of God, something we cannot do. For how can we profess Jesus Christ and dispute His teaching?
Who were they for?
The conversation took place in Jerusalem some days prior to His arrest. Jesus had entered the city on a colt; thrown the buyers and sellers out of the temple, cursed the fig tree, and had His authority challenged by the chief priests and elders. It was then He began speaking in parables including the wedding feast: for many are called but few are chosen. (Matthew 22:14) The Pharisees instead took it upon themselves to discus taxes and Caesar, and the Sadducees the Resurrection. But, then we see a change when the Commandments are raised. Given that many of the parables had no doubt fallen on deaf ears, who was Jesus addressing when He began: Hear O Israel. We find the answer in those same three words.
The Israel of God
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor un-circumcision is anything, but a new creation. And whosoever shall observe the fundamentals by this rule, peace on them and mercy also upon the Israel of God. CLV (Gal 6:16)
Paul is the only writer to coin the term the Israel of God; it gets only one mention in the entire Bible. Now, there is another once only phrase, the faith of Jesus in the Book of Revelation. Can these be referring to the same thing? We know John was especially loved by Jesus, and chosen to set down His final testimony, where we find the 12 tribes of Israel in a new configuration. Paul was chosen to bear the Gospel before nations and kings, and the children of Israel; a unique group bearing Israel’s name. Is this the same Israel Paul mentions in Galatians?
Can they be the tribes of Jesus’ testimony who keep the Commandments of God and the faith of Jesus? (Rev 14:12)
Hear O Israel
The Israel of God inhabits the testimony of Jesus and stands upon the teaching of the Apostles. They are released from the confusion hidden in His Word, because they are freed from Babylon’s binding laws and doctrines, part of the strong delusion Paul saw and wrote about. When we depart from His Word it buries the truth of the LORD and His Christ. It blinds us to Isaiah’s declaration Jesus is Wonderful, Counsellor, Almighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6) Only the LORD’S Israel can discern this truth, and why Paul calls this faith a new creation.
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the Commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. (Rev 14:12)
The Commandments of God they keep are the LORD is one Lord, and we love our neighbour as ourselves. (Mark 12:29) The Israel of God holds that Jesus is the Existing One, the very same that Thomas acknowledged when he saw the risen Christ and said: my LORD and my God. They hear His Spirit in the testimony of Pentecost and are baptised into His Name. They are sealed by the gift of the Holy Ghost for their faith. Therefore, when He uttered His call for Israel to hear, Jesus was speaking to those of whom Paul wrote these remarkable words.
To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect: (Hebrews 12:23)
Much love and peace as always,
James