The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
In Mark 12:30 Jesus declares the greatest commandment: “Love the Lord your God.” Then, in verse 31, He states the second greatest command is we must love our neighbor. These two commands summarize the entire law.
This is most clearly seen in the Ten Commandments: the first four address our love for God, the last six speak to our love for others. When we love God as we ought to, we are equipped to love others as well. And Jesus tells us exactly who “others” are in the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37). In this parable, we discover that a neighbor is anyone in need of mercy. That definition of “neighbor” includes loved ones, strangers, and even enemies.
When Jesus calls these commandments “greatest,” He is saying all laws come from them. By focusing on these two commandments, we can comprehend all that God has called us to do.
