That You May Believe - Study Guide

Week 12 - March 21st, 2021

Matthew 22:37-39

37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Context: These words form Jesus’ response to the question of which commandment in the Law is the greatest. This succinct summary draws together the entire Old Testament teaching into a single phrase. Jesus references the words of Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18, arguing that love of God is best embodied in love of neighbor.

Meaning: This verse, called the Great Commandment, is a great summary of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. As followers of Jesus we are lovers of God. This love is more than just emotional attachment. It is affection (heart), devotion (soul), and comprehension (mind).

Life Application: As lovers of God, we should seek to increase our love for Him in every area of our lives. It may seem especially strange to speak of love in terms of comprehension. But as one Bible teacher has put it: “the heart cannot love what the mind does not understand.” So we seek to comprehend God more in order that we might love Him better. Yet all the theology in the world, if not coupled with vibrant love of God, is useless. Thus we reject both dead orthodoxy and lively heresy.

For Further Study: The words of the Law that Jesus references are expressed countless times throughout the prophetic teachings. Especially poignant are the Lord’s words to His people recorded in 1 Samuel 15:22 and Amos 5:21-24. Reflect on these words. How does God view service to Him without corresponding love of neighbor?