The First Commandment

The scribes often appear hostile to Jesus in the Gospels. But this scribe approaches him respectfully, and asks a sincere question: which is the first among the commandments of the Law of Israel? Jesus gives a reply that the scribe can easily understand; he refers to their shared heritage, quoting the commandment that God gave to Israel through Moses: you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. He adds a second commandment, also taken from the Scriptures: you must love your neighbour as yourself. Jesus’ response to the scribe’s question shows us that he upholds and treasures the Law that his Father gave to Israel. Jesus gives us the perfect example of obedience to God’s Law in his own life – on the Cross, he gives up his life out of love for his Father and for us. As disciples of Christ, we are called to follow his example.

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