15: Jesus’ Two Commandments – Love God and Neighbour as a Gospel Lens on the Law

, ,

The Ten Commandments and the Teachings of Jesus: A Theological, Cultural, and Political Exposition

1. Introduction

The Ten Commandments are foundational, but Jesus summarised their essence into two great commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind” and “Love your neighbour as yourself” (Matt. 22:37–39). This summary is not a reduction or replacement, but a hermeneutical key—revealing that the entire law flows from love of God and love of others. This entry synthesises the Decalogue in light of Jesus’ teaching, demonstrating how His gospel-centred ethic fulfils and transforms the law.

2. Text and Biblical Foundation

“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 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.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
— Matthew 22:36–40 (cf. Mark 12:28–31; Luke 10:25–28)

Jesus quotes two Old Testament texts:

  • Deuteronomy 6:5 – “Love the Lord your God…”
  • Leviticus 19:18 – “Love your neighbour as yourself”

These two commands form the relational framework that undergirds the Ten Commandments.

3. Linking the Ten Commandments to the Two

a. Love for God (Commandments 1–4)

  • No other gods (Exod. 20:3) → undivided loyalty
  • No images (Exod. 20:4–6) → worship God as He truly is
  • Do not misuse God’s name (Exod. 20:7) → reverence for God’s identity
  • Keep the Sabbath (Exod. 20:8–11) → trust and delight in God’s provision

b. Love for Neighbour (Commandments 5–10)

  • Honour parents (Exod. 20:12) → respect for familial and communal authority
  • Do not murder (Exod. 20:13) → value the sanctity of life
  • Do not commit adultery (Exod. 20:14) → uphold covenant fidelity
  • Do not steal (Exod. 20:15) → respect others’ property and livelihood
  • Do not bear false witness (Exod. 20:16) → promote truth and justice
  • Do not covet (Exod. 20:17) → cultivate contentment and guard inner purity

In Jesus’ framework, these commandments are expressions of love—not mere prohibitions.

4. Jesus’ Fulfilment of the Law

Jesus declares:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfil.”
— Matthew 5:17

a. Love as Fulfilment

  • Paul affirms this connection: “The commandments… are summed up in this word, ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.” (Rom. 13:9–10)

b. Internal Transformation

  • Jesus addresses the heart (Matt. 5:21–48): anger = murder, lust = adultery
  • The Holy Spirit writes the law on believers’ hearts (Jer. 31:33; Rom. 8:3–4)

c. Grace as Motivation

  • Unlike Sinai, which emphasised law before grace, Jesus’ gospel flows from grace first (Eph. 2:8–10).
  • Love for God and neighbour springs from God’s prior love (1 John 4:19).

5. The Parable of the Good Samaritan: Who is My Neighbour?

In Luke 10:25–37, Jesus answers a lawyer’s question about the second great commandment by telling the parable of the Good Samaritan:

  • Neighbour love transcends ethnic, religious, and social boundaries
  • It involves compassionate action, not mere sentiment
  • It reflects the merciful character of God

This parable demonstrates the radical inclusivity and self-sacrifice embedded in Jesus’ command to love others.

6. Political and Cultural Implications

Jesus’ summary of the law is countercultural:

  • It resists legalism (Pharisaic traditions that reduced the law to external rules)
  • It resists licence (Sadducean compromises with Roman power)
  • It critiques nationalism and tribalism—love is extended even to enemies (Matt. 5:44)

This ethic disrupts systems of injustice, as it prioritises human dignity and divine honour above political expediency.

7. Contemporary Application

Jesus’ two commandments challenge modern believers to:

  • Integrate worship and ethics: Love for God fuels love for others
  • Examine motives: Are we obeying from fear, duty, or love?
  • Resist compartmentalisation: Faith must permeate family, work, politics, and relationships
  • Extend love beyond comfort zones, including the marginalised and hostile

True Kingdom obedience is relationally holistic, not merely rule-based.

8. Conclusion

Jesus’ summary of the law in two commandments provides a gospel lens through which the Ten Commandments must be read. Love for God (first four) and love for neighbour (last six) are not optional ideals but the essence of God’s moral will. This love is only possible through Christ’s transforming grace, as the Spirit empowers believers to live out what the law requires.

Home