TheGreat Commandment (orGreatest Commandment)^[a] is a name used in theNew Testament to describe the first of two commandments cited byJesus inMatthew 22 (Matthew 22:35–40),Mark 12 (Mark 12:28–34), and in answer to him inLuke 10 (Luke 10:27a),

According toJesus of Nazereth first and greatest commandment is that "the Lord is our God, the Lord is one.^[1]

According toMark 12 (Mark 12:28–34) in full answer of the which commandment is first:

One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him,

"Which commandment is the first of all?"

Jesus answered,

"The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’

The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

There is no other commandment greater than these.'"

— Mark 12:28–31

Both the first and second commandments came from the Old Testament^[2][3] and meant to be obeyed by Jews and followers of Jesus.

... and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" He [Jesus] 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 neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

— Matthew 22:35–40

MostChristian denominations consider these two commandments as, together, forming the core of theChristian religion.^{[4][better source needed]}

... and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. "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 neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

— Matthew 22:35–40

In the Gospel of Mark, the first verse of theShema Yisrael (which the first part of the Great Commandment refers to) is included:

One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?" Jesus answered, "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: the Lord is God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.'"

— Mark 12:28–31

Just then a lawyer stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he said, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the law? What do you read there?" He answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." And he said to him, "You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live."

— Luke 10:25–28

⁴Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is One.⁵ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.

— Deuteronomy 6:4–5

Leviticus

¹⁸ You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am theLord.

— Leviticus 19:18

Matthew Henry sums up the question of which is the great commandment:

It was a question disputed among the critics in theLaw. Some would have theLaw of Circumcision to be the Great Commandment, others theLaw of the Sabbath, others theLaw of Sacrifices, according as they severally stood affected, and spent their zeal; now they would try what Christ said to this question, hoping to incense the people against him, if he should not answer according to the vulgar opinion; and if he should magnify one commandment, they would reflect on him asvilifying the rest.^[5]

Adam Clarke, in hisCommentary on the Bible, wrote:

This is the first and great commandment. It is "first and greatest":

1. In itsantiquity; being as old as the world, and engraved originally on our very nature.
2. In itsdignity; as directly and immediately proceeding from and referring to God.
3. In itsexcellence; being the commandment of the new covenant, and the very spirit of the Divine adoption.
4. In itsjustice; because it alone renders to God His due, prefers Him before all things, and secures to Him His proper rank in relation to them.
5. In itssufficiency; being in itself capable of making men holy in this life, and happy in the other.
6. In itsfruitfulness; because it is the root of all commandments, and the fulfilling of the law.
7. In itsvirtue and efficacy; because by this alone God reigns in the heart of humans, and humans are united to God.
8. In itsextent; leaving nothing to the creature, which it does not refer to the Creator.
9. In itsnecessity; being absolutely indispensable.
10. In itsduration; ever to be continued on earth, and never to be discontinued in heaven.^[6]

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God" is interpreted by RabbiAdin Even-Israel Steinsaltz to mean "Act in such a manner that God will be beloved by all His creatures."^[7] Consequently,Israel, being, as the priest-people, enjoined like theAaronite priest to sanctify thename of God and avoid whatever tends to desecrate it (Lev. xxii. 32), is not only obliged to give his life as witness or martyr for the maintenance of the true faith (see Isa. xliii. 12, μάρτυρες; and Pesik. 102b; Sifra, Emor, ix.), but so to conduct himself in every way as to prevent the name of God from being dishonored by non-Israelites.^[8]

Twice every day (duringShacharit andMaariv, the morning and evening prayers) observant Jews recite theShema Yisrael, which contains the words: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy might" (Deut. vi. 5). This verse is interpreted by Rabbi Even-Israel Steinsaltz to enjoin him to willingly surrender life and fortune whenever the cause of God demands it, while it at the same time urges him to make God beloved by all his creatures through deeds of kindness, asAbraham did (Sifre, Deut. 32).^[9]

Although only asked about the first commandment, Jesus included the second commandment in his answer. This double reference has given rise to differing views with regard to the relationship that exists between the two commandments, although typically "love thy God" is referred to as "the first and greatest commandment", with "love thy neighbor" being referred to as "the second great commandment".^[10] It may simply reflect the "seven rules (Middot) of Hillel", in this case the first one, calledḲal wa-ḥomer (Hebrew: קל וחומר).

Most Christian denominations view the Great Commandment alongside the law to love one's neighbor as forming the core of the Christian religion. The second passage is considered to be a form of theGolden Rule.^[11]

• Christian–Jewish reconciliation
• Christianity and Judaism
• Judeo-Christian
• Law of Christ
• New Commandment
• Ten Commandments

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