The Great Commandment as the Great Hermeneutic
When asked which of God’s commandments is most important to follow, Jesus gives an interesting answer. He combines two commandments from Torah (Deuteronomy 6:4-5, Leviticus 19:18), and unifies them as a binding commandment to live out.
“He said to him, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.’”
Combining two verses together to interpret a theme in Scripture was a common method with rabbis. (Janicki, 2017, Pg. 57) But notice the claim Jesus makes after combining these commandments as one, that Scripture hangs on these two commandments side by side.
The word “hermeneutic” is a fancy way of saying interpretation, and is often applied when discussing interpretations of the Bible. I believe Jesus’ proclamation that the Hebrew Scriptures depend on the command to love God and our neighbor should be seen as an overarching hermeneutic of the Bible.
The story of the Bible has multiple themes repeated throughout, and this particular theme of God and neighbor is seen from beginning to end. Not only is the Great Commandment a way of life expected for all followers of Christ to live out, it is one of the key themes in reading the whole Bible.
Communion with God and loneliness
When we look back to the beginning, loneliness was the first thing God said was not good. (Genesis 2:18) God’s communion with Adam wasn’t complete in the Garden until the creation of Eve. It is here that we see communion with God resulting in the communion with others.
The first sin against another human is followed after the first sin against God
On the flip side, we see the first act of humanity’s sin be a direct disobedience to God. Genesis 3 records humans taking fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil, the very thing God forbade them to do.
It is in the very next chapter that we see Adam and Eve’s son, Cain, murder his own brother Abel. Genesis 3 shows humanity’s sin against God, Genesis 4 shows humanity’s sin against each other. The disobedience to God, which resulted in disfellowship with God, naturally led to injustice.
The Ten Commandments are structured to love God and your Neighbor
It has been commonly noted how the first four commandments focus on loving God, and how the remaining six commandments focus on loving your neighbor. God links these together on Sinai as non-negotiables in following His covenant.
You may have no gods but the LORD
You must not make any idols
You may not take the LORD’s name in vain
Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy
Honor your father and mother
You must not murder
You must not commit adultery
You must not steal
You must not give false testimony to your neighbor
You must not covet
The Prophets rebuke Idolatry and Social Injustice
We see in multiple passages the prophets rebuking Israel’s sin against God and their neighbor. Idolatry and unfaithfulness to God is brought up, followed by their exploitation of the vulnerable and poor, mistreatment of immigrants, and neglect for those in need.
The Lord’s Prayer is structured to love God and your Neighbor
Similar to the Ten Commandments, Christ structures prayer to focus on our relationship with God, followed by our relationship with each other.
Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy
Your kingdom come
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven
Give us today our daily bread
And forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors
And do not bring us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one
Conclusion
We could examine other examples in Scripture, such as the Lord’s Supper being a sacrament that brings the Church in communion with Christ together. The Didache, which we’ve examined multiple times on this website, lists the Great Commandment as the first teaching for the way of life, and bases the rest of the writing off of loving God and your neighbor.
May we remember this theme as we read Scripture, and as we live out our lives. If I am out of integrity in my walk with Christ, I will inevitably fail to love my neighbor. If I am out of integrity in my walk with my neighbor, I will already be grieving the Holy Spirit.
Bibliography
Janicki, T. (2017). The Way of Life: The Rediscovered Teachings of the Twelve Jewish Apostles to the Gentiles. Marshfield, MI. Vine of David.
Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
Thumbnail Image: “Coemeterium Maius” -Pontificio Istituto di Archeologia Cristiana, Rome.