What Are the Two Commandments of Love?
1. The Question of the Greatest Commandment
When Jesus was asked, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” (Matthew 22:36), He responded with two clear statements. These have come to be known as the two commandments of love. They are not separate from the Ten Commandments but serve as their summary. By pointing to love for God and love for neighbor, Jesus provided a framework for understanding the entire law.
2. The First Commandment of Love – Loving God
The first and greatest commandment is found in Matthew 22:37: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This command is rooted in Deuteronomy 6:4–5, known as the Shema: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord 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 might.”
This commandment emphasizes total devotion:
Heart – the center of desire and affection.
Soul – the whole self and life.
Mind – understanding and thought.
To love God this way is to acknowledge Him as Creator, Redeemer, and Lord. It is to worship Him alone, serve Him above all else, and trust Him completely.
3. The Second Commandment of Love – Loving Neighbor
The second commandment, Jesus said, is “like it”: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39, quoting Leviticus 19:18).
This commandment shifts focus from the vertical relationship with God to the horizontal relationship with others. Loving one’s neighbor means:
Seeking their good rather than harm.
Respecting their dignity as image-bearers of God.
Treating others with the same care one shows for oneself.
Jesus emphasized this love in parables like the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37), showing that “neighbor” includes not just those close to us, but anyone in need, even outsiders or enemies.
4. How the Two Commandments Summarize the Law
Jesus concluded His answer with the words: “On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:40). This means every law in Scripture flows from these two principles of love.
The Ten Commandments can be divided along these lines:
Loving God – No other gods, no idols, don’t misuse God’s name, keep the Sabbath (Exodus 20:3–11).
Loving Neighbor – Honor parents, do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not covet (Exodus 20:12–17).
Paul echoes this in Romans 13:9–10: “For the commandments… are summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”
5. The Deeper Meaning of Love in the Gospel
The two commandments of love go beyond outward compliance. Jesus taught that true obedience flows from the heart:
Hatred is murder in the heart (Matthew 5:21–22).
Lust is adultery in the heart (Matthew 5:27–28).
Love of enemies reflects the perfection of God (Matthew 5:43–48).
The gospel of Jesus Christ provides the power to live this way. By His death and resurrection, Jesus frees His people from sin, and by His Spirit, He enables them to love God and others genuinely. Love is not just a command; it is the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22).
6. The Kingdom Perspective of the Commandments of Love
The two commandments of love reveal the ethic of God’s kingdom. They show that life under Christ’s reign is marked by:
Devotion to God – worship, trust, obedience.
Service to neighbor – compassion, justice, humility.
This kingdom ethic has both a present and future dimension:
Present – Christians demonstrate kingdom life now through love in action.
Future – At Christ’s return, love will be perfected in the eternal kingdom.
Thus, the two commandments are not just moral rules—they are a vision of the life God intends for His people.
7. Practical Ways to Live the Two Commandments
Believers can practice these commandments daily by:
In relation to God:
Regular prayer and worship.
Reading and obeying His Word.
Trusting Him in trials.
Guarding against idolatry.
In relation to neighbor:
Honoring family and commitments.
Protecting life and dignity.
Pursuing sexual purity.
Living with integrity and honesty.
Practicing generosity instead of envy.
Each of these practices reflects the two great loves that Jesus placed at the center of the law.
Conclusion
So, what are the two commandments of love? They are the greatest commandments declared by Jesus: love God fully, and love your neighbor as yourself. These two do not replace the Ten Commandments but summarize them, showing the heart of God’s will.
The gospel reveals that love is not just an obligation but the essence of life in God’s kingdom. Through Christ, believers are empowered to love God with their whole being and love their neighbors as themselves. In this way, the two commandments of love point forward to the eternal kingdom where love will be complete.
Bible Verses About the Two Commandments of Love
Deuteronomy 6:5 – “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”
Leviticus 19:18 – “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew 22:37 – “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”
Matthew 22:39 – “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Matthew 22:40 – “On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Mark 12:31 – “There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Luke 10:27 – “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart… and your neighbor as yourself.”
Romans 13:10 – “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”
Galatians 5:14 – “The whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
James 2:8 – “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing well.”
