Jesus taught that the two greatest commandments are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. When a scribe wisely agreed with Him, Jesus replied, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” This powerful exchange reveals the heart of true obedience and what matters most in God’s eyes.
One of the scribes approached.
When he heard them debating and saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which command is the most important of all?”
Jesus answered,
The most important is
Listen, Israel!
The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God
with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind, and
with all your strength.
The second is,
Love your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other command greater than these.
Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, teacher. You have correctly said that he is one, and there is no one else except him. And to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him,
You are not far from the kingdom of God.
And no one dared to question him any longer.
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