One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”
The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.”
Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions. Mark 12:28-34
In my Life Application Study Bible, the New Living Translation, they have a chart titled “What Jesus said about Love” in Mark chapter 12. I haven’t had time to write or think today so I will just put this chart in for your perusal. Look up the references if you feel like it. I guess, the bottom line is, I have plenty of reason for believing that God is a God of love.
| WHAT JESUS SAID ABOUT LOVE | What else did Jesus say about love? | Reference |
| In Mark 12:28 a teacher of religious law asked Jesus which of all the commandments was the most important to follow. Jesus mentioned two commandments, one from Deuteronomy 6:5, the other from Leviticus 19:18. Both had to do with love. Why is love so important? Jesus said that all of the commandments were given for two simple reasons: to help us love God and love others as we should. | God loves us | John 3:16 |
| We are to love God | Matthew 22:37 | |
| Because God loves us, he cares for us | Matthew 6:25-34 | |
| God wants e everyone to know how much he loves them | John 17:23 | |
| God loves even those who hate him; we are to do the same | Matthew 5:43-47; Luke 6:35 | |
| God seeks out even those most alienated from him | Luke 15 | |
| God must be your first love | Matthew 6:24; 10:37 | |
| You love God when you obey him | John 14:21; 15:10 | |
| God loves Jesus, his Son | John 5:20; 10:17 | |
| Jesus loves God | John 14:31 | |
| Those who refuse Jesus don’t have God’s love | John 5:41-44 | |
| Jesus loves us just as God loves Jesus | John 15:9 | |
| Jesus proved his love for us by dying on the cross so that we could live eternally with him | John 3:14, 15; 15:13, 14 | |
| The love between God and Jesus is the perfect example of how we are to love others | John 17:21-26 | |
| We are to love one another (John 13:34, 35) and demonstrate that love | Matthew 5:40-42; 10:42 | |
| We are not to love the praise of people (John 12:43), selfish recognition (Matthew 23:6), earthly belongings (Luke 6:19-31), or anything more than God | Luke 16:13 | |
| Jesus’ love extends to each individual | Mark 10:21; John 10:11-15 | |
| Jesus wants us to love him through the good and through he difficult times | Matthew 26:31-35 | |
| Jesus wants our love to be genuine | John 21:15-17 |
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Psalm 139:23-24
May God provide the increase.
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