Mark 12:28-33 (NLT) – 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.”
“When Jesus gave that reply, the teacher of the law who asked the question made an interesting response… Jesus immediately commended him for his answer. But it was not a sudden flash of some new idea. That teacher was simply echoing the way the Old Testament Scriptures also said that some things are far more important than others — even within God’s law. Think, for example, of the words of Samuel to Saul: ‘To obey is better than sacrifice’ (1 Sam 15:22); or the words of God to Israel through Hosea: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings’ (Hos 6:6); or of the voice of Proverbs: ‘To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice’ (Prov 21:3).” [Wright, Christopher J. H.. How to Preach and Teach the Old Testament for All Its Worth]
There are many laws given to God’s people in Exodus but living out God’s culture eventually comes down to expressing this one command: Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. God’s culture is not the way we look, the music we listen to, or the food we eat. God’s culture is the way we love God and others. Pray for a renewed filling of the Spirit to live out the greatest commandment today. Let’s worship to “Yes and Amen” by Housefires
– ES