In Mark 12:28-31, Jesus is asked a question by one of the teachers of the law as to which of the Old Testament commandments is the most important one. ‘The most important one,’ answered Jesus, ‘is this: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” The second is this: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no commandment greater than these.’ Jesus quotes these two commandments as a summary of all the Old Testament law. The Great Commandment then is to ‘love God and love your neighbour’.
