The Greatest Command Series

For free audio or video download of this message, visit https://www.treasuringgod.com/sermons-by-scripture or my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@DarrellFerguson.

Matthew 22:35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

The greatest command

The greatest question

Normally I like to teach verse by verse through a book of the Bible, but once in a while we stop to consider an especially important topic in Scripture and study all that God’s Word teaches about that subject. And so today we begin a new study of not just an important subject, but, according to Jesus, the most important subject in the entire Bible.

Matthew 22:35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested [Jesus] with this question 36 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"

In Mark’s gospel it is worded this way:

Mark 12:28 "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"

It was the greatest question ever asked. Never has there been a broader, higher, deeper, or more important inquiry. There are over 31,000 verses in the Old Testament, and every last one of them came from the perfect, infinite, omniscient mind of God. Some speak of the creation, some of God’s perfect plan, some of His nature, some of His will. And there are thousands of commands. Which one is the greatest? What a question! Just think if we had the answer to that question! If you were to obey the greatest command God ever gave, then at that moment you would be engaging in the greatest possible activity. Of all the great things people have done throughout human history, nothing would be greater than this.

The most important thing

And think about who is being asked this question. It is the Lord Jesus Christ – God the Son. So what we have here is the greatest Person in existence looking at the greatest book (the Bible), and picking out the greatest command.

Jesus does not have to think about it. He does not say, “Well, it depends on what kind of a context you’re thinking about.” He does not say, “It depends on what century you are dealing with.” He does not say, “It depends on if you are a child or an adult, man or woman, rich or poor.” Jesus just gives this man an absolute answer.

In fact, Jesus gave him even more than what he asked for. He asked for the greatest, and Jesus gave him the answer and then said, “This is the first and greatest commandment.” Greatest means of highest weight and important, and first means highest in rank, influence, honor, or priority. He asked for the greatest command, and Jesus gave him a command that is not only greatest but also first – and not just greatest and first, but it is also a command that summarizes all the commands – so if you obey this you are obeying the whole Bible. And not only that, but take a look at verse 40.

Matthew 22:40 on these all the Law and the Prophets hang

Have you ever thought about what that means? What does it mean that all of God’s Word dangles from the command to love God?

It means not only is this command the first and greatest, and not only does it summarize all the rest, but everything in the Bible depends on this command. That means nothing in the Bible has meaning apart from the command to love God with all your being. It means you cannot obey any command in the Bible if you are not obeying this command. For example – the Golden Rule. If you do unto others as you would have them do unto you – and you carry that out all day every day, but you do not love God with all your heart – you are not obeying the Golden Rule. Everything in the Bible depends on loving God. If you study theology, and learn all about the nature of God – but you do not love Him, you have wasted your time. If you become an expert on systematic theology and memorize all the Proverbs and understand the meaning of each one, and study the parables, the epistles, the Gospels, prophecy – none of it has any use at all apart from loving God.

It is first, it is greatest, it is the summary, and every single thing in the whole Bible depends on it. So let me ask you something - Would you agree that most sermons should have the purpose of helping the people love God more? How about most Bible studies? Most devotions? Most Christian books? Most prayers? Most ministry? Everything we do as a church should revolve around this command (which is why we named this church Agape (Greek word for love).