Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”

 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:34 – 40.

Jesus had no time for fussing with the details of what was thought to be the law of Moses.  Both the Pharisees and Sadducees asked trick questions to fault Jesus.  Here we read of another.  They had so many commandments (over 300 just to do with the Sabbath) that it staggered the imagination.  Furthermore, each was as important to keep as any other.  All had to be obeyed, without exception.  Of course, their masters of the law kept coming up with new commands as they applied the law of Moses to changing times.  The Pharisees were especially good at that.  I am not sure about the Sadducees but even though they had a different view of the laws from the Pharisees, they pushed matters of obedience to the law just the same.  It all had to do with identifying the law that must be obeyed and then obeying it.  The quarrel between them had to do with which law was more important to keep than another.

So, the question that both parties asked assumed that keeping the law pleased God and is the main object of religion.  On one question they agreed, if not the answer, “Which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 

Jesus cut through it all by lifting up the ultimate commandment, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

There it is.  I am faced every day with questions about what I should do to please Jesus.  He points me to the ultimate question, “Do I love God with all my heart, soul and mind and do I love my neighbor as myself?”   This pleases Jesus.  All behavior must be judged based on love.  That is an entirely new way to live life.