Complete Text of the First Commandment

The first commandment, as recorded in Exodus 20:3, states, "You shall have no other gods before me" ^[5]. This foundational command establishes the exclusive worship of Yahweh, the God who brought Israel out of Egypt ^[5]. The Heidelberg Catechism identifies this as the initial declaration of God's law, emphasizing His identity as the Lord who delivered His people from slavery ^[5].

The meaning of "before me" (Hebrew: al-panai) implies "in my presence" or "in addition to me," signifying that no other deity should be acknowledged or worshipped alongside the one true God ^[6]. Charles Hodge explains that this command requires recognizing Jehovah as the true God, which necessitates intelligent and sincere knowledge of His attributes and His relationship to humanity ^[6]. This recognition involves a constant reference to God's will in one's inner and outer life, acknowledging His hand in all circumstances, submitting to His discipline, and being grateful for His mercies ^[12]. Conversely, the negative aspect of this command condemns the failure to recognize Jehovah as the true God, including disbelief in His existence, attributes, government, and authority, as well as failing to confess Him and render Him due reverence and homage ^[12].

Jesus summarized the essence of the law by highlighting the command to love God. When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus responded, "Thou shalt therefore loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soule, and with all thy minde, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandement" (Mark 12:30, Geneva 1599) ^[1]. Matthew's Gospel similarly records Jesus stating, "This is the first and great commandment" (Matthew 22:38, KJV) ^[3]. This love for God is to be complete, encompassing the entire being: heart, soul, mind, and strength ^{[1, 11]}. John Gill notes that this commandment is "first and great" due to its object (God as the chief good), the comprehensive manner in which it must be observed, and its role as the principle from which all duties and actions should flow ^[9].

The Heidelberg Catechism further elaborates on what the first commandment requires, stating that individuals must avoid and shun all idolatry, sorcery, superstitious rites, and prayer to saints or other creatures ^[8]. Instead, it demands rightly knowing the only true God, trusting Him alone, looking to Him for every good thing humbly and patiently, and loving, fearing, and honoring Him with all one's heart ^[8]. This means being willing to give up anything rather than go against God's will ^[8].

Augustine, in his anti-Pelagian writings, also emphasizes that the entire law and the prophets depend on the two precepts of love for God and love for neighbor ^[7]. He cites Mark's Gospel where Jesus identifies the command to love God with all one's heart, soul, mind, and strength as the first of all commandments ^[7]. The Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-5), which begins with "Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord," is a foundational passage for this command, recited daily by observant Jews and forming the basis for monotheism and the command to love God completely ^[10].

While the first commandment primarily addresses the exclusive worship of God, other biblical passages reinforce the call to obedience and love. Deuteronomy 8:1 instructs, "You shall observe to do all the commandments which I command you this day, that you may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers" ^[2]. This highlights the connection between obedience to God's commands and the blessings of life and inheritance. Torrey's Topical Textbook lists love to God as commanded in Deuteronomy 11:1 and Joshua 22:5, describing it as better than all sacrifices (Mark 12:33) and a characteristic of saints ^[4].

The first commandment, therefore, is not merely a prohibition against worshipping other gods but a positive injunction to know, love, trust, and obey the one true God with one's entire being ^{[6, 8]}.

Sources

Mark “Mark 12:30 (Geneva1599) — Thou shalt therefore loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soule, and with all thy minde, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandement.”
Deuteronomy “You shall observe to do all the commandments which I command you this day, that you may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which Yahweh swore to your fathers. -- Deuteronomy 8:1”
King James Version “[KJV] Matthew 22:38 — This is the first and great commandment.”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love to God — Commanded -- De 11:1; Jos 22:5. The first great commandment -- Mt 22:38. With all the heart -- De 6:5; Mt 22:37. Better than all sacrifices -- Mr 12:33. Produced by The Holy Spirit. -- Ga 5:22; 2Th 3:5. The love of God to us. -- 1Jo 4:19. Answers to prayer. -- Ps 116:1. Exhibited by Christ -- Joh 14:31. A characteristic of saints -- Ps 5:11. Should produce Joy. -- Ps 5:11. Love to saints. -- 1Jo 5:1. Hatred of sin. -- Ps 97:10. Obedience to God. -- De 30:20; 1Jo 5:3. Perfected in obedience -- 1Jo 2:5. Perfected, gives boldness -- 1Jo 4:17,18. God, faith”
Heidelberg Catechism (Reformed) “Heidelberg Catechism (Reformed, 1563), Q. What is God’s law?: Q. What is God’s law? A. God spoke all these words: THE FIRST COMMANDMENT “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.” THE SECOND COMMANDMENT “You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of pa”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 42: § 4. The First Commandment. The first commandment is, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” I, that is, the person whose name, and nature, and whose relation to his people are given in the preceding words, sad I only, shall be recognized by you as God. This command, therefore, includes, first, the injunction to recognize Jehovah as the true God. As this recognition must be intelligent and sincere, it includes, — 1. Knowledge. We must know who, or what Jehovah is. This 278 implies a knowledge of his attributes, of his relation to the ”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 36.--LOVE COMMENDED BY OUR LORD HIMSELF.: Moreover, the Lord Jesus Himself teaches us that the whole law and the prophets hang upon the two precepts of love to God and love to our neighbour. Concerning these two commandments the following is written in the Gospel according to St. Mark: "And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him: Which is the first commandment of all ? And Jesus answered him: The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel! the Lord our God i”
Heidelberg Catechism (Reformed) “Heidelberg Catechism (Reformed, 1563), Q. What does the Lord require: Q. What does the Lord require in the first commandment? A. That I, not wanting to endanger my own salvation, avoid and shun all idolatry,1 sorcery, superstitious rites,2 and prayer to saints or to other creatures.3 That I rightly know the only true God,4 trust him alone,5 and look to God for every good thing6 humbly7 and patiently,8 and love,9 fear,10 and honor11 God with all my heart. In short, that I give up anything rather than go against God’s will in any way.12 1 1 Cor. 6:9-10; 10:5-14; 1 John 5:21 2 Lev. 19:31; Deut. 1”
Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 22:35: This is the first and great commandment. Whether the object of it is considered, who is the first and chief good; or the manner in which it is to be observed, which requires and engrosses the whole heart, soul, and mind, and all the strength and power of man; or its being the principle from whence all the duties, and actions of men should flow, and the end to which all are to be referred; and is not only a compendium of the duties of the first table of the decalogue, but of all others that can be thought to, and do, belong to God. This is the first command in order ”
Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 12:29: 12:29-31 Jesus’ reply combined two widely separated commands from the Torah. • The first, Deut 6:4-5, was probably the best known passage in the Old Testament, for it was repeated twice daily by observant Jews. It is called the Shema because it begins with the word Listen (Hebrew shema‘). The first command corresponds to the first part of the Ten Commandments (Exod 20:2-11), which deals with a person’s relationship to God. • The oneness of God is foundational to Jewish and Christian monotheism and is the basis for the command to love God with all one’s heart (think”
Heidelberg Catechism (Reformed) “Heidelberg Catechism (Reformed, 1563), Q. What does God’s law require of us?: Q. What does God’s law require of us? A. Christ teaches us this in summary in Matthew 22:37-40: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’1 This is the greatest and first commandment. “And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’2 “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” 1 Deut. 6:5 2 Lev. 19:18 Q & A 5”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 42: a constant reference to his will in the conduct of our inward and outward life; recognizing continually his hand in everything that befalls us, submitting to all his chastisements and grateful for all his mercies. The second or negative aspect of the command is the condemnation of the failure to recognize Jehovah as the true God; failing to believe in his existence and attributes, in his government and authority; failing to confess him before men; and failing to render him the inward reverence and the outward homage which are his due, tha”

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