Interpreting Jesus' Command to Love God with All

Jesus' command to love God with all one's heart, soul, mind, and strength is a central tenet of Christian theology, rooted in Deuteronomy 6:5 and reiterated in Mark 12:30 ^[1]. This commandment is considered the first and greatest commandment, summarizing the Christian's duty towards God.

The command to love God with all one's being encompasses various aspects of a person's existence. According to John Gill, it includes knowledge of God, esteem of him, delight in him, faith and trust in him, fear and worship of him, and obedience to him ^[4]. This comprehensive love is not limited to emotional affection but involves a deep commitment to God, recognizing his perfections, works, and relationship to his people.

In the view of the early Church Fathers, this commandment is fundamental to Christian living. Augustine emphasizes that the whole law and the prophets hang upon the two precepts of love to God and love to one's neighbor ^[3]. The love of God is considered the foundation of all other commandments and duties.

The Heidelberg Catechism, a Reformed confession, interprets Jesus' teaching on loving God as a summary of God's law, requiring love for God with all one's heart, soul, and mind, and love for one's neighbor as oneself ^[8]. This catechism underscores the comprehensive nature of the command, linking it directly to the Decalogue and the entirety of Christian duty.

The Catholic tradition, as represented by Thomas Aquinas, discusses the feasibility of fulfilling this commandment. Aquinas argues that the precept can be fulfilled in two ways: perfectly and imperfectly. Perfect fulfillment occurs when the end intended by the author of the precept is reached, while imperfect fulfillment involves adhering to the order towards that end, even if the end itself is not fully attained ^[5].

The command to love God with all one's being is not only a personal duty but also has communal implications. It is linked to the love of one's neighbor, as both commandments are seen as foundational to Christian ethics and morality ^{[2, 3]}. The love of God is understood to produce a love for others, as seen in the writings of the Apostle John, where loving God is connected to loving one's brother ^[2].

Throughout Christian history, the interpretation of this command has been consistent in emphasizing its comprehensive and fundamental nature. The patristic writers, such as Tertullian and Augustine, stress the importance of loving God as the primary commandment, linking it to the entirety of Christian life and doctrine ^{[3, 6]}.

The Reformed tradition, as seen in the works of Calvin and Charles Hodge, also underscores the significance of this command. Calvin views the law, summarized in the command to love God, as a guide for true theology and Christian living. Hodge emphasizes the need for a constant reference to God's will in one's life, recognizing God's hand in all events, and submitting to his chastisements and mercies ^{[7, 9]}.

Sources

Mark “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’This is the first commandment. -- Mark 12:30”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love to Man — Is of God -- 1Jo 4:7. Commanded by God -- 1Jo 4:21. Commanded by Christ -- Joh 13:34; 15:12; 1Jo 3:23. After the example of Christ -- Joh 13:34; 15:12; Eph 5:2. Taught by God -- 1Th 4:9. Faith works by -- Ga 5:6. A fruit of the Spirit -- Ga 5:22; Col 1:8. Purity of heart leads to -- 1Pe 1:22. Explained -- 1Co 13:4-7. Is an active principle -- 1Th 1:3; Heb 6:10. Is an abiding principle -- 1Co 13:8,13. Is the second great commandment -- Mt 22:37-39. Is the end of the commandment -- 1Ti 1:5. Supernatural gifts are nothing without -- 1Co 13:1,2. The greates”
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”
Deuteronomy (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Deuteronomy 6:5: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God,.... Which is the first and chief commandment in the law, the sum and substance of the first table of it; and includes in it, or at least has connected with it, knowledge of God, esteem of him, delight in him, faith and trust in him, fear and worship of him, and obedience to him, which when right springs from it. God is to be loved because of the perfections of his nature, and the works of his hand, of nature, providence, and grace; and because of the relations he stands in to men, and especially to his own people; and because ”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Second Part of the Second Part (Secunda Secundae), Of the Precepts of Charity, Art. 6: Article: Whether it is possible in this life to fulfil this precept of the love of God? I answer that, A precept can be fulfilled in two ways; perfectly, and imperfectly. A precept is fulfilled perfectly, when the end intended by the author of the precept is reached; yet it is fulfilled, imperfectly however, when although the end intended by its author is not reached, nevertheless the order to that end is not departed from. Thus if the commander of an army order his soldiers to fig”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. IV.--THE GOD OF THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS, AND THE FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, IS THE SAME GOD. (part 3): which was the greatest commandment in the law, replied, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." And to these He added: "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."[7] How is it, then, that He commends to him whom He was instructing, and was leading to enter on ”
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”
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) “Calvin, Commentary on 1-2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, section 5.2: “ Pour demesler tout ce qu’ils entassoyent pour esblouir les yeux des simples .” — “In order to sweep away all that they heaped up for the purpose of blinding the eyes of plain people.” he comes frankly forward, by way of anticipation, and proves that his doctrine is in perfect harmony with the law, and that the law is utterly abused by those who employ it for any other purpose. In like manner, when we now define what is meant by true theology, it is clearly evident that we desire the restoration of that which had been wretchedly”

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