Love the Lord your God

And He said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." (Matt 22:37)

It's called "the great and first commandment" (Matt 22:38). Now, that doesn't mean it occurred first chronologically. It just means that it's "Commandment #1". But ... what is it? You see, there are difficulties.

First, it is a quote from Deuteronomy: "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." (Deut 6:5). You will note, then, that it is not the same. Oh, the intent is all there, but the Matthew version says "heart, soul, and mind" while the Deuteronomy version says "heart, soul, and might".

And what are we supposed to do?

Well, we can see that two terms are common--"heart" and "soul". We all know that "heart" doesn't refer to the organ that pumps blood. The biblical concept of "heart" is a reference to the center of a person. It is primarily the core of all emotional, intellectual, and moral activities. Thus, "the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man." (Matt 15:18). It is largely inaccessible, even deceived (Jer 17:9). That's why we need a new one (Ezek 36:26). And with that innermost component we are to love God.

So what is the "soul"? That one's a bit sticky. The Bible uses "soul" and "spirit" interchangeably much of the time. There are only a few times when they are distinct. One is in Paul's first epistle to the church at Thessalonica where he says, "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thess 5:23). The other is in Hebrews where we read, "The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Heb 4:12). Apparently, while soul and spirit are closely interlinked, there is a division. So what is the soul? The word is ψυχή--psuchē--from whence we get our word, "psyche". It refers at its core to breath. It is, then, that which gives us life. When the soul departs, so does life. It refers to the seat of feelings, desires, the will. It is you, that which comprises your personality and ego. It is the inner man. We are to love God with our feelings, our desires, and our choices--with who we are.

So what about all this other confusion? Is it mind or might? The answer is ... Yes! In Mark's version Jesus says, "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." (Mark 12:30). Luke's version is "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind." (Luke 10:27). Well, that's convenient! This one has all the parts of all the accounts.

I think, in the final analysis, it doesn't really matter about the particulars here. I think it is abundantly clear that the great and first commandment is simply to love God with everything you have and are. Do you have a brain? Use it to love God. Do you have a body? Use it to love God. Do you have strength? Use it to love God. All that is within you should be focused on your love for God. Maybe that helps clear up the question. Or maybe you never had a question. But, are you doing it?