S – Jesus answered, “The most important is Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.,, 31 The second is, Love your neighbor as yourself., There is no other command greater than these.”
Mark 12:29–31 CSB
O – Commentary:
He began with the opening words of the Shema (from Heb., “Hear!” [šema‘], the first word of Deut. 6:4). This creed (Num. 15:37–41; Deut. 6:4–9; 11:13–21) was recited twice daily—morning and evening—by devout Jews. It asserted the basis of Jewish faith: The Lord (Heb., Yahweh), namely, our God, Israel’s covenant-keeping God, the Lord is One, that is, unique (cf. Mark 12:32).
The command, Love (lit., “you shall love”) the Lord your God (Deut. 6:5), calls for a volitional commitment to God that is personal, comprehensive, and wholehearted. This is emphasized by the repeated words with (ex, “out of,” denoting source), all (holēs, “the whole of”), your (sing.), and the various terms relating to the human personality—heart (control center; cf. Mark 7:19), soul (self-conscious life; cf. 8:35–36), mind (thought capacity), and strength (bodily powers). The Hebrew text does not mention “mind”; the Septuagint omits “heart”; but Jesus included both terms, stressing the comprehensive nature of the command (cf. 12:33; Matt. 22:37; Luke 10:27).
Jesus then spoke of a similar commitment to one’s neighbor by quoting a second inseparable (cf. 1 John 4:19–21) and complementary command. Love (lit., “you shall love”) your neighbor (plēsion, “one who is nearby,” a generic term for fellowman) as, in the same way as, yourself (Lev. 19:18). The love a person has naturally for himself is not to focus solely on himself—a constant tendency—but should be directed equally toward others
“Mark,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures
A – What would our lives look like if we excelled at these commandments? Our love for God would be genuine, seeking depths we cannot fathom. Our love for others would be filled with courage, grace and compassion. We can do this. We must choose both.
R – Heavenly Father, we worship and surrender to you. Empower us today to love you and others at the highest level. Forgive us of our pride and stubbornness that causes us to remain distant. We choose to love and honor you above all. We choose to love others genuinely with a heart of courage and compassion.
Just Add Water . Chris Bonham 