Commandments

Two Great Commandments

Love God with one's whole being and love one's neighbour as oneself.

Tradition or school
Christianity
Framework type
Commandments
Authority classification
Scriptural
Observance
Mandatory
Research status
Published and reviewed
Origin period
First-century Christian tradition
Origin region
Roman-era Judea
Attributed origin
Jesus of Nazareth
Intended audience
Followers of Jesus
Published constituent items
2
Last reviewed
28 June 2026

Names and terminology

Alternative names: Greatest Commandment; Double Commandment of Love

Primary texts and authority

The paired formulation appears in Mark 12:28–31 and parallels in Matthew 22 and Luke 10. It combines Deuteronomy 6:4–5 with Leviticus 19:18.

Rules, principles or steps

  1. Love God

    Direct the whole of one's religious devotion, loyalty and life toward God.

    Positive duty or instruction · Mandatory

  2. Love Your Neighbour as Yourself

    Treat another person's welfare as morally significant rather than pursuing only self-interest.

    Positive duty or instruction · Mandatory

Historical development

Christian interpreters have treated the pair as a summary of the law and the organising centre of Christian moral obligation.

Variations

The wording differs slightly between the Synoptic Gospels, especially in the faculties named in love of God.

Traditional interpretation

Love is understood as committed orientation and action, not merely emotion.

Controversies and disputes

Interpretation must address who counts as a neighbour, whether self-love is assumed, and how love relates to justice and resistance to abuse.

Truth By Reason analysis

Love of neighbour can support broad concern for others. Love of God is a religious commitment and cannot by itself serve as a universal public reason for coercive law.

Ethical themes

  • Care for strangers
  • Worship
  • Compassion
  • Human dignity

Explanations, comparisons and discussions

Sources