thinking bible.

You asked

how does this command resonate or differ from new testament teachings on love and law?

The passage, plainly, with room to sit with it.

Deuteronomy 6:5

You shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might.

This verse is part of the Shema, a central declaration of faith in Judaism, found in the book of Deuteronomy. Moses is reminding the Israelites, as they prepare to enter the promised land, about the core covenant relationship they have with God and the foundation of their identity.

What does 'loving with all your heart, soul, and might' mean in the practicalities of daily life today?

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Read alongside it

  • Matthew 22:37-39

    Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:5 as the 'greatest and first commandment' and links it to loving your neighbor.

  • Mark 12:30-31

    Another account where Jesus affirms this commandment, adding 'mind' to the list of ways to love God.

  • Romans 13:8-10

    Paul states that love fulfills the whole law, echoing the centrality of love in both Testaments.

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