---

The Jews made many distinctions about the commandments of God, calling some "light," others "weighty," others "little," others "great." According to their estimating, therefore, some commandment must be "greatest." Some of them contended that the law of the sabbath was the greater commandment, some the law of sacrifice, some that of circumcision, and some pleaded for the wearing of phylacteries. They now referred the resolution of this vexed question to Jesus, who astonished them by giving precedence to love. The Talmud reckons the commandments at six hundred and thirteen; of which three hundred and sixty-five are negative, and two hundred and forty-eight affirmative; but our Lord's enumeration is two, for that all the Law is fulfilled in love to God and man. This is so in the nature of the case.

I. LOVE PRESUPPOSES ESTIMATION.

1. God reveals himself that he may be supremely loved.

(1) Opinion must precede affection. Love resists all attempts at coercion. It cannot be forced. It must be won. God binds us to love him by his supreme and infinite excellence. He is "the Perfection of beauty," of intelligence and truth, of goodness and love.

(2) He reveals himself in his manifold and glorious works.

(3) He reveals himself in his sacred Word. In the wonders of his Law. In the riches of his Gospel.

(4) He reveals himself in his wise and gracious providence.

2. Man is to be loved as reflecting the image of God.

(1) The God-like win the love of the godly. They are admirable and amiable as they reflect the truth and goodness of their Maker.

(2) The devil like cannot be loved with complacency by the godly. Yet with pity and compassion they may be loved. They are thus loved by God, who still sees his image, though dreadfully defaced; he sees wonderful capabilities, though frightfully demoralized.

II. LOVE IDENTIFIES ITSELF WITH ITS OBJECT.

1. So in loving God the lover is ennobled.

(1) The intense love of a holy being necessarily implies the intense love of holiness. Love to God is the vital and purifying flame of holiness. So it fulfils the law of God, by a sweet constraint compelling obedience to all his commandments.

(2) The freedom of this obedience, being that of entire choice and supreme delight, gives the noblest character to submission.

(a) As it impels to the most arduous duties for the glory of God.

(b) As it makes us willing to submit to the severest sufferings for the glory of God.

(3) Love to God feeds its own strength and the strength of every virtue by bringing us into communion with God himself. It produces the full and entire satisfaction of the soul. But without it the most punctilious obedience is but a formal idolatry.

2. The second commandment is "like unto the first.

(1) It is not equal to it; for it is the second. The claims of God are evermore superior to the claims of men. Yet how prone are men to feel indignation at a breach of the Law in its second table rather than in the first!

(2) It is, however, like unto it:"

(a) In having superiority over all except the first.

(b) As being also a precept of love, an efflux of the same principle, directed to our neighbour.

(3) It makes self-love the measure of neighbourly affection. It therefore supposes that we should love ourselves. It is not wrong to pay respect to our interests, temporal as well as spiritual. And in loving our neighbours as ourselves we shall do them no harm, but seek to do them all the good we can.

III. LOVE WOULD HAVE ITS OBJECT WORTHY OF ITSELF.

1. This it has in God.

(1) We can only bless God by acknowledging him. For he is Love itself, infinitely worthy.

(2) We acknowledge him in worship. By praise. By meditation. By prayer.

(3) We acknowledge him in service. Obeying his will. Witnessing for his glory.

2. This it seeks in our neighbour.

(1) Love makes us to rejoice in his happiness.

(a) If he is virtuous, love will not detract, but emulate.

(b) If he is honoured, love will not be envious, but pleased.

(c) If he becomes wealthy, love will not covet, but pray that he may not suffer damage by that which has proved ruin to many.

(2) Love makes us to mourn in his adversity.

(a) If he is sick and suffering, love will not be unconcerned, but will visit and comfort him.

(b) If he is disappointed, love will not exult, but encourage him.

(c) If he is disgraced, love will not chuckle and give currency to the scandal, but will help to deliver him from the snare of the devil.

(3) It will bless him by prayer to God for him, by holy exhortation, and by kindly Christian influence.

3. It will make sacrifices in this service.

(1) It will sacrifice ease in the interests of religion and philanthropy.

(2) It will sacrifice temporal profit to glorify God and to benefit a fellow man possessing a nature that is to live forever.

(3) It will sacrifice reputation for God, with whom our reputation is safe, by condescending to the low for his benefit.

(4) It will sacrifice life for God as the martyrs did, and in the cause of humanity, which is the cause of God. - J.A.M.

---

---

KJV: But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.

WEB: But the Pharisees, when they heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, gathered themselves together.