Luke 10:28Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

By following this commandment, as you have articulated to Me today, you will attain the eternal life that the righteous, who observe these commandments, enjoy." Additionally, in that chapter of Matthew's Gospel, He taught, "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." A more comprehensive explanation can be found in the fifth chapter of Matthew's Gospel, which states, "For in these things are the law and the prophets."

Do this, and thou shalt live.” He reaffirmed the lawyer’s response, emphasizing that there is no alternative path to eternal life and salvation: love God and love your neighbor—this is the entirety of the law.

Such a concise instruction! Just two commands—love God and love your neighbor. Or even just one command: love. For he who genuinely loves God necessarily loves his neighbor in God, and he who truly loves his neighbor also loves God. Why then the complex rituals and practices meant for both God and humanity? Why the covenants, commandments, consecrations, and sacraments that form a considerable framework of beliefs? Why the narrow gates and constrained paths that those who “enter the narrow gate” (Matthew 7:13) must traverse, alongside the “whole armor” (Ephesians 6:13) of fasting, vigils, prayer, and other self-denials? The purpose is to guide us toward love.

Love serves as the blossom and fruition of our spiritual journey toward salvation. Considerable effort and sacrifice are required to cultivate this fruit, analogous to how a tree develops. The process begins with a seed—the life-giving word—sown in the fertile soil of the heart. This seed germinates into a tree of spiritual labor, which ultimately yields the fruit of love. Love arises from the synthesis of our redemptive responsibilities and labors, animating and fulfilling all endeavors.

In its authentic expression, love represents a spiritual paradise—an enduring, warm, peaceful, and joyous state of being. It is not transient like a fleeting visitor but is a deep-rooted necessity, akin to the vital acts of breathing or a heartbeat. Those who cultivate this feeling experience profound, unshakeable joy, undeterred by labor, suffering, or obstacles. The trials faced on the path of love do not extinguish it; rather, they enhance it, just as wind fuels a fire. Thus, paradise is love; yet paradise seems lost, for when one searches within, it is not easily found. The heart is often overrun by the harmful growth of passions that choke love.

Where passion prevails, love cannot thrive. “Love is merciful”—what can be said of a heart hardened by indifference to others' suffering? “Love envies not”—how can envy coexist with love? “Love is not puffed up nor proud”—how can pride and vanity dwell in a heart yearning for love? “Love seeketh not its own”—what hope for love in a heart dominated by self-interest? “Love is not disordered”—how can love flourish in a heart ensnared by dishonor’s passions? “Love rejoiceth not in iniquity”—how can hatred and malice coexist with love? “Love covereth all things”—how can a heart given to gossip and slander embrace love?

First, uproot these harmful trees of passion, and in their stead, a tree with many branches will flourish, yielding the blossoms and fruits of love (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). But to begin this weeding process is to embark on a challenging and often distressing journey. One must don “the whole armor” of determination and resilience while engaging with the sanctifying, corrective laws of the holy Church. Before achieving the unity of love, one must endure many trials and cultivate numerous virtues, traversing a metaphorical forest to reach the serene and fragrant meadow of love.

St. Isaac the Syrian observed (Word 83) that love is like an island, akin to a paradise of sweetness, accessible only through the tumultuous sea of passions. He advises that we embark in a boat of repentance, navigate through the waves with the fear of God as our guide, and utilize the oars of self-denial and battle against passions. By overseeing this endeavor with care, we will swiftly arrive at the shore of love.

Thus, one arrives at love through the struggle with passions; one begins this struggle after recognizing one’s sins; and repentance is incited by the fear of God, which is nurtured by a genuine faith in Him. This unwavering path to love is made clear. Revive your faith in God and His providence for seekers, for this faith will renew your fear of God. Such reverence awakens the conscience, leading to true repentance and the steadfast intention to avoid sin, resisting evil passions and persistently pursuing virtue.

This labor purifies the heart from those passions. A heart cleansed from passions becomes a sanctuary of love. Once achieved, nothing more will be needed; you will encompass everything, possessing God and being possessed by Him: “He that abideth in love abideth in God, and God abideth in him” (1 John 4:16). Where God is present, there lies the fulfillment of every desire of the soul.

The experience is akin to a construction once cluttered with scaffolding being revealed in its full glory upon completion. Likewise, in our spiritual lives, once love emerges, all previous necessities for attaining love will fall away seamlessly. Love will reign alone, producing, sustaining, and fulfilling all.

Yet, remember that the complete journey to perfect love is neither quick nor simple. Therefore, while hearing the passionate pleas of aspiring philanthropists, do not naively surrender to their enticing call to abandon everything; one must first endure the essential practices of pious living laid out by the holy Church. Through these, you will arrive at true love. This genuine love will instruct you on how to discern the important from the trivial, contrasting ephemeral ideals with lasting truths.

If only our self-speech were potent enough that declaring, “From now on, I will love God and my neighbors,” could indeed stir love in our hearts! But often, the opposite occurs. When intentions and words declare love, the heart may resist and reject those very actions, even amidst enthusiasm for altruistic notions. Why is this? Because the heart can be hardened by selfishness, pride, sensuality, and self-interest—barriers that cannot be overcome by trendy rhetoric alone.

This is why the Apostle emphasizes the pursuit of love (1 Timothy 6:11) and the effort required to “put on love” (Colossians 3:14). Indeed, one must labor to attain love and pray for God to bestow a spirit of love (2 Timothy 1:7). The gifts of the Spirit, flowing into our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5), must be sought with genuine intent—mere words are insufficient.

Let us, dear brethren, patiently adhere to the laws of the Holy Church and nurture our faith. Let us diligently endure the spiritual labors and purifications prescribed by our faith in pursuit of love, earnestly praying “that the Lord may grant us, by the power of His Spirit, to be established in the inner man, to implant Christ by faith in our hearts, that, rooted and grounded in love, we may understand with all the saints the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of the love of Christ which fills the mind, that we may be filled to all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:15-19). Amen.

Cornelius the centurion, Murinus the queen of Candace, and many others exemplify this—those who, without pre-existing faith in Christ but with a love for God, were enlightened by Him and came to believe in Him whom He sent, Jesus Christ. How did the lawyer respond to the words of the Saviour?

The self-righteous legal expert, eager to demonstrate his knowledge and compliance with the Law — perhaps at the Lord’s prompting to focus on the latter command — posed another question: "Who is my neighbor?" In response, the Lord shared the parable of the Good Samaritan, illustrating that the innate compassion found in every person, even in the Samaritan, reveals that anyone in need of assistance is our neighbor — regardless of their beliefs, status, or background.