Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul and with thy whole mind.
ο δε ιησους εφη αυτω αγαπησεις κυριον τον θεον σου εν ολη καρδια σου και εν ολη ψυχη σου και εν ολη τη διανοια σου
10 Church Fathers comment on this verse
What is Christ's response? He states, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind: this is the first and greatest commandment; and the second is like it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
He teaches that our love for God should encompass our entire being, not just a portion of it. We recognize three distinct dimensions of the human soul: the vegetative, the vital, and the rational. In the first aspect, humanity grows, nourishes, and begets offspring like itself, paralleling the nature of plants. In its vitality and desires, humanity shares characteristics with animals; and through its capacity for thought and reflection, it is deemed rational. These three facets are essential to our understanding: ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soul’—this refers to the vegetative aspect of humanity, as plants are inherently alive; “with all thy heart”—this identifies the animal aspect; “and with all thy thought”—which pertains to the rational dimension.
Therefore, loving God requires a complete devotion of our entire soul, indicating that we must yield ourselves fully to Him with every aspect and faculty of our being. This principle represents the foremost commandment that guides us in our devotion to God.
The initial commandment, as stated in Matthew 22:38, conveys the essence of true piety. To wholeheartedly love God serves as the cornerstone of all virtuous deeds, while the second commandment emphasizes fair treatment of others. The first commandment directs us towards the second, and the second finds its foundation in the first. A person who genuinely loves God inevitably extends that love to their neighbor, embracing them as they would themselves.
Aware of their wrongdoing, he responded to their inquiry without condemnation; however, he introduced an additional command, pointing out their lack of love for Him and their jealousy and malice towards Him, which was the true reason for their query. Had they truly loved Him, they would not have sought to test Him.
"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind"; this commandment holds the highest significance (Matt. 22:37-38). This is entirely fitting, as it speaks of the first and ultimate Being, God Himself, our Father, who has brought all creation into existence and to whom all who find salvation return. It is, therefore, inappropriate for those most cherished by Him—those invited to partake in life—to regard anything as more worthy or honorable, particularly when they can only express a mere fraction of gratitude for the immeasurable. As beings created by a wholly self-sufficient and perfect God, their love for this Father, to the best of their abilities, grants them access to eternal life. The greater one's love for God, the deeper one's immersion in Him. Who among the affluent will find salvation?
Love God as He has instructed us, not in the way self-serving dreamers perceive love. Do not create pleasures for yourself, do not agitate your senses, nor ignite your passions with worldly desires. The sacrifice pleasing to God is a humble heart and a contrite spirit. God turns His face away from offerings made with arrogance and self-aggrandizement, regardless of their grandeur. Pride energizes the senses, inflames desire, stirs fantasies, and perpetuates the fallen nature; humility calms the senses, tempers passions, quells fantasies, transmutes the fallen life, and revitalizes the life found in Christ Jesus. The Prophet communicated to the King of Israel: “Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is more pleasing than the fat of rams” (1 Sam. 15:22).
When you are inclined to express your love for God through sacrifice, do so with care, avoiding hasty impulses; offer it humbly, in accordance with the times and places He has designated. The designated place for spiritual offerings is humility. The Lord clearly discerned those who love and those who do not love Him, declaring: “Whoever loves Me will keep My word... He who does not love Me will not keep My words” (John 14:23-24). Do you desire to understand the love of God? Distance yourself from every action, word, thought, and feeling contrary to the Gospel. Your hostility to sin—the abomination of the Holy God—demonstrates your love for Him. If you fall due to weakness, swiftly restore yourself through repentance. However, it is better to guard against sin through diligent self-examination. Do you wish to comprehend the love of God? Immerse yourself in the commandments of the Lord as found in the Gospel, and strive to enact them in your actions. Seek to make the virtues of the Gospel intrinsic to your character. It is typical of one who loves to fulfill the desires of the beloved with care. The psalmist expresses, “I love Your commandments above gold and precious stones; therefore, I am guided by all Your precepts, I hate every false way” (Psalm 118:127-128). Such dedication is essential for faithfulness to God. Faithfulness is the foundation of love; without it, love dissipates. By consistently renouncing evil and practicing the virtues of the Gospel—which constitute the essence of Christian ethical teaching—we cultivate the love of God. Likewise, we dwell in His love, as the Savior proclaimed, “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love” (John 15:10). Perfect love leads to unity with God and is accompanied by profound spiritual joy, comfort, and enlightenment. Yet, at the onset of this journey, the disciple of love must confront significant internal struggles against their flawed nature, with sin imposing a law that opposes God’s law and the commandment of holy love. Love for God is founded upon love for our neighbors. When your anger dissipates, you draw nearer to love. When your heart is enveloped in holy, gracious peace towards all people, you stand at the threshold of love. However, these doors are opened solely by the Holy Spirit. Love for God is a divine gift granted to those who have prepared their hearts, minds, and bodies to receive it. The extent of this preparation correlates with the magnitude of the gift, for God is just even in His mercy. Love for God is spiritual: “That which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6). “That which is born of the flesh is flesh” (John 3:6): carnal love, originating from flesh, possesses transient and corrupt characteristics. It is fleeting and variable, influenced by its material origins. Recognizing from Scripture that God is our consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29) and that true love is a purifying flame, do not confuse this divine fire with that of worldly affection. These flames are opposed to one another, each extinguished by the other. “Let us serve God with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29). Carnal, fallen love stirs human emotions, incites fantasies, and distracts; while sacred love calms passions, brings tranquility to both soul and body, encourages inner silence, and immerses one in humility and spiritual sweetness. Numerous ascetics have confused natural love for divine love, becoming overtaken by heated desires. This state of fervor can easily devolve into excessive agitation. Many, in their fervor, mistakenly believed themselves to be imbued with grace and holiness, tragically falling prey to self-indulgence. In the Western Church, particularly after succumbing to papal errors, many such individuals attributed divine qualities to humanity, erroneously granting worship due to God alone. Numerous ascetics from that tradition have produced writings in this heated condition, mistaking their tumultuous indulgence for divine love, while their disturbed imaginations conjured flattering visions that fed their pride and ego. Beloved of the Eastern Church, avoid such writings and the teachings of the self-righteous. Guided by the Gospel and the holy Fathers of the true Church, ascend humbly toward the heights of divine love through the adherence to Christ’s commandments. Understand clearly that love for God is the supreme gift of the Holy Spirit, to which humanity can only prepare to receive through purity and humility, thus transforming the mind, heart, and body. Striving for lofty spiritual gifts prematurely is in vain, as they are bestowed by the merciful God at the appropriate time to those who are constant, patient, and humble in observing the Gospel commandments. Amen.
With our hearts, we long; with our souls, we contemplate; with our minds, we discern. When my heart seeks only the Lord, and my soul entertains no thoughts contrary to divine teachings regarding Him, nor does my mind embrace reasoning that lacks faith and obedience to God: then I love the Lord with all my heart, all my soul, and all my thoughts; at that moment, my love for Him is complete and perfect before God.
Jesus spoke to him, addressing the lawyer who posed the question and all the Pharisees present. He declared, “God proclaimed through Moses, ‘Hear, O Israel! The LORD your God is one LORD; therefore, you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind.”
Jesus responded by referencing the law from the Mosaic texts. Anyone who genuinely loves God with all their heart, soul, and strength will consistently seek to fulfill His will and obey His commandments. For those whom you love, you also seek to please, striving to meet their desires. Thus, the primary responsibility of humanity is to love God.
"You shall love the Lord your God": this is a divine command imparted by God through Moses (Deuteronomy 6:5). Above all else, it is essential to love the Lord God, doing so 'with all your heart,' which means engaging all your emotions and vigor; 'with all your soul,' embracing your entire being along with its yearnings and passions; and 'with all your mind,' employing all your intellectual capabilities. In essence, one is called to love God with complete devotion, that is, to hold fast to Him with every aspect and strength of the soul (Theophilus).
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 26 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS