Loving God and Neighbor

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By Adam Clarke

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets." – Matthew 22:37-40

You shall love the Lord your God - This is a subject of the greatest importance, and should be well understood, as our Lord shows that the whole of true religion is comprised in thus loving God and our neighbor… by this love, the soul eagerly cleaves to, affectionately admires, and constantly rests in God, supremely pleased and satisfied with him as its portion: that it acts from him, as its author; for him, as its master; and to him, as its end. That, by it, all the powers and faculties of the mind are concentrated in the Lord of the universe. That, by it, the whole man is willingly surrendered to the Most High: and that, through it, an identity, or sameness of spirit with the Lord is acquired - the man being made a partaker of the Divine nature, having the mind in him which was in Christ, and thus dwelling in God, and God in him.

But what is implied in loving God with all the heart, soul, mind, strength, etc., and when may a man be said to do this?

1. He loves God with all his heart, who loves nothing in comparison of him, and nothing but in reference to him: - who is ready to give up, do, or suffer any thing in order to please and glorify him: - who has in his heart neither love nor hatred, hope nor fear, inclination, nor aversion, desire, nor delight, but as they relate to God, and are regulated by him.

2. He loves God with all his soul, or rather, εν ολη τη ψυχη, with all his life, who is ready to give up life for his sake - to endure all sorts of torments, and to be deprived of all kinds of comforts, rather than dishonor God: - who employs life with all its comforts, and conveniences, to glorify God in, by, and through all: - to whom life and death are nothing, but as they come from and lead to God, From this Divine principle sprang the blood of the martyrs, which became the seed of the Church. They overcame through the blood of the Lamb, and loved not their lives unto the death. See Revelation 12:11.

3. He loves God with all his strength ( Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27;) who exerts all the powers of his body and soul in the service of God: - who, for the glory of his Maker, spares neither labor nor cost - who sacrifices his time, body, health, ease, for the honor of God his Divine Master: - who employs in his service all his goods, his talents, his power, credit, authority, and influence.

4. He loves God with all his mind (intellect - διανοια ) who applies himself only to know God, and his holy will: - who receives with submission, gratitude, and pleasure, the sacred truths which God has revealed to man: - who studies no art nor science but as far as it is necessary for the service of God, and uses it at all times to promote his glory - who forms no projects nor designs but in reference to God and the interests of mankind: - who banishes from his understanding and memory every useless, foolish, and dangerous thought, together with every idea which has any tendency to defile his soul, or turn it for a moment from the center of eternal repose. In a word, he who sees God in all things - thinks of him at all times - having his mind continually fixed upon God, acknowledging him in all his ways - who begins, continues, and ends all his thoughts, words, and works, to the glory of his name: - this is the person who loves God with all his heart, life, strength, and intellect. He is crucified to the world, and the world to him: he lives, yet not he, but Christ lives in him. He beholds as in a glass the glory of the Lord, and is changed into the same image from glory to glory. Simply and constantly looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of his faith, he receives continual supplies of enlightening and sanctifying grace, and is thus fitted for every good word and work. O glorious state! far, far, beyond this description! which comprises an ineffable communion between the ever-blessed Trinity and the soul of man!

You shall love your neighbor as yourself - The love of our neighbor springs from the love of God as its source; is found in the love of God as its principle, pattern, and end; and the love of God is found in the love of our neighbor, as its effect, representation, and infallible mark. This love of our neighbor is a love of equity, charity, succor (assistance), and benevolence. We owe to our neighbor what we have a right to expect from him - "Do unto all men as ye would they should do unto you," is a positive command of our blessed Savior. By this rule, therefore, we should speak, think, and write, concerning every soul of man: - put the best construction upon all the words and actions of our neighbor that they can possibly bear. By this rule we are taught to bear with, love, and forgive him; to rejoice in his felicity, mourn in his adversity, desire and delight in his prosperity, and promote it to the utmost of our power: instruct his ignorance, help him in his weakness, and risk even our life for his sake, and for the public good. In a word, we must do every thing in our power, through all the possible varieties of circumstances, for our neighbors, which we would wish them to do for us, were our situations reversed.

This is the religion of Jesus! How happy would Society be, were these two plain, rational precepts properly observed! Love Me, and love thy Fellows! Be unutterably happy in me, and be in perfect peace, unanimity, and love, among yourselves. Great fountain and dispenser of love! fill thy creation with this sacred principle, for his sake who died for the salvation of mankind!

Self-love, as it is generally called, has been grievously declaimed against, even by religious people, as a most pernicious and dreadful evil. But they have not understood the subject on which they spoke. They have denominated that intense propensity which unregenerate men feel to gratify their carnal appetites and vicious passions, self-love; whereas it might be more properly termed self-hatred or self-murder. If I am to love my neighbor as myself and this "love worketh no ill to its neighbor," then self-love, in the sense in which our Lord uses it, is something excellent. It is properly a disposition essential to our nature, and inseparable from our being, by which we desire to be happy, by which we seek the happiness we have not, and rejoice in it when we possess it. In a word, it is a uniform wish of the soul to avoid all evil, and to enjoy all good. Therefore, he who is wholly governed by self-love, properly and Scripturally speaking, will devote his whole soul to God, and earnestly and constantly seek all his peace, happiness, and salvation in the enjoyment of God. But self-love cannot make me happy. I am only the subject which receives the happiness, but am not the object that constitutes this happiness; for it is that object, properly speaking, that I love, and love not only for its own sake, but also for the sake of the happiness which I enjoy through it. "No man," says the apostle, "ever hated his own flesh." But he that sins against God wrongs his own soul, both of present and eternal salvation, and is so far from being governed by self-love that he is the implacable (ruthless) enemy of his best and dearest interests in both worlds (Matthew 19:19)

On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets. - They are like the first and last links of a chain, all the intermediate ones depend on them. True religion begins and ends in love to God and man. These are the two grand links that unite God to man, man to his fellows, and men again to God.

Love is the fulfilling of the law, says St. Paul, Romans 13:10; for he who has the love of God in him delights to obey the Divine precepts, and to do all manner of kindness to men for God's sake.

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Explanation of the Greek words meaning "to love" - phileo and agapao

These two words are not used indiscriminately; αγαπαω [agapao] never means to kiss; φιλ∈ω [phileo], never means to acquiesce or cherish with reverence. φιλ∈ω [phileo] denotes the sense or passion of love, but in αγαπαω [agapao] is the implied cause of φιλ∈ω [phileo]. αγαπαω [agapao] is to make much of a thing, to admire for some good and sufficient reason, but φιλ∈ω [phileo] denotes the love which springs naturally from the thing loved, even where no just cause to love exists. αγαπαω [agapao] is never used of improper love; φιλ∈ω [phileo] is. Hence, in the N. T. φιλ∈ω [phileo] is never used of man's love to God, but αγαπαω [agapao], always [is]. Both words are used of God's love to man, αγαπαω [agapao], when He said to 'Love the world' (John iii.16, etc) and when He wishes men good, and seeks their salvation; and φιλ∈ω [phileo] is affirmed of His love to His people who please Him (John xvi. 27, etc.) Again φιλ∈ω [phileo] is used of Jesus' love for Lazarus, (John xi. 3, 36); but in verse 5 the word is αγαπαω [agapao], because there the sisters are included, and therefore this word is more correct. Again, we are commanded to love our enemies, etc., but here αγαπαω [agapao] is used, never φιλ∈ω [phileo]; love cannot be required in this case, though kindness and compassion are. Again, in John xxi.15-17, in the first question Jesus uses αγαπαω [agapao], but Peter uses the word φιλ∈ω [phileo] in his reply; this is repeated [the second time], and then Jesus uses Peter's word in the third question. Once more, to love (φιλ∈ω) [phileo] life, from an excessive desire to preserve it, and so to lose sight of the real objective of living, is reproved by our Lord, (John xii. 25.) Whereas to love (αγαπαω) [agapao] life, is to consult its real interest [i.e., the purpose of life] (A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament, E. W. Bullinger, p. 470). (A Faithful Version)