Title The Greatest Commandment/Deuteronomy 5:6-22
Content * Text: Deuteronomy 5:6-22, Luke 10:25-28, 1 John 4:19-21
1. 613 Commandments
There were a total of 613 commandments that the Israelites received from God in the wilderness (Exodus 19, Numbers 10:10, Deuteronomy 12-26).
Of the 613 commandments, 248 commandments to do things positively and 365 commandments not to do things negatively. Coincidentally, the number ‘248’ is equivalent to the number of bones in a human being, and the number 365 corresponds to 365 days in a year. So, the people of Israel traditionally taught that a human being, which is made up of 248 bones, works every day, 365 days a year to keep all 613 laws. So, when the Jews turn 13, they celebrate the coming-of-age ceremony and have the duty to keep the Torah, the word of God. The 613 Laws can be divided into two categories:
The first is the commandment to love God (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). The most basic commandment of all religions is the teaching of faith, allegiance, and devotion to their God. And he stipulated all the sacrificial laws necessary to serve that god, so that he could serve God with all his heart, mind, and strength according to the ritual.
The second is a commandment for the people living together. In particular, since the Israelites are God's people through a covenant with God, the Israelites in the covenant community had to keep many of the commandments necessary for a community life (Leviticus 19:8, Deuteronomy 23:24-25).
2. Ten words
Moses summarized the 613 commandments ‘in ten words (ten commandments)’ to make it easy to remember. Regarding the question of why summarized in ten, an Old Testament theologian named Umbert Cassuto said that according to the traditional Jewish interpretation, ten fingers were symbolized. The people of Israel memorized ten words (ten commandments) counting with ten fingers from a young age, and every time they looked at their fingers, they remembered the ten commandments.
While the Israelites were keeping the 613 commandments, David summarized and emphasized the qualifications to participate in the temple sacrifices in eleven (Psalm 15:2-5), Isaiah summarized them in six (Isaiah 33:15), and Micah Summarizes and emphasizes three things, and Amos (Amos 5:4) and Habakkuk (2:4) summarizes them into one.
Even in the days of Jesus, the people of Israel used the Ten Commandments as a summary of two things can be found in the Gospel of Luke (Luke 10:25-28).
However, Matthew and Mark record that Jesus taught the Ten Commandments condensed into two commandments (Matthew 22:34-40, Mark 12:28-34). James also summarized the 10 commandments of the Old Testament and taught the meaning of true godliness (James 1:26-27).
3. Cross where vertical and horizontal meet
The commandments that God taught to mankind are to honor God with all our heart vertically and to love humans who are created in God’s image horizontally (Matthew 22:34-40, Mark 12:28-34, Luke 10:25-28, Deuteronomy 6:4-5).
The love of God and the love of man mean a vertical relationship and a horizontal relationship, and through these two relationships of love, human life is preserved and enriched, and the kingdom of God is realized.
The cross has a central point where vertical love and horizontal love meet. Here, Jesus ran and took the hand of God and man, opening the way of eternal salvation. The cross is a symbol of the salvation that Christ has saved us, eternal life, hope, patience, and love. Jesus gave life by restoring the broken relationship with God and accomplished the blessing of peace by restoring the relationship between man and man (Ephesians 2:11-22).
When the harmony and balance between vertical and horizontal relationships is broken, mankind becomes unhappy. However, when we maintain and develop harmony and balance, all life will become abundant and the kingdom of God will be realized.
conclusion. When God's love and brotherly love are united, God becomes a God who is worshiped by humans, and humans become precious children of God restored in the image of God and come to life as true living beings.
“We have received this commandment from the Lord, and he who loves God must also love his brother” (1 John 4:21).
“He who does not love his brother cannot love God whom he has not seen (1 John 4:20).”
Jesus said, ‘Love God and love your neighbor, practice these two commandments. Then you will live forever (Luke 10:27-28).’
As we enter the 21st century and foresee the dreadful future approaching, we cannot but add to God's third great commandment, which commands us to take care of and rule all creation with love (Genesis 1:28).