October 31, 2021 Mark 12:28-34 The First Commandment

This week we talk about Jesus’ answer to a scribes’ question about the “first” commandment. In response, Jesus says to love God and love your neighbor. This interpretive framework serves as the foundation for the biblical message: because we experience God’s love for us, we respond by loving God, which means we will seek to follow God’s ways. That is primarily defined by loving others through mercy and justice. We discuss how the Reformers echoed this message, particularly Calvin. We discuss the importance of keeping this framework intact as we seek to live our Christian lives.