I read the ESV version. In Exodus 20, it does not mention the commandment to love thy neighbor as thyself. I know that in Mark 12:30, Jesus said it is one of the greatest commandments. Does that mean it was not one of the 10 commandments?
Mark 12:28-31 says, “And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”
The Jewish leaders were notorious for considering the Law of Moses and determining which laws were the most important. In doing this, they would not be concerned with the parts of the Law that they considered less important than the others. The Lord rebuked the scribes and Pharisees in Luke 11:42, “But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” The Apostle Paul would later write in Galatians 5:3, “For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.” To obey one part of the law just shows that the person is obligated to obey “the whole law.”
In Mark 12:28-31, the scribes asked the Lord which of the commandments was first, or most important. In His response, the Lord does not quote from the Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20, rather He quotes from Deuteronomy 6:5 which says, “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” He also quotes from Leviticus 19:18 which says, “Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.” The Lord then goes on to tell them that “there is none other commandment greater than these.” This is truly all the commandments in a nutshell.
Let’s consider the Ten Commandments that are written in Exodus 20.
- Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
- Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.
- Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain.
- Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.Now let’s look at the other six commandments.
These first four commandments are Godward. They pertain to the way we treat the Lord.
- Honour thy father and thy mother.
- Thou shalt not kill.
- Thou shalt not commit adultery.
- Thou shalt not steal.
- Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
- Thou shalt not covet.
These six commandment are man ward. They pertain to the way we treat others. So, we see that in the Lord’s words to “LOVE THE LORD THY GOD with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR as thyself”, He has given the Ten Commandments in a brief form. (267.10)