The Jesus Creed

Orthodox Jews have a practice of reciting the Shema, which is Hebrew for "Hear", the first word of the text recited, twice a day. The text comes from Dueteronomy 6:4-9 and reads,

"Hear O Isreal, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind and with all your strength.
These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.
Impress them on your children. Talk about them (all the time, basically)...

What it's essentially is saying and what the Jews understand is this commandment, LOVE GOD BY FOLLOWING THE TORAH.

Then Jesus comes on the scene when this practice of reciting the Shema is in full force and is asked what the greatest commandment is. The questioner was surely fully prepared to hear Jesus recite the Shema but what he heard was this,

"Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.
Love the Lord your God with all you heart,
with all your soul
with all your mind and all your strength.
And the second is this, "Love your neighbor as yourself"
There is no greater commandment than these."

Jesus amends the Shema of Judaism by adding Love for others not just God. Ultimately what Jesus is saying is we were made to LOVE GOD BY FOLLOWING JESUS AND LOVE OTHERS.


These ideas come from a book called "the jesus creed" by Scot Mcknight