First Things First: Loving Yahweh as the Foundation of Faith
Rediscovering the Great Commandments and the Overflow That Transforms How We Love Our Neighbor
The Foundation Reclaimed: Rediscovering the Great Commandments
Why Loving Yahweh Is the Key to Loving Your Neighbor
Introduction: What’s at the Heart of True Faith?
What if we’ve been starting in the wrong place? For generations, the “Great Commandments” spoken by Yeshua have been seen as the essence of biblical faith:
“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37–40)
Today, our conversations about faith often leap straight to the second commandment: “love your neighbor.” We hear it in calls for justice, compassion, and activism—a crucial message in a divided world. But if we lose the foundation—the call to love Yahweh with everything—we risk building on sand. Yeshua began with the Shema, Israel’s ancient declaration of allegiance, not by accident, but by design.
What Is the Shema?
The Shema (שְׁמַע, sh’MAH):) is the central declaration of faith for Israel, taken from Deuteronomy 6:4–5:
“Hear, O Israel: Yahweh our God, Yahweh is One. Love Yahweh your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”
For thousands of years, faithful Jews have recited the Shema daily as a pledge of allegiance and love to Yahweh alone. As noted above, when Yeshua was asked about the greatest commandment, He began by quoting the Shema—reminding His listeners that true faith starts with exclusive devotion and wholehearted love for God.
The Shema is not just a prayer—it’s the foundation of biblical faith, calling us to orient our entire life around Yahweh as the one true God.
Context: A Clash of Loyalties—and a Test
It was the final week of Yeshua’s life in Jerusalem, a time charged with political tension and spiritual rivalry. Among Israel’s religious teachers, fierce debates raged about the Law. The Torah contains hundreds of commandments—and while Jewish tradition eventually counted them as 613 (mitzvot)—365 negative (“do not”) and 248 positive (“do”)—this exact number is not found in the biblical text itself. The 613 figure emerged from later rabbinic interpretation, reflecting how deeply ancient teachers wrestled with the Law’s demands.
When a Torah expert (one of the Pharisees) asked Yeshua,
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” (Matthew 22:36),
he was doing more than seeking information. It was a calculated test, hoping to trip Yeshua up or expose controversial priorities in the midst of ongoing disputes about which commandment mattered most.
Yeshua didn’t hesitate. He reached back to Israel’s oldest and most central confession—the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4–5)—affirming that wholehearted love and allegiance to Yahweh is the foundation for every other commandment.
Covenant Love: More Than Affection—It’s Allegiance
In the biblical world, to “love” a god wasn’t about emotion, but exclusive loyalty and obedience. This covenantal love is seen throughout Scripture (Hosea 2): to worship another was “spiritual adultery.” The prophets called Israel back to undivided devotion, not just ritual acts.
By Yeshua’s day, ritual precision often replaced relationship. Pharisees might tithe with extreme care, yet miss “the weightier matters” (Matthew 23:23). Yeshua’s call is radical: return to wholehearted, covenantal love.
Why the First Commandment Must Come First
The Torah’s Order: The sequence is clear—first, love Yahweh (Deuteronomy 6:5); then, love your neighbor (Leviticus 19:18).
Prophetic Voice: “Return to Me with all your heart” (Joel 2:12–13).
Psalms’ Cry: “Whom have I in heaven but You?” (Psalm 73:25). Justice must flow from worship.
Costly Allegiance: Daniel’s friends, Yeshua in Gethsemane, and martyrs of faith chose Yahweh first, whatever the cost.
True Love for Neighbor Flows from Love for Yahweh
Here’s the key: We cannot love our neighbor rightly unless we first love Yahweh with our whole being.
Many try to “love others” through good deeds or activism, but Yeshua knew that true, self-giving love is not something we generate by willpower—it is a divine overflow. When our hearts are anchored in Yahweh, His love fills us and naturally pours out to those around us.
“We love because He first loved us.”
— 1 John 4:19
Yeshua said it another way:
“I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.”
— John 15:5
Without Yahweh at the center, our love risks becoming selective, shallow, or self-serving. But as we abide in Him, love for others becomes the fruit, not the root.
Love for neighbor in the biblical sense is sacrificial, patient, and redemptive (Romans 5:5).
Without loving Yahweh first, we may love on our own terms—seeking approval, protecting comfort, or keeping score.
When we love Yahweh above all, He changes how we see and treat every person—even our enemy (Luke 6:32–36).
What Does It Mean to Love Yahweh?
Biblically, love is not just an emotion—it’s allegiance, loyalty, and whole-life devotion.
Wholehearted Allegiance
The Shema calls us to love Yahweh “with all your heart, soul, and strength” (Deuteronomy 6:5).Heart (lev): Our will, decisions, and deepest desires.
Soul (nefesh): Our life, breath, and being.
Strength (me’od): Our energy, resources, and capacity.
Obedience & Faithfulness
Yeshua said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Love is proven by trust, obedience, and loyalty—especially when it costs us.Exclusive Devotion
To love Yahweh means rejecting all rival gods—anything that competes for our allegiance (Hosea 2:19–20).Relational Intimacy
We nurture love for Yahweh through prayer, worship, and walking closely with Him each day (Psalm 119:57).
Summary:
We love our neighbor best when we love Yahweh most.
Authentic, biblical love for others overflows from a heart rooted in Him—shaped by His Word, empowered by His Spirit, and faithful to His covenant.
Word Study: What Does “Love” Mean in the Great Commandments?
To appreciate Yeshua’s teaching, it helps to explore the Hebrew and Greek words for “love” used in the Shema and the Gospels:
1. Hebrew: אָהַב (’ahav)
Usage:
The word used in Deuteronomy 6:5: “You shall love (’ahavta) Yahweh your God…”Meaning:
’Ahav is not just affection or emotion. In the ancient world, to “love” meant covenant loyalty, active commitment, and faithfulness. It’s the language of relationship, allegiance, and even political loyalty (as when vassals pledged love to their king).Biblical Example:
“I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness; then you will know Yahweh.” (Hosea 2:19–20)
2. Greek: ἀγαπάω (agapaō), ἀγάπη (agapē)
Usage:
Yeshua quotes the Shema using agapaō in Matthew 22:37: “You shall love (agapēseis) the Lord your God…”Meaning:
Agapē is a volitional, sacrificial love—active goodwill, choosing the highest good for another regardless of emotion. It is used for covenantal love between God and His people, and in the command to love your neighbor.New Testament Example:
“God is love (agapē), and whoever abides in love abides in God.” (1 John 4:16)
3. The Shema’s Radical Call
The Shema’s command to “love Yahweh with all your heart, soul, and strength” is not a call to mere sentiment—it is an invitation to total allegiance and the laying down of every rival loyalty.
The use of agapē reinforces that true love is an act of the will, rooted in commitment and faithfulness, not just feeling.
Summary:
Biblical “love” in the Great Commandments means more than affection. It is covenant loyalty, wholehearted allegiance, and action—loving Yahweh with every part of our being, and loving others with the same self-giving faithfulness He shows us.
Practical Applications: Living the Foundation
Recognize the Link: Loving Yahweh fuels how you love others (1 John 4:7–12).
Embrace the Shema Daily: Let Israel’s prayer guide your priorities (Deuteronomy 6:4–9).
Redefine Neighbor: Yeshua broadened “neighbor” to include the outsider and enemy (Luke 10:25–37).
Identify Rival Gods: Notice what competes for your deepest allegiance—comfort, success, ideology?
Re-center on Yahweh: Spiritual disciplines (prayer, Scripture, worship) help anchor your first love.
Discussion Questions
What’s the difference between loving Yahweh with your whole being versus merely believing in Him?
Why did Yeshua insist that loving God comes before loving neighbor?
How can love for others become hollow or performative without true love for Yahweh?
What “rival gods” or distractions threaten your full-hearted devotion today?
What would change in your life or community if “loving Yahweh” truly came first?
Ready to Teach This Lesson?
Use our Canva slide deck to walk your group through the Scriptures, discussion, and practical application.
7-Day Practice: Returning to the Great Commandments
Practical and Spiritual Practices
Below are some personal, communal and spiritual practices that you can apply over the next week from the lesson above. Each day includes:
🪞A personal action – something to do within yourself (repentance, mindset shift, humility).
🤝 A communal action – something to do with or for others (reconciliation, encouragement, serving).
🙏 A spiritual practice – prayer or Scripture engagement tied to the theme.
This structure helps the individual internalize, practice, and embody Yeshua's teaching as a lifestyle—not just knowledge.
Day 1: Reorient Your Heart
🪞 For Self: Reflect on what your heart is most attached to. What gets your best attention and affection? Write your honest answer in a journal.
Day 2: Surrender Your Will
🙏 With Yah: Pray Psalm 139:23-24, asking Yah to search your heart and help you surrender an area where you’ve relied on your own understanding.
Day 3: Loving Yah with Your Mind
🪞 For Self: Notice what fills your thoughts throughout the day. Journal about how these thoughts shape your relationship with Yah.
Day 4: Loving with Your Strength
🤝 For Others: Offer a simple act of service to someone—using your time, energy, or skills to bless them.
Day 5: Repairing Relationships
🤝 For Others: Take a first step toward reconciliation—send a message, make a call, or quietly pray blessing over someone you’ve been distant from.
Day 6: First Love Checkup
🙏 With Yah: Meditate on Revelation 2:2-5. Ask Yah to reveal anything that has taken His place as your “first love,” and realign your heart to Him.
Day 7: Review and Reflect
🪞🤝🙏 Reflection: Look back over the week. Journal how your understanding and practice of the Great Commandments has shifted, and set an intention for the week ahead.
Coming Next Week…
What does it really mean to love your neighbor as yourself?
In our next lesson, we’ll explore Yeshua’s radical redefinition of “neighbor,” how the early ekklesia lived it out, and why justice and mercy are the natural fruit of a life rooted in the love of Yahweh.
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