Why Called the First

Why Called the First?

In Matthew 12: 28,29 Jesus was asked which is the first commandment and He answered "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."

This answers our question. It is called the first because Jesus called it the first, and that settles that. But why would He make this commandment the first? He certainly was not teaching that all the other commandments do not matter, are optional, take it or leave it with no difference. No man has a right to dismiss any commandment of the Lord.

This commandment is the first because it is the foundation for everything else. If we obey this commandment we will obey whatever the Lord directs as we learn what that requires. Without conformity to this commandment, His will is not that to which we will submit.