The Greatest Commandments

Q

Are Matthew 22:34-40 and Luke 10:25-37 the same story told from different perspectives or two separate stories? Jesus goes on with the Good Samaritan parable in Luke but, the story ends with the greatest commandment in Matthew. It appears the characters are the same.

A

Some believe the questioner in both passages could have been the same person. But the obvious similarity in the two passages lies in the fact that in both, Jesus was identifying the overriding importance of two commandments, to love the Lord, and to love our neighbor. When the Lord said that all the Law and Prophets hang on these two, He was talking about their Scriptures. The first five commandments tell us how to Love the Lord, and the last 5 tell us how to love our neighbor. (Our parents represent God in our early lives, having been involved in creating us and being responsible for providing for us. By honoring them we demonstrate our love for God, our ultimate Creator and Provider.)