In the book of Deuteronomy, which we just looked at, Moses called Israel to a unique purpose. They were to give God their full attention by listening. They were to love him with all of their heart, soul, and with all of their mind. To this day the Jewish people lay great stress on this passage.

It is one of the four passages they write on their phylacteries. A phylactery is a small leather box containing Hebrew texts on vellum which are worn by Jewish men during morning prayer as a reminder to keep the Law. Hundreds of years after this passage was given to Israel, Jesus was asked a very direct question by a Hebrew man who was an expert in the law. He said "Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the Law?"

And Jesus replied to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect). [Deu_6:5] This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself. These two commandments sum up and upon them depend all the Law and the Prophets.

(Matthew 22:37-40 AMPC)

Notice that Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:5-6 as if it was authoritative. He shared the Jewish perspective that God had indeed given this instruction to Israel. Jesus quoted the Hebrew scriptures constantly and He expected those who heard Him to to be familiar with them. The next video will begin to unpack this passage in Deuteronomy which is called the "Shema." Because Jesus highlighted this passage as containing the top two commandments in all of scripture, it is important that we spend some time learning a little more about it.