Jesus Christ Teaches that Love is the Supreme Law

According to the Collins Dictionary, love means to have a great attachment to or affection for something or someone. 

In the Bible, love is described in 1 Corinthians 13 in verses 4 to 8, Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.

Jesus did His best to tell us that Love is the most important Law or Commandment in the Bible which makes it the Supreme Law in Christianity. The following are some verses where Jesus Christ tells us the importance of Love;

Love is Indispensable (1 Corinthians 13: 1 – 13):

Here, Jesus was trying to talk to the people about the importance of love. He tells them in verse 1 that if a man can speak in the tongues of men or angels but does not have love in his heart, such a man is just like a loud or booming gong or cymbals. He then explained the various characteristics of love such as patience, kindness and so on. Jesus also said;

 And now these three remain faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love

1 Corinthians 13: 13 – NIV

Qualities of Love:

Qualities of Love as described by Jesus Christ in 1 Corinthians 13: 4 – 8 are;

1. Love is patient and kind.

2. Love is not jealous or boastful, love is not proud.

3. Love does not dishonour others.

4. Love is not selfish or self-seeking.

5. Love is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongdoings.

6. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

7. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres. Love never fails.

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial:

When Jesus was telling His disciples that He was going away (He was talking about His crucifixion and resurrection but His disciples were unaware), He wanted them to remember this important commandment;

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.”

John 13: 34 – 35 (NIV)

Jesus tells us that love is a characteristic that will help identify us as Christians and His disciples.

The Greatest Commandment (Matthew 22: 34 – 40):

A Pharisee who was an expert in the Law asked Jesus a question to test Him. The Pharisee expert asked Jesus what the greatest commandment in the Law was. Jesus responded by saying;

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’

Matthew 22: 37-39 (NIV)

It was important for Jesus Christ to tell us the importance of love for us as Christians because, in the Old Testament and the years before He came, it was an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.

Jesus needed to tell us and show us that He has come to bring forgiveness and love to us as Christians and His disciples. Love is also the principle component of the Ten Commandments we are to obey as Christians. When we have love in our hearts we will be able to obey the laws of the Ten Commandments with ease and understanding. This is why love is the most important commandment in the Bible.