Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus doesn't just quote a commandment; He lifts up the foundational confession of Israel, the "Shema," which means "Hear." This declaration of God's absolute oneness isn't merely a theological statement; it's the bedrock upon which all true worship and love for God are built.
Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
English Standard Version (ESV)
A scribe, impressed by Jesus' skillful answers to previous challenges, asks Him to identify the most important commandment. Jesus responds by quoting the foundational declaration of Israel's faith from Deuteronomy, emphasizing God's singular nature, before immediately linking it to the commandment to love God with one's whole being. This sets the stage for the scribe's insightful agreement and Jesus' affirmation that he is "not far from the kingdom of God."
Imagine standing before a crowd, and you're asked for the single most important truth to remember. Jesus points to a declaration that defined a nation and still echoes today. What makes this ancient cry so powerful?
Jesus quotes the Shema, a central confession of faith for Jewish people found in Deuteronomy 6:4. It begins with 'Hear, O Israel...' This isn't just a request to listen; it's a call to attention, a profound engagement with divine truth. The wording, 'The Lord our God, the Lord is one,' is revolutionary. In a world filled with countless gods and deities, this declaration boldly proclaims the absolute oneness and uniqueness of Israel's God. It's a foundational truth that sets the people of God apart and shapes their entire understanding of reality, worship, and life.
When Jesus declares God is 'one,' He's not just stating a fact. This singular nature of God is the bedrock upon which everything else—including love and obedience—is built. What does God's oneness truly reveal about Him?
The declaration 'The Lord our God, the Lord is one' is more than just a numerical statement. It speaks to God's indivisibility, His absolute sovereignty, and His unique existence. It means there is no other power, no other being, that rivals Him. This unity is the source of His power and the guarantee of His faithfulness. It's this singular, unparalleled God who is then worthy of our complete love. Jesus links this foundational truth directly to the greatest commandment: to love God with our entire being. Our love for God flows from recognizing His unique, supreme, and undivided nature.
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Understand the original words
heis · Greek Adjective/Noun
The primary, singular God of the universe who is self-existent and unique. The confession of His oneness emphasizes His exclusivity, sovereignty, and the requirement of undivided devotion from His people.
c. 1400 BC
The Law Given at Sinai
God delivers the Ten Commandments, including the foundational principle of His unity and Israel's exclusive worship, to Moses on Mount Sinai, as recorded in Deuteronomy.
c. 1400 BC
The Shema Affirmation
Following the giving of the Law, God reiterates His oneness and Israel's covenant relationship in Deuteronomy 6, a passage that becomes the core confession of Jewish faith.
c. 1st Century AD— this verse
Daily Recitation of the Shema
Devout Jews, including the scribe in the Gospel account, would regularly recite the Shema ('Hear, O Israel...') as a central act of worship and affirmation of their monotheistic faith.
c. 1st Century AD
Debate on the Great Commandment
The nature of the Law and the most important commandments were subjects of frequent discussion and debate among Jewish scholars and religious leaders in Jesus' time.
This is the foundational passage that Jesus quotes, directly establishing the Shema ('Hear, O Israel') as the most important declaration of faith and the core of God's covenant with His people.
Matthew 22:37-38This parallel account in Matthew emphasizes that loving God with all one's being is the 'first and greatest commandment,' directly building upon the declaration of God's unity.
Romans 3:29-30Paul echoes the oneness of God as the basis for His being the God of both Jews and Gentiles, underscoring the universal implication of God's singular nature.
1 Corinthians 8:4-6This passage explicitly contrasts the 'many gods' of paganism with the one God of Christianity, reinforcing the unique and exclusive nature of the God of Israel that Jesus affirms.
barnesMark 12:29: "And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:"
Hear, O Israel! - This was said to call the attention of the Jews to the great importance of the truth about to be proclaimed. See Deuteronomy 6:4-5 . The Lord our God ... - Literally, "Yahweh, our God, is one Yahweh." The other nations worshipped many gods, but the God of the Jews was one, and one only. יהוה Yahweh was undivided; and this great truth it was the design of t…
expositorsMark 12:28-34: "And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?"
CHAPTER 12:28-34 (Mark 12:28-34)THE DISCERNING SCRIBE "And one of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together, and knowing that He had answered them well, asked Him, What commandment is the first of all? Jesus answered, The first is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one: and thou shalt love…
Jesus doesn't just quote a commandment; He lifts up the foundational confession of Israel, the "Shema," which means "Hear." This declaration of God's absolute oneness isn't merely a theological statement; it's the bedrock upon which all true worship and love for God are built.
A scribe, impressed by Jesus' skillful answers to previous challenges, asks Him to identify the most important commandment. Jesus responds by quoting the foundational declaration of Israel's faith from Deuteronomy, emphasizing God's singular nature, before immediately linking it to the commandment to love God with one's whole being. This sets the stage for the scribe's insightful agreement and Jesus' affirmation that he is "not far from the kingdom of God."
A scribe, impressed by Jesus' skillful answers to previous challenges, asks Him to identify the most important commandment. Jesus responds by quoting the foundational declaration of Israel's faith from Deuteronomy, emphasizing God's singular nature, before immediately linking it to the commandment to love God with one's whole being. This sets the stage for the scribe's insightful agreement and Jesus' affirmation that he is "not far from the kingdom of God."
"Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one." — Jesus doesn't just quote a commandment; He lifts up the foundational confession of Israel, the "Shema," which means "Hear." This declaration of God's absolute oneness isn't merely a theological state…
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Last reviewed October 2026