Topical Bible: Love to Man is the End of the Commandment

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The phrase "Love to Man is the End of the Commandment" encapsulates a central tenet of Christian ethics and theology, emphasizing that love is the ultimate goal and fulfillment of God's commandments. This concept is deeply rooted in the teachings of both the Old and New Testaments, where love is portrayed as the highest virtue and the essence of God's law.

Biblical Foundation

The Apostle Paul, in his first letter to Timothy, explicitly states this principle: "The goal of our instruction is love, which comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith" (1 Timothy 1:5). Here, Paul underscores that the purpose of teaching and adherence to the commandments is to cultivate love among believers, which should emanate from a heart purified by faith and a conscience aligned with God's will.

Old Testament Context

The foundation for this teaching is laid in the Old Testament, particularly in the Shema, a central declaration of Jewish faith found in Deuteronomy 6:4-5: "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength" . This commandment to love God is intrinsically linked to the command to love one's neighbor, as seen in Leviticus 19:18: "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD" .

New Testament Fulfillment

Jesus Christ, in His earthly ministry, affirmed and expanded upon these commandments. When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus replied: "'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 neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commandments" (Matthew 22:37-40). Here, Jesus encapsulates the entirety of the Law and the Prophets in the dual command to love God and love others, indicating that love is the fulfillment of the law.

Pauline Theology

The Apostle Paul further elaborates on this theme in his epistles. In Romans 13:8-10, he writes: "Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. The commandments 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not covet,' and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no wrong to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law" . Paul emphasizes that love is not merely an abstract ideal but a practical expression of obedience to God's commandments.

Theological Implications

From a theological perspective, love as the end of the commandment signifies that all moral and ethical directives given by God are ultimately aimed at fostering a community characterized by love. This love is not self-seeking but sacrificial, mirroring the love of Christ, who laid down His life for humanity. In John 15:12-13, Jesus commands His disciples: "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends" .

Practical Application

In practical terms, the call to love as the fulfillment of the commandment challenges believers to live out their faith through acts of kindness, compassion, and selflessness. It calls for a transformation of the heart, where love becomes the guiding principle in relationships with others, reflecting the love of God in Christ. This love is to be evident in the church, the family, and society at large, serving as a testament to the transformative power of the Gospel.

Conclusion

While the entry does not include a formal conclusion, it is evident that the biblical mandate to love others is a profound and comprehensive directive that encompasses all aspects of Christian life and doctrine. Love, as the end of the commandment, is both the means and the goal of the believer's journey, rooted in the love of God and expressed through love for others.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Timothy 1:5
Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

"Now the End of the Commandment," &C.
... i.5.""Now the end of the commandment," &c. ... in your hearts by the Holy Ghost." This
love is the consequence of the peace which a justified man obtains by ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xiv now the end.htm

Love is the End of all the Commandments, and God Himself is Love.
... is from these that we hear this voice: The end of the ... one of which is, "It is good
for a man not to ... only when the motive principle of action is the love of God ...
/.../augustine/the enchiridion/chapter 121 love is the end.htm

And, Therefore, if a Man Fully Understands that "The End of the ...
... 44. And, therefore, if a man fully understands that "the end of the ... For while the
apostle says "love," he adds "out of a pure heart," to provide ...
/.../augustine/on christian doctrine in four books/chapter 44 and therefore if.htm

"Now the End of the Commandment is Charity Out of a Pure Heart ...
... by this means, but rather is established by faith, the end of it, because this faith
persuades the heart, and makes a man obey out of love to God ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xi now the end.htm

The End of all the Law
... apostles, for from nowhere else comes the voice, "The end of the ... is, "It is a good
thing for a man not to ... they are measured by the standard of our love of God ...
/.../augustine/handbook on faith hope and love/chapter xxxii the end of.htm

Whether the Old Law Contains Only one Precept?
... or between man and God. Wherefore the whole Law is comprised in this one commandment,
"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself," as expressing the end of all ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the old law contains.htm

Whether, in this Life, Perfection Consists in the Observance of ...
... 6), and in the words, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor ... such things as are directed to
the end, as the ... should not this perfection be prescribed to man, although no ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether in this life perfection.htm

Seeing, Then, that There is no Need of a Command that Every Man ...
... all the law and the prophets." Thus the end of the ... that twofold, the love of God
and the love of our ... in his entirety, soul and body together (for man is made ...
/.../augustine/on christian doctrine in four books/chapter 27 seeing then that.htm

That Interpretation of Scripture which Builds us up in Love is not ...
... going to say, if his mistaken interpretation tends to build up love, which is the
end of the commandment, he goes astray in much the same way as a man who by ...
/.../chapter 36 that interpretation of scripture.htm

The Law Established through Faith
... design that it should exist any longer than until it had answered the end for which
it was ordained, " namely, to restore man to the love from which ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 36 the law established.htm