Technically speaking, the “Law” of the Old Testament, telling it in its entirety, encompasses the first five Books of the Bible, called the Pentateuch! Genesis through Deuteronomy, to be more exact. And that “Torah” consists of 613 different commandments, some negative and others positive.

But Moses, at God’s Behest, homogenized that vast “Law” into (what we commonly know as the) “Ten (yes, 10) Commandments.” 

Then Jesus, God the Son,  the Christ, came to earth … and further interpreted the “Law” as consisting of (get this) only 2 Commandments! “He (a lawyer, scribe, student of the Mosaic Statutes) said unto him (Jesus), What is written in the law? how readest thou? And Jesus answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.” Yes, two basic commandments!

Wow!

But now the Apostle Paul, in our Galatians Text today, goes even further!

“For all the law is fulfilled in ONE WORD, even in this; Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself.” Galatians 5:14

Is Paul here detracting from our love of God, our love for God?

Certainly not.

But he is emphasizing the fact that Christian (Holy Spirit imparted) LOVE is the answer to living for Jesus, to pursuing the godly life in Christ!

The verb “fulfilled” (spelled “pleroo”) means “completed” 2 times in our New Testament. It even means “ended” twice! And strangely so, the verb is not an aorist (past tense) … but an indicative present passive 3rd person singular! Ongoing action, durative, habitual! 

As we love (“agapao”) each other … the Law is constantly being “fulfilled,” in a particular (spiritual) sense!

Wow!

I will never covet (one of the Ten Commandments) my neighbor’s donkey … not if I love him with “1st Corinthians 13” love! Not if I hold him dear as Jesus does! 

This Text is truly earth-shaking! “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

And just who is my “neighbor?”

The word is “plesion,” a derivative of “pelas,” simply meaning “near.” The person near you … at any given time! He automatically becomes your “neighbor,” in our verse here today.

Amazing!

This is a “lifestyle changer” … when practiced as written!

I keep repeating it! “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself.”

On loving “oneself,” we need  no lessons! It is a given! Listen to Paul in Ephesians 5:29. “For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church.” 

Then let us not hate (“miseo” meaning “to detest) our neighbor!

But “nourish” (spelled “ektrepho” and meaning “to go out of one’s way” to serve) him!

And “cherish” (in Greek “thalpo” meaning “to keep warm,” to foster with tender care, no cold-heartedness allowed) him or her too. 

And in so doing we will satisfy the Law … de facto! 

Amen!

Words easily defined, but hard to live!

But Scripture, nonetheless!

And our Christian duty as well!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell