Deuteronomy 6:4-5 is often called the Great Shema (shema is Hebrew for “hear” – because “hear” is the first word of the passage).

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.

And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.
You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.
You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.
You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
(6:4-9)

As you can see in these pictures, Orthodox Jews still follow this passage literally. They put copies of Deuteronomy 6:4-5 in small boxes on their doorframes, tie boxes with these verses on their hands, and bind them on their foreheads.

What is God trying to impress on them?

Doorframes of your house: as you go in and as you go out, your private and public life should be dominated by one theme – belief in the One True God and love for Him that consumes your heart, soul, and might. The text further elaborates saying that this should be the dominating conversation and subject of training in our households.

Bind them on your hands: every single thing you do should be dominated by this same theme- belief in the One True God and love for Him that consumes your heart, soul, and might. The New Testament emphasizes this idea as well.

1 Corinthians 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Colossians 3:23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men…

Bind them on your foreheads: for illustrative purposes, hold your fist up to your forehead – what do you see? Everything you look at is overshadowed by your hand. This idea of tying the Truth to your forehead is that everything you look at, everything you perceive, everything you think about is filtered through belief in the One True God and love for Him that consumes your heart, soul, and might.

So, while I don’t think that we need to follow this literally, it’s not a bad idea! Our love for God is supposed to be so consuming that it will affect how we live on a minute by minute basis (publicly and privately), every single thing we do, and every thought in our minds. This is no one-day-a-week religious ritual. This is consuming – love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, with ALL your soul, and with ALL your strength.

In Matthew 22:36-40, Jesus uses this passage to answer the question, “Master, what is the greatest commandment?” He says that on this law (and on the command to love your neighbor as yourself) hang all the Law and the Prophets. What did He mean?

Why isn’t “have no other gods before me” the greatest commandment? Because if I love the Lord with all that I am, I will not serve other gods. Why isn’t “thou shalt not kill” the greatest commandment? Because if I love the Lord with all that I am, I will not degrade and seek to take the lives of those He created and loves.

Remember our previous posts about the law – the law was not a means to salvation by works. Following the law evidenced true faith – true relationship. If a person truly loves the Lord their God with ALL their heart, with ALL their soul, and with ALL their strength, the rest of the law falls into line! Relationship comes FIRST, obedience comes second.

This same idea shows up in first John:

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. (1 John 2:3-5)

Have you ever wondered if you really are saved? You are not saved by the things that you do. If you think to yourself, “of course I am saved – I’m a good person,” then you probably are relying on your own good works to earn your salvation rather than being dependent on Christ Jesus alone. However, if you are aware of your sin and your utter dependence on the work of Christ to save you, and have truly confessed that sin to the Lord and asked for His redemption, you will want to obey Him. It will disturb you to fail Him. (and you will – we all do.) And the pattern of your life will be a desire to know and obey your Lord.

And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.
1 John 2:28-29