Biblical and Theological Reflections on the Second Great Commandment

Biblical and Theological Reflections on the Second Great Commandment

You will write a 4–5-page paper in current Turabian format that focuses on biblical and theological reflections associated with the second great commandment. The paper must incorporate at least 2, high-quality, current, academic references in addition to the course textbooks and the Bible.

The page count limits will be strictly considered; papers shorter than 4 pages may not be graded. Pages added above the upper limit of 5 pages will not be considered for credit. All papers must be double-spaced, use 12 pt. Times New Roman for the body of the essay (and 10 pt. Times New Roman for footnotes), and 1-inch margins. A bibliography is also a required element.

Practicum Paper 2 will cover the second great commandment:

Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 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 hang on these two commandments” (Matt 22:34–40, NIV).

The second great commandment according to Jesus, then, is to “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Your paper must have 3 primary sections:

I. What do the gospels say about the second great commandment? (1 ½–2 pages)

Identify between 10 and 15 verses or passages from the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) that are closely related to the second great commandment. For this portion of the assignment, you must use only your Bible—no commentaries, no course textbooks, and no internet helps. Use a true translation rather than a paraphrase. The aim is to read through a good portion of the gospels to identify other biblical insights that are presented that support or flow from the second great commandment. You must not simply present a list of quotations. While it is reasonable to include a few short quotations from the verses you identify, primarily, you must be incorporating biblical references into this portion of your essay. Once you have identified these verses or passages, construct this portion of the essay to clearly present your findings. Ideally, you will incorporate some material from each of the 4 gospels.

II. What is the significance of the second great commandment? (1 ½–2 pages)

In this section of the paper, you are presenting your interpretation of the significance of the verses and passages from the gospels identified in the first section of the paper. At least 2 recent academic theological resources other than our course texts and the Bible must be consulted: incorporate the insights of others. You must be making a case: what do the verses you have identified in section one have in common? Why are they important? How do your observations align with those of other theologians? What are the most important insights that can be drawn?

III. What practical application can be made based on your study? (½–1 page)

You have identified significant insights from Scripture associated with the second great commandment and have interpreted these texts biblically and theologically. Now what? Bible study and theological reflection is potentially dangerous if it is disconnected from application. Based on your study, what possible paths of application can you see for Christians? For the church you are a part of? For your family? For you personally? Be specific, honest, and open. Be sure to connect your recommendations with the Scriptures you have studied in Sections I and II.
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