Love Commanded

Jesus enters into the main substance of the Sermon on the Mount. He gives the first recorded command in the Gospel, and it's the command to love. This passage reveals the preeminent mark of any true disciple, namely, love. It is not enough to withhold vengeance from our enemies, rather, we must also seek their good in practical ways. Jesus begins His great teaching with four commands to love, summarizing the essence of all He is about to teach.