The first four of the Ten Commandments are summed up in the one great precept, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart." The last six are included in the other, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Both these commandments are an expression of the principle of love. The first cannot be kept and the second broken, nor can the second be kept while the first is broken. When God has His rightful place on the throne of the heart, the right place will be given to our neighbor. We shall love him as ourselves. And only as we love God supremely is it possible to love our neighbor impartially. And since all the commandments are summed up in love to God and man, it follows that not one precept can be broken without violating this principle. Thus Christ taught His hearers that the law of God is not so many separate precepts, some of which are of great importance, while others are of small importance and may with impunity be ignored. Our Lord presents the first four and the last six commandments as a divine whole, and teaches that love to God will be shown by obedience to all His commandments.

Og da nu alle budene er indbefattet i kærlighed til Gud og mennesker, er følgen deraf denne, at man ikke kan bryde et enkelt bud uden at overtræde dette grundprincip. Således lærte Kristus sine tilhørere, at Guds lov ikke består af så og så mange forskellige befalinger, af hvilke nogle er af stor betydning, medens andre er af ringe betydning og ustraffet kan ignoreres. Vor Herre siger, at de fire første og de seks sidste bud er en guddommelig helhed, og lærer, at kærlighed til Gud må vise sig i lydighed over for alle hans bud.