The Love Commandment in Mark 12:28-34 and Family Relationships in Africa

By Samuel Oluwatosin Okanlawon

Abstract

The Bible has a lot to say concerning family relationships being the first institution established by God for human interactions. There is a plethora of instructions given in the Bible about how family members are to treat each other (Exo. 20:12; Matt. 15:5-6; Eph. 5:22-33; 6:1-4; 1 Tim. 5:8; 1 Pet. 3:1 among others). In spite of the instructive templates these texts provide for ordering family relationships, there is a character emphasis that links them together – love. The bifocal love-commandment trumps all other biblical instructions because all other commandments, as affirmed by Jesus Christ, are fulfilled in love. Consequently, the paper analyses the love-commandment in Mark 12:28-34 with a view to exhuming life applications necessary to rebuild the collapsing and dysfunctional family relationships in the African context.  Jesus’ love-commandment affirms a healthy interrelation principle that can mitigate the exacerbating family problems in Africa hinged on the lack of a love lifestyle.