ALL OR NOTHING
The Meaning of “All”
Of course, the main message of the first and great commandment on which hangs all the law and the prophets is – love. We will talk about love later. Another word that I feel is very important is the word “all”. The Savior commanded us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our soul, with all our strength. When a word is repeated that many times by the Lord, we must ponder it deeply.
All comes from the old English “eall” and essentially means each and every one without limit. Synonyms include “whatsoever”. It has several progeny including all-ways, all-most and all-one (alone). All-one, refers to being completely independent, without dependence on anybody. It can refer to being a law unto one’s self, it can be a person who is surrounded by many followers but is at the top of the pyramid and who loves himself as his only God. He does not love his neighbor as himself, he only loves himself.
The words all and always are used frequently in the scriptures. It is interesting that Jesus used them frequently. For example,
John 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
Luke 18: 1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.
Jesus used always in reference to the taking of the bread and wine,
O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments which he hath given them, that they may always have his spirit to be with them. Amen.
The word “all” was a favorite part of his vocabulary,
Regarding the young rich man,
21 And Jesus, looking on him, loved him and said to him: One thing is wanting unto thee. Go, sell whatsoever (all) thou hast and give to the poor: and thou shalt have treasure in heaven. And come, follow me.
However, it is fascinating that there are no instances of Jesus using the word almost. When almost is used in the scriptures, it refers to some human failing or weakness. For example, after Paul gave his powerful discourse before King Agrippa and Agrippa responded,
“Paul, almost thou convertest me to be a Christian”.
We live in a society of maybe, almost, I guess, could be, possibly, sort of, kind of, etc. How foreign and strange Jesus and his manner of speech would be in our modern world.
It is only fitting that Jesus would use such absolute words as “all”, “always” and “never” as these words truly convey his true nature. He is an infinite God, one who is “all knowing”, “all loving” and “all powerful”, having descended below all things in order to be in all things and who “never” changes or never lies.
D&C 88:5 Which glory is that of the church of the Firstborn, even of God, the holiest of all, through Jesus Christ his Son—
6 He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth;
John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
It is comforting to know that the “all-ness” of Jesus Christ is what enables him to save us, to sanctify us and to deliver us from our enemies.
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