of first-century conservative Judaism, but there was no consensus in the responses commonly offered. Of all the commandments, which is the most important? In any complex legal system, some laws eventually take precedence over others. First-century rabbis distinguished between “light” and “heavy” laws; Jesus himself elsewhere makes a similar distinction in the relative importance of laws when he says, in effect, that matters having to do with justice and mercy take precedence over the code on tithing