Matthew 22:34-40: The Great Commandment Explained
In Matthew 22:34-40, Jesus identifies the greatest commandment in the Law, emphasizing love for God and neighbor. The passage reads:
"But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him, 'Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?' And he said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets'" (Matthew 22:34-40 ESV).
This pericope is situated within a series of challenges to Jesus' authority by various Jewish groups in Jerusalem during the week leading up to his crucifixion. Prior to this encounter, Jesus had successfully debated the Sadducees regarding the resurrection [3]. The Pharisees, hearing of this, then send a lawyer to test Jesus with a question about the Law [3]. This is not an isolated incident; Jesus frequently engaged with religious leaders who sought to trap him in his words [2, 5].
The lawyer's question, "Which is the great commandment in the Law?" (Matthew 22:36), was a common point of discussion among Jewish scholars of the time. The Mosaic Law contained 613 commandments, and there was ongoing debate about which held the most weight or summarized the others. Jesus' response draws directly from the Old Testament. The first part, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind," is a direct quotation from Deuteronomy 6:5, known as the Shema [1]. This commandment emphasizes total devotion to God, encompassing one's entire being. The American Standard Version (ASV) specifically highlights this as "the great and first commandment" [1].
The second commandment Jesus cites, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," comes from Leviticus 19:18. By linking these two commandments, Jesus asserts that they are fundamentally interconnected and form the essence of God's will [6]. The phrase "On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 22:40) signifies that these principles are the foundation and summation of all biblical teaching [6]. All other laws and prophetic messages are understood to derive their meaning and purpose from these two overarching commands.
The concept of love for God and neighbor is central to Jesus' teaching throughout the Gospels. For instance, Jesus also taught his followers to love their enemies, extending the concept of neighborly love even further (Matthew 5:44) [4]. His teachings often emphasized obedience to God's commands as paramount [8]. The idea that Jesus' teachings fulfill Old Testament predictions is also a recurring theme in Matthew, as seen in his manner of teaching [7].
This passage has functioned significantly in Christian tradition, serving as a foundational statement for Christian ethics and theology. It underscores the unity of God's will as expressed in Scripture and highlights love as the supreme virtue [6]. The emphasis on love for God and neighbor is not merely a moral guideline but is presented as the very core of the Law and the Prophets, indicating that true righteousness flows from these two principles.
Sources
- Matthew “Matthew 22:38 (ASV) — This is the great and first commandment.”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Matthew 23:34 cross-references: 2 Kings 21:10, 2 Chronicles 36:15, Proverbs 11:30, Matthew 10:16, Matthew 10:23, Matthew 13:52, Matthew 23:34, Matthew 28:19, Luke 11:49, Luke 24:47, John 16:2, John 20:21, Acts 1:8, Acts 5:40, Acts 7:51, Acts 7:58, Acts 9:1, Acts 11:27, Acts 12:2, Acts 13:1, Acts 14:19, Acts 15:32, Acts 22:19, 1 Corinthians 2:6, 1 Corinthians 3:10, 1 Corinthians 12:3, 2 Corinthians 11:24, Ephesians 4:8, Colossians 1:28, 1 Thessalonians 2:16, Hebrews 11:37, Revelation 11:10”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Matthew 22:34 cross-references: Isaiah 41:5, Matthew 12:14, Matthew 25:3, Mark 12:28, John 11:47, Acts 5:24, Acts 19:23, Acts 21:28”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Matthew 5:44 cross-references: Exodus 23:4, 2 Kings 6:22, 2 Chronicles 28:9, Psalms 7:4, Psalms 35:13, Proverbs 25:21, Luke 6:27, Luke 6:34, Luke 23:34, Acts 7:60, Acts 16:28, Romans 12:14, Romans 12:20, 1 Corinthians 4:12, 1 Corinthians 13:4, 1 Peter 2:23, 1 Peter 3:9”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Matthew 23:37 cross-references: Deuteronomy 32:11, Ruth 2:12, 2 Chronicles 24:21, 2 Chronicles 36:15, Nehemiah 9:26, Psalms 17:8, Psalms 36:7, Psalms 57:1, Psalms 63:7, Psalms 81:8, Psalms 91:4, Proverbs 1:24, Isaiah 50:2, Jeremiah 2:30, Jeremiah 4:14, Jeremiah 6:8, Jeremiah 6:16, Jeremiah 11:7, Jeremiah 25:3, Jeremiah 26:23, Jeremiah 35:15, Jeremiah 42:9, Jeremiah 44:4, Hosea 11:2, Hosea 11:7, Zechariah 1:4, Matthew 5:12, Matthew 21:35, Matthew 22:3, Matthew 22:6, Matthew 23:30, Mark 12:3, Luke 13:34, Luke 14:17, Luke 15:28, Luke 19:14, Luke 20:11, Acts 7:51, 1 Thessalonians 2:15, Revelation ”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 22:40: 22:40 are based on: Jesus’ statement affirmed the unity and coherence of God’s will, as recorded in Scripture.”
- Matthew (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Matthew 13:34: 13:34-35 Even Jesus’ manner of teaching fulfilled Old Testament predictions. Psalm 78:2-3 speaks of passing down the history of God’s revelation to children of the next generation. Jesus’ revelation is the climax of that history (Matt 13:10-17; 1 Cor 2:7).”
- Leviticus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Leviticus 8:34: 8:34 commanded by the Lord: The details of the sacrifice rituals were symbolic and important in their own right. Yet most important, the priests were to obey God’s commands. Complete obedience to God is a major theme in both the Old Testament and the New Testament: “Obedience is better than sacrifice” (1 Sam 15:22).”