34 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
22:34
But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced [muzzled] the Sadducees, they gathered together.
Frustrated at another success of Jesus at replying to those who sought to undermine him, the Pharisees made another attempt to discredit Him (22:34-40).
22:35
Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying,
This time they put out their spokesman lawyer to test Jesus.
22:36
“Teacher, [third time in this chapter] which is the great commandment in the law?”
This was a question Jews debated for a long time.
22:37
Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’
Love is a comprehensive way of picturing orientation to God. Love is not solely an emotion here. “Heart” refers to the core of one’s person. It means to act towards God with His best in mind. Such love does not approach God with merit but with a sense of reverence.
“With all…” means love with our total being: mind, emotion, and will. We love God with all our faculties.
22:38
This is the first and great commandment.
Jesus quoted the Shema, which Jews recited every day. The first and greatest commandment has to do with loving God (Dt 6:5).
22:39
And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
Jesus added a second commandment (Le 19:18), which is closely related to the first commandment. He did one better. We are to orient to the wellbeing of others near us
22:40
On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
All other laws depend on the two commandments of loving God and loving our fellow man.
PRINCIPLE:
The two commandments of vertical and horizontal relationships hang together.
APPLICATION:
The first commandment of loving God entails the second commandment of loving our fellow man. Love of self is not at the center of Christianity, but love for others is. Once our relationship with God is right, our relationship with man follows.
Dr. Grant,
I have heard that some Jews use Deuteronomy 13 for their basis as to why they reject Jesus. Are verses 37-38 the debunking of this theory? Thanks!
Jakob, I don't think these verses relate to that issue and that Christ is not dealing with that passage. There is no evidence that this is so.