34But the Pharisees, having heard that he had muzzled the Sadducees, were gathered together to the same place. [22:35] And one of them, an expert in the Law, questioned him, probing him to expose a fault, saying: [22:36] "Teacher, which commandment in the Law is great?" [22:37] But 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.' [22:38] This is the great and first commandment. [22:39] And a second is similar to it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' [22:40] On these two commandments the whole Law and the Prophets hang."
MAT 22:34-40
The Greatest Commandment
In the world it was spoken into
In the 1st-century Jewish context, the question posed by the (lawyer) reflects a common debate among Jewish teachers about the hierarchy of the Torah’s commandments. The Pharisees and scribes often sought to distill the 613 mitzvot into a manageable framework, prioritizing certain laws over others. Jesus’ response, quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18, would have resonated deeply with his Jewish audience, as these texts were central to Jewish piety. The Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4-9) was recited daily, emphasizing total devotion to God, while Leviticus 19:18’s call to love one’s neighbor was a cornerstone of communal ethics. The pairing of these two commandments would have been striking, as it unified vertical (Godward) and horizontal (human) relationships. The use of (heart), (soul), and (mind) reflects a holistic understanding of devotion, encompassing emotion, will, and intellect. The lawyer’s intent to (test) Jesus suggests a hostile motive, typical of the adversarial dynamics between Jesus and the religious leaders.
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How other translations render this
MAT 22:34
- KJV
- But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
- BSB
- And when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they themselves gathered together.
- Koinōnos
- But the Pharisees, having heard that he had muzzled the Sadducees, were gathered together to the same place.
MAT 22:35
- KJV
- Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
- BSB
- One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with a question:
- Koinōnos
- And one of them, an expert in the Law, questioned him, probing him to expose a fault, saying:
MAT 22:36
- KJV
- Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
- BSB
- “Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the Law?”
- Koinōnos
- Teacher, which commandment in the Law is great?
MAT 22:37
- KJV
- Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
- BSB
- Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
- Koinōnos
- But 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.
MAT 22:38
- KJV
- This is the first and great commandment.
- BSB
- This is the first and greatest commandment.
- Koinōnos
- This is the great and first commandment.
MAT 22:39
- KJV
- And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
- BSB
- And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
- Koinōnos
- And a second is similar to it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
MAT 22:40
- KJV
- On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
- BSB
- All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
- Koinōnos
- On these two commandments the whole Law and the Prophets hang.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
MAT 22:34
- He had silenced:The word translated 'He had silenced' literally meant to muzzle an animal, suggesting a forceful and complete stopping of speech, not just a cessation of talking.
MAT 22:35
- a lawyer:The term 'lawyer' here refers to an expert in the Mosaic Law, someone who specialized in interpreting and teaching the Jewish religious law, not a legal professional in a modern court system.
- testing:The word translated 'testing' can carry the sense of trying to discover the true character or quality of something, often with the intent to expose a weakness or fault, rather than a neutral inquiry.
MAT 22:37
- the:In this context, 'heart' refers to the center of one's entire being—intellect, emotion, and will—not just the seat of emotions as it often does in modern English.