Matthew 22:34-40

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Matthew 22:34-40

Here is a discourse which Christ had with a Pharisee-lawyer, about the great commandment of the law. Observe, I. The combination of the Pharisees against Christ, Matt. 22:34. They heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, had stopped their mouths, though their understandings were not opened; and they were gathered together, not to return him the thanks of their party, as they ought to have done, for his effectually asserting and confirming of the truth against the Sadducees, the common... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Matthew 22:34-40

22:34-40 When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. One of them, who was an expert in the Law, asked him a question as a test: "What commandment in the Law is greatest?" He said to him, "'You must love the Lord your God with your whole heart, and your whole soul, and your whole mind.' This is the great and the chief commandment; and the second is like it, 'You must love your neighbour as yourself.' On these two commandments the whole Law and the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 22:34

But when the Pharisees had heard ,.... Either with their own ears, they being some of them present: or rather from the relation of others, from the Scribes, who expressed their approbation of Christ's answer to the Sadducees; for the Pharisees, with the Herodians, in a body, had left him, and were gone to their respective places of abode; or to them that sent them, being baffled and confounded by him: but now hearing that he had put the Sadducees to silence , or stopped their mouths,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 22:35

Then one of them, which was a lawyer ,.... Or that was "learned", or "skilful in the law", as the Syriac and Persic versions, and Munster's Hebrew Gospel read. The Ethiopic version calls him, "a Scribe of the city", of the city of Jerusalem; but I do not meet with any such particular officer, or any such office peculiar to a single man any where: mention is made of "the Scribes of the people" in Matthew 2:4 and this man was one of them, one that interpreted the law to the people, either in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 22:36

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? He calls him "master, Rabbi, or doctor", as the Sadducees had in Matthew 22:24 either because he was usually so called by his disciples, and by the generality of the people; or merely in complaisance to engage his attention to him, and his question: and might hereby suggest, that should he return a proper and satisfactory answer to it he should be his master. The question is not which of the laws was the greatest, the oral, or the written... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 22:37

Jesus said unto him ,.... Directly, without taking time to think of it; and though he knew with what design it was put to him, yet, as an answer to it might be useful and instructive to the people, as well as silence and confound his adversaries, he thought fit to give one; and is as follows, being what is expressed in Deuteronomy 6:5 . thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind ; that is, with all the powers and faculties of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 22:38

This is the first and great commandment. Whether the object of it is considered, who is the first and chief good; or the manner in which it is to be observed, which requires and engrosses the whole heart, soul, and mind, and all the strength and power of man; or its being the principle from whence all the duties, and actions of men should flow, and the end to which all are to be referred; and is not only a compendium of the duties of the first table of the decalogue, but of all others that... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 22:39

And the second is like unto it ,.... For there is but a second, not a third: this is suggested in opposition to the numerous commandments in the law, according to the opinion of the Jews, who reckon them in all to be "six hundred and thirteen": of which there are "three hundred and sixty five" negative ones, according to the number of the days of the year; and "two hundred and forty eight" affirmative ones, according to the members of a man's body F26 T. Bab. Maccot, fol. 23. 2. .... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Matthew 22:40

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Not that all that is contained in the five books of Moses, and in the books of the prophets, and other writings of the Old Testament, is comprehended in, and is reducible to these two precepts; for there are many things delivered by way of promise, written by way of history, &c.; which cannot, by any means, be brought into these two general heads: but that everything respecting duty that is suggested in the law, or is more... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 22:34

They were gathered together - Επι το αυτο - they came together with one accord, or, for the same purpose; i.e. of ensnaring him in his discourse, as the Sadducees had done, Matthew 22:23 . The Codex Bezae and several of the Itala have επ ' αυτον , against him. Camen togidre into oon . - Old MS. Eng, Bib. read more

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