Matthew 22:35

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 22:35

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 22:35

A lawyer - Νομικος , a teacher of the law. What is called lawyer, in the common translation, conveys a wrong idea to most readers: my old MS. renders the word in the same way I have done. These teachers of the law were the same as the scribes, or what Dr. Wotton calls letter-men, whom he supposes to be the same as the Karaites, a sect of the Jews who rejected all the traditions of the elders, and admitted nothing but the written word. See Wotton's Mishna, vol. i. p. 78. These are allowed... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 22:34-40

Fourth attack: The Pharisees ' question concerning the great, commandment. ( Mark 12:28-34 .) read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 22:34-40

The two commandments. Originality of mind may be as much apparent in a wise selection from what is old as in the creation of what is new. Some of the most striking teaching of our Lord is of this character. Jesus Christ did not repudiate the Old Testament, nor did he despise its truths because his own went further, but he pointed out what was most important in the ancient revelation, and rescued this from the oblivion into which it had fallen with many people in their scrupulous attention to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 22:34-40

The greater commandments. The Jews made many distinctions about the commandments of God, calling some "light," others "weighty," others "little," others "great." According to their estimating, therefore, some commandment must be "greatest." Some of them contended that the law of the sabbath was the greater commandment, some the law of sacrifice, some that of circumcision, and some pleaded for the wearing of phylacteries. They now referred the resolution of this vexed question to Jesus, who... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 22:34-46

The Pharisees. I. THE QUESTION OF THE LAWYER . 1 . The gathering of the Pharisees. The multitude were astonished at the wisdom, the deep and holy teaching, of the blessed Lord. He had answered the pretended difficulties of the Sadducees, and had proved the great doctrine of the resurrection from the very books which they prized most highly. The Pharisees heard that he had put their adversaries to silence. They came together. Their feelings, doubtless, were various: many of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 22:35

A lawyer; νομικο ì ς , called by St. Mark "a scribe"—a term of wider signification, which would include "lawyers." Vulgate, legis doctor, which gives the right sense; for such were teachers and expounders of the Mosaic Law. This man was put forth by the Pharisees as an expert, who would not be so easily discomfited as the Sadducees had been. Tempting him. Trying him; putting him to the test, not altogether maliciously, but partly from curiosity, and partly from a desire to hear... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 22:34-40

Jesus converses with a Pharisee respecting the law - See also Mark 12:28-34.Matthew 22:34The Pharisees ... were gathered together - That is, either to rejoice that their great rivals, the Sadducees, had been so completely silenced, or to lay a new plan for ensnaring him, or perhaps both. They would rejoice that the Sadducees had been confounded, but they would not be the less desirous to involve Jesus in difficulty. They therefore endeavored, probably, to find the most difficult question in... read more

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