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Matthew Henry

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 22:36

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Matthew 22:36

Which is the great commandment - We see here three kinds of enemies and false accusers of Christ and his disciples; and three sorts of accusations brought against them. The Herodians, or politicians and courtiers, who form their questions and accusations on the rights of the prince, and matters of state, Matthew 22:16 . The Sadducees, or libertines, who found theirs upon matters of religion, and articles of faith, which they did not credit, Matthew 22:23 . 3. The Pharisees,... 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 22:36

Which is the great commandment in the Law? ποι ì α ἐντολη Ì μεγα ì λη ἐν τῷ νο ì μῳ ; What sort of commandment is great in the Law? According to rabbinical teaching, there were more than six hundred precepts in the Law; of this considerable number all could not be observed. Which were of absolute obligation? which were not? The schools made a distinction between heavy and light commandments, as though some were of less importance than others, and might be... 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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