The Greatest Commandment (Mark 12:28-34 *, Luke 10:25-28). Mt. puts the questioner, whom he calls a Pharisee, in much less favourable light than Mk. He tempts Jesus to what is not clear (Lk.'s ekpeirazô n, testing, is better) and he omits the pleasing outcome of Jesus-' answer recorded in Mark 12:32 f. Mt. is leading up to the attack on the Pharisees in ch. 23. The lawyer's question is really, What kind of commandment is great in the law? He is seeking a principle of distinction, and Jesus gives him two by which to test particular precepts. In Matthew 22:37 Mt., like the original precept (Deuteronomy 6:5), enumerates three powers with which God is to be loved (Mk. and Lk. have four), but not the right threeheart and mind represent the same Heb. term, and so strength is omitted.
Related Commentaries of Matthew 22:34
Matthew 22:34-40
34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 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.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.