MATTHEW 22:34–40
THE GREATEST COMMANDMENT
Introduction
As Jesus continues his teaching in Jerusalem during the final days before his passion, the religious leaders repeatedly confront him with questions meant to test, discredit, or trap him. After Jesus silences the Sadducees on the question of the resurrection, the Pharisees regroup and attempt a different approach. One of their scholars asks a question that had long been debated among Jewish teachers: which commandment is the greatest in the Law? Jesus responds with clarity and authority, summarizing the entire moral and spiritual life of God’s people in two inseparable commandments—love of God and love of neighbor. This passage reveals the very heart of biblical faith and challenges believers to examine whether their religion is rooted in genuine love or mere observance.
Bible Passage (Matthew 22:34–40)
When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a scholar of the law, tested him by asking, “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”
Background
The Law of Moses contained 613 commandments, traditionally divided into positive and negative precepts. Jewish scholars often debated which commandments were “heavy” and which were “light.” The Pharisees were known for their strict observance of the Law and oral traditions. The question posed to Jesus was not simply academic; it was intended to test whether he would prioritize one commandment at the expense of others and thus expose himself to criticism. Instead, Jesus reveals the inner unity of the Law by pointing to love as its foundation.
Opening Life Connection
Many people today practice religion by focusing on rules, rituals, and obligations while overlooking the deeper call to love. It is possible to appear religious while remaining indifferent, judgmental, or uncharitable. This Gospel invites believers to ask a fundamental question: is my faith centered on love for God and love for others, or merely on external observance?
Verse-by-Verse / Phrase-by-Phrase Reflection
“When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees”
The Pharisees recognize Jesus’ authority and wisdom, yet instead of learning from him, they attempt another test.
“A scholar of the law tested him”
The question is asked not with humility but with the intention of evaluating or trapping Jesus.
“Which commandment in the law is the greatest?”
This reflects a long-standing debate within Judaism about hierarchy among commandments.
“You shall love the Lord, your God…”
Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:5, the Shema, recited daily by devout Jews, affirming wholehearted devotion to God.
“With all your heart, soul, and mind”
Love of God involves the totality of the person—emotions, life force, intellect, will, and decisions.
“This is the greatest and the first commandment”
Jesus establishes love of God as the foundation of all religious life.
“The second is like it”
Love of neighbor is inseparable from love of God; one cannot exist authentically without the other.
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself”
Quoting Leviticus 19:18, Jesus affirms the dignity of every person and calls for self-giving love.
“The whole law and the prophets depend on these”
All moral teaching and prophetic instruction find their meaning and fulfillment in love.
Jewish Religious Context
The Shema was central to Jewish identity, affirming loyalty to the one true God. By linking it with love of neighbor, Jesus moves beyond legalism and reveals God’s original intention for the Law. He does not abolish the commandments but unifies them, showing that obedience without love is incomplete.
Catholic Teaching and Tradition
The Church teaches that charity is the greatest theological virtue. Love of God is expressed through worship, prayer, and obedience, while love of neighbor is lived through justice, mercy, forgiveness, and service. The Ten Commandments themselves are structured around these two loves: the first three focus on God, and the remaining seven on relationships with others.
Spiritual and Moral Insight
True love of God cannot coexist with hatred, injustice, or indifference toward others. Likewise, acts of charity detached from God risk becoming mere humanitarianism. Jesus calls for an integrated faith where love flows from God to neighbor and returns to God through faithful living.
Application to Christian Life Today
This Gospel challenges believers to examine their priorities. Do prayer, worship, and devotion lead to greater compassion and service? Do moral decisions reflect love rather than convenience or self-interest? Faithfulness to God must be visible in how we treat others, especially the poor, the weak, and those who are difficult to love.
Eucharistic Connection
In the Eucharist, believers encounter the perfect expression of love: Christ loving the Father through obedience and loving humanity through self-gift. Receiving the Eucharist commits Christians to live what they celebrate—loving God with their whole being and loving others with sacrificial charity.
Messages / Call to Conversion
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Love, not legalism, is the heart of authentic faith.
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Love of God must engage the whole person—mind, heart, and life.
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Love of neighbor is the concrete measure of love for God.
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Religious practices are empty if they do not lead to charity.
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Every commandment finds its meaning in love; without love, faith becomes lifeless.
Outline for Preachers
• Context: Pharisees testing Jesus after Sadducees’ defeat
• Jewish debate on the greatest commandment
• Love of God as total devotion
• Love of neighbor as inseparable from love of God
• Unity of Law and Prophets in love
• Application to daily Christian living
• Eucharistic dimension of love
• Practical call to conversion and charity
