Matthew 22:36

KJV

Master, which [is] the great commandment in the law?

KJV (with Strong's)

Master {G1320}, which {G4169} is the great {G3173} commandment {G1785} in {G1722} the law {G3551}?

Complete Jewish Bible

"Rabbi, which of the mitzvot in the Torah is the most important?"

Berean Standard Bible

“Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the Law?”

American Standard Version

Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
In Matthew 22:36, a lawyer, an expert in the Mosaic Law, directly challenges Jesus with a pivotal question: "Master, which [is] the great commandment in the law?" This inquiry is strategically posed amidst a series of confrontational encounters during Jesus' final week in Jerusalem, designed by the religious authorities to test His theological understanding and potentially entrap Him, thereby undermining His authority and public credibility.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated within a highly charged narrative in Jerusalem, just days before Jesus' crucifixion. It follows immediately after Jesus has masterfully silenced the Sadducees, who attempted to discredit the concept of resurrection with a complex hypothetical scenario ([Matthew 22:23-33](/matthew/22-23-33 "Matthew 22:23-33 - The Sadducees' Question About the Resurrection")). Having witnessed this defeat, the Pharisees, though theological adversaries of the Sadducees, send one of their own—a "lawyer" (a scribe expert in the Mosaic Law)—to pose a new, equally challenging question. This sequence underscores the escalating opposition Jesus faced and highlights His consistent wisdom in navigating these theological traps. The question in [Matthew 22:36](/matthew/22-36 "Matthew 22:36 - The Lawyer's Question") sets the stage for Jesus' profound summary of the Law, which follows in [Matthew 22:37-40](/matthew/22-37-40 "Matthew 22:37-40 - The Greatest Commandment").

* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The setting is Jerusalem during Passover week, a time of heightened religious and political tension. The Jewish Law, or Torah, comprised 613 commandments (248 positive, 365 negative). For centuries, rabbis and scribes engaged in extensive debates about the relative importance of these commandments, seeking to identify a foundational principle or "greatest" commandment. This was not merely an academic exercise but an attempt to distill the essence of God's will for His people. The lawyer's question to Jesus was thus rooted in a common rabbinic discourse, but his intent was likely malicious—to test Jesus' alignment with specific rabbinic schools of thought, or to provoke an answer that could be construed as diminishing other commandments, thereby providing grounds for accusation. The term "lawyer" (νομοδιδάσκαλος, _nomodidaskalos_, literally "teacher of the law") denotes a highly educated Pharisee specializing in legal interpretation.

* **Key Themes:** The lawyer's question in [Matthew 22:36](/matthew/22-36 "Matthew 22:36 - The Lawyer's Question") contributes to several overarching themes within Matthew's Gospel and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it explores **The Essence of the Law**, probing whether the vast array of divine commands can be summarized or prioritized into a core principle. This reflects a deep human desire to understand God's primary expectation. Secondly, it highlights the theme of **Prioritizing God's Will**, prompting a discernment of what truly matters in one's relationship with God and others, a theme Jesus consistently emphasized throughout His ministry (e.g., [Matthew 6:33](/matthew/6-33 "Matthew 6:33 - Seek First the Kingdom")). Finally, and crucially in this immediate context, it serves as another instance of **Testing Jesus' Authority and Wisdom**. The religious leaders repeatedly sought to undermine Jesus by challenging His teachings, His claims, and His understanding of the Law, as seen in previous encounters like the question about paying taxes to Caesar ([Matthew 22:15-22](/matthew/22-15-22 "Matthew 22:15-22 - Paying Taxes to Caesar")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Master (Greek, _didáskalos'_):** This term, meaning "instructor" or "teacher," is used by the lawyer to address Jesus. While seemingly respectful, in this confrontational context, it likely functions as a formal address, setting the stage for a theological challenge between two recognized teachers of the Law. The lawyer is acknowledging Jesus' public role as a teacher, even as he seeks to expose a flaw in His teaching.
* **great (Greek, _mégas'_):** This adjective signifies "big" or "great" in a wide application, including importance or magnitude. When applied to "commandment," it directly asks for the most significant, preeminent, or weighty command among the 613 Mosaic laws. The lawyer is not asking for *a* great commandment, but *the* greatest, implying a singular, overarching principle.
* **law (Greek, _nómos'_):** This noun refers specifically to the Mosaic Law, the foundational legal and moral code given by God to Israel through Moses, as recorded in the Pentateuch. It encompasses the entirety of God's revealed will for His covenant people, providing the framework for their worship, societal structure, and personal conduct. The question is thus about the hierarchy within this divine corpus.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"Master,"**: The address by the lawyer, acknowledging Jesus' public role as a teacher, yet in this context, it carries an underlying tone of challenge and scrutiny rather than genuine reverence. It sets up a formal theological debate.
* **"which [is] the great commandment"**: This is the core of the lawyer's inquiry, directly asking for the single most important or preeminent command within the vast body of the Mosaic Law. It reflects a common rabbinic debate and seeks to test Jesus' theological priorities and understanding of God's will.
* **"in the law?"**: This specifies the domain of the question, limiting it to the divinely revealed Mosaic Law. It underscores that the lawyer is asking about the internal hierarchy and essence of God's covenant stipulations given to Israel.

#### Literary Devices
The primary literary device at play in [Matthew 22:36](/matthew/22-36 "Matthew 22:36 - The Lawyer's Question") is **Interrogation**, as the lawyer poses a direct question to Jesus. This is not a simple query for information but a **Testing** question, designed to probe Jesus' theological acumen and potentially trap Him. The lawyer's intent is to expose a perceived weakness or deviation from established rabbinic thought, thereby discrediting Jesus in the eyes of the people or providing grounds for accusation. The question itself, by asking for *the* great commandment, also employs **Singularization**, attempting to reduce the vastness of the Law to a single principle, which Jesus will then masterfully expand upon by linking it to a second, equally vital command, revealing the interconnectedness of God's will.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The lawyer's question, though born of adversarial intent, provides a profound theological opportunity for Jesus to articulate the very heart of God's revealed will. It forces a distillation of the myriad commandments into their foundational essence, moving beyond mere external obedience to the internal disposition of the heart. Jesus' subsequent answer (not in this verse, but immediately following) reveals that true obedience to God is not a matter of meticulous adherence to a list of rules, but a holistic expression of love—love for God and love for neighbor. This emphasis on love as the fulfillment of the Law transcends legalistic interpretations and points to the relational core of God's covenant with humanity, establishing a principle that undergirds all divine expectation.

* [Matthew 22:37-40](/matthew/22-37-40 "Jesus' Answer: The Greatest Commandments")
* [Deuteronomy 6:5](/deuteronomy/6-5 "Love the Lord Your God")
* [Leviticus 19:18](/leviticus/19-18 "Love Your Neighbor as Yourself")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The lawyer's question, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?", serves as a timeless prompt for personal reflection on our own priorities in faith. In an age often characterized by complexity and an overwhelming amount of information, we, like the lawyer, can easily become bogged down in the minutiae of religious practice or theological debate, losing sight of the core principles. Jesus' response to this question, which immediately follows, redirects our focus from a fragmented understanding of rules to a unified understanding of love. It challenges us to examine whether our faith is primarily about outward performance or an inward transformation rooted in genuine love for God and our fellow human beings. This verse compels us to ask if our spiritual efforts are truly centered on the heart of God's desire, which is always relational and rooted in self-giving love.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life do I tend to prioritize external rules or traditions over the spirit of love for God and others?**
* **How might a deeper understanding of "the great commandment" simplify and unify my approach to Christian living?**
* **Am I genuinely seeking to understand God's heart and primary will, or am I more concerned with fulfilling a checklist of religious duties?**

### FAQ
**Why did the lawyer ask Jesus this specific question?**

Answer: The lawyer, a Pharisee and expert in the Mosaic Law, asked this question primarily to test Jesus. It was a common rabbinic debate to identify the greatest commandment among the 613 laws of the Torah. By asking Jesus to choose, the lawyer hoped to elicit an answer that would either contradict established rabbinic teaching, alienate a particular school of thought, or cause Jesus to diminish other commandments, thereby providing grounds for accusation or discrediting Him in the eyes of the people. This was part of a larger strategy by the religious authorities to trap Jesus during His final week in Jerusalem, as seen in other challenging questions like those about paying taxes to Caesar ([Matthew 22:15-22](/matthew/22-15-22 "Matthew 22:15-22 - Paying Taxes to Caesar")) or the Sadducees' question about the resurrection ([Matthew 22:23-33](/matthew/22-23-33 "Matthew 22:23-33 - The Sadducees' Question About the Resurrection")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Matthew 22:36 presents a question posed to Jesus, it is in His subsequent answer that we find its Christ-centered fulfillment. Jesus, as the incarnate Word of God, perfectly embodies and supremely fulfills the "great commandment" He articulates. He is the ultimate example of one who loved the Lord His God with all His heart, soul, and mind, demonstrating perfect obedience to the Father even unto death ([Philippians 2:8](/philippians/2-8 "Philippians 2:8 - Christ's Obedience")). Furthermore, He is the quintessential embodiment of loving one's neighbor as oneself, laying down His life for humanity ([John 15:13](/john/15-13 "John 15:13 - Greater Love Has No One Than This")). In Jesus, the Law's demands are not merely met but transcended and fulfilled, for "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes" ([Romans 10:4](/romans/10-4 "Romans 10:4 - Christ, the End of the Law")). His life, death, and resurrection reveal that the essence of God's Law is found in self-giving love, a love that He not only commanded us to practice ([John 13:34-35](/john/13-34-35 "John 13:34-35 - The New Commandment")) but also perfectly demonstrated, enabling us through the Spirit to live out the very love that fulfills the Law ([Romans 13:10](/romans/13-10 "Romans 13:10 - Love Fulfills the Law")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Mark 12:28

¶ And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?

Mark 12:33

And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love [his] neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

Matthew 5:19

Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:20

For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Luke 11:42

But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Matthew 23:23

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier [matters] of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Matthew 23:24

[Ye] blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.