Matthew 22:38

KJV

This is the first and great commandment.

KJV (with Strong's)

This {G3778} is {G2076} the first {G4413} and {G2532} great {G3173} commandment {G1785}.

Complete Jewish Bible

This is the greatest and most important mitzvah.

Berean Standard Bible

This is the first and greatest commandment.

American Standard Version

This is the great and first commandment.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Matthew 22:38 emphatically declares the preeminent status of the commandment to love God with all one's heart, soul, and mind. This verse serves as Jesus' powerful summation, establishing this divine directive not merely as a primary instruction but as the foundational and most significant principle upon which all righteous living and spiritual understanding are built. It underscores the absolute priority of a believer's holistic devotion to the Creator.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This profound declaration by Jesus occurs during the final week of His earthly ministry in Jerusalem, a period marked by intense theological and confrontational exchanges with various Jewish religious factions. Following attempts by the Sadducees to entrap Him with a question about the resurrection, a lawyer, identified as a Pharisee in [Matthew 22:34](/matthew/22-34 "Matthew 22:34 - Pharisees Conspire Against Jesus"), approaches Jesus with a pivotal question: "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?" ([Matthew 22:36](/matthew/22-36 "Matthew 22:36 - The Lawyer's Question")). Jesus' immediate response, drawn directly from the [Shema in Deuteronomy 6:5](/deuteronomy/6-5 "Deuteronomy 6:5 - The Shema, Love God"), is to love God supremely. Verse 38 then serves as Jesus' authoritative pronouncement on the unparalleled importance of this first commandment, setting the stage for His subsequent declaration of the second great commandment in [Matthew 22:39](/matthew/22-39 "Matthew 22:39 - The Second Great Commandment") and His summary that these two encapsulate the entire Law and Prophets in [Matthew 22:40](/matthew/22-40 "Matthew 22:40 - Love Fulfills the Law").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The question posed to Jesus was not arbitrary but reflected a common and vigorous debate among Jewish rabbis and scribes of the Second Temple period. The Torah contained 613 distinct commandments (Mitzvot), and scholars often engaged in discussions to identify which were the most weighty or foundational. This intellectual exercise aimed to understand the hierarchy and core principles of God's Law. The "Shema" (Hear, O Israel), found in [Deuteronomy 6:4-5](/deuteronomy/6-4-5 "Deuteronomy 6:4-5 - The Shema"), was a central confession of faith recited daily by devout Jews, emphasizing monotheism and the command to love God with one's entire being. Jesus' answer would have resonated deeply within this cultural framework, affirming the traditional understanding of the Shema's centrality while simultaneously elevating it to the supreme position among all commandments.
* **Key Themes:** The verse contributes significantly to several overarching themes within Matthew's Gospel and biblical theology. Firstly, it highlights the **Supreme Priority of Love for God**. By labeling this commandment as "first and great," Jesus unequivocally establishes it as the foundational and most significant of all divine directives, transcending mere ritual or legal observance. Secondly, it underscores the theme of **Holistic Devotion**. While [Matthew 22:38](/matthew/22-38 "Matthew 22:38 - The First and Great Commandment") itself doesn't reiterate the components of love (heart, soul, mind), it implicitly refers back to Jesus' full statement in [Matthew 22:37](/matthew/22-37 "Matthew 22:37 - Love God with All Your Being"), signifying that love for God must engage every aspect of a person's being—emotions, will, intellect, and even physical strength, as noted in parallel accounts like [Mark 12:30](/mark/12-30 "Mark 12:30 - The Greatest Commandment in Mark"). Finally, this verse, in conjunction with the following verses, develops the theme of the **Fulfillment of the Law**. Jesus reveals that all other commands, and indeed the entire Law and the Prophets, are encapsulated and fulfilled by these two great commandments of love for God and neighbor, making them the interpretive key to God's entire revelation.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **first (Greek, _prōtos'_):** From G4413, this word signifies not merely chronological order but, more importantly, preeminence, supreme importance, and being chief among others. In this context, it denotes that this commandment holds the highest rank and is foundational to all others.
* **great (Greek, _mégas'_):** From G3173, this term conveys magnitude, power, and significance. When applied to the commandment, it emphasizes its immense weight, authority, and profound impact on human life and divine relationship. It is a command of unparalleled import.
* **commandment (Greek, _entolḗ'_):** From G1785, this refers to an injunction, an authoritative prescription, or a precept. It highlights that this is a direct, binding directive from God, carrying divine authority and requiring obedience.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"This is":** This phrase directly refers to the commandment Jesus has just articulated in [Matthew 22:37](/matthew/22-37 "Matthew 22:37 - Love God with All Your Being")—to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. It serves as a definitive identification of the subject of His pronouncement.
* **"the first":** This clause emphasizes the unparalleled priority of loving God. It implies not only that this commandment is chronologically primary in the Law but, more significantly, that it holds the supreme position in terms of importance, foundational nature, and spiritual weight. It is the chief and most essential directive.
* **"and great commandment.":** This concluding phrase reinforces and amplifies the significance of the preceding "first." The addition of "great" underscores the immense magnitude, profound importance, and far-reaching implications of this command. Together, "first and great" leave no ambiguity about its unparalleled authority and centrality in God's revealed will and for human conduct.

#### Literary Devices
Matthew 22:38 employs several literary devices to underscore the profound importance of Jesus' statement. The most prominent is **Emphasis**, achieved through the powerful coupling of "first and great." This combination is a form of **Hendiadys**, where two words joined by "and" express a single, intensified idea—in this case, "the supremely great commandment." This dual descriptor elevates the commandment beyond mere importance to a position of ultimate preeminence and magnitude. The verse also functions as a **Declaration**, a concise and authoritative statement that leaves no room for debate regarding the commandment's status. Furthermore, it acts as a **Climax** within Jesus' response to the lawyer's question, providing the definitive answer and setting the stage for the subsequent explanation of the Law's summary.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The declaration in Matthew 22:38 is profoundly theological, revealing the very heart of God's character and His desire for humanity. It posits that the essence of all divine law and the foundation of a right relationship with God is not ritualistic adherence or external performance, but an internal, all-encompassing love. This love is not merely an emotion but an active, holistic devotion that engages every faculty of one's being—intellect, emotion, and will. It reflects God's own nature as love and His primary call for His creation to reciprocate that love, making it the wellspring from which all true obedience and spiritual flourishing flow.

* [Deuteronomy 6:5](/deuteronomy/6-5 "Deuteronomy 6:5 - The Shema")
* [Matthew 22:37](/matthew/22-37 "Matthew 22:37 - The First Commandment")
* [Matthew 22:40](/matthew/22-40 "Matthew 22:40 - On These Two Commandments Hang All the Law and the Prophets")
* [John 14:15](/john/14-15 "John 14:15 - If You Love Me, Keep My Commandments")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Matthew 22:38 serves as a profound challenge and a guiding principle for every believer, calling us to a radical reorientation of our lives around the singular priority of loving God. It teaches that genuine spirituality begins not with outward displays or adherence to a list of rules, but with an internal, all-consuming affection and devotion to our Creator. For us today, this means consciously evaluating if our deepest affections, thoughts, and energies are truly directed towards Him. It compels us to move beyond mere religious duty to a heartfelt, passionate pursuit of God, recognizing that our obedience to His commands is ultimately an overflow of our love for Him. This verse invites us to cultivate a love that is not compartmentalized but permeates every aspect of our existence, transforming our motivations, choices, and daily interactions into expressions of our supreme love for the Lord.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does my daily life practically reflect the "first and great" love for God that this verse commands?**
* **In what specific areas of my heart, soul, and mind do I need to grow in expressing more holistic love for God?**
* **How does understanding this commandment as "first and great" change my perspective on other spiritual disciplines or biblical commands?**

### FAQ
**Why does Jesus call this the "first and great" commandment?**

Answer: Jesus calls this the "first and great" commandment because it is foundational and preeminent above all others. "First" (Greek: _prōtos_) implies not just chronological order, but supreme importance and priority. It's the chief commandment from which all others derive their meaning and power. "Great" (Greek: _mégas_) emphasizes its immense magnitude, weight, and significance. Together, these terms underscore that loving God with one's entire being is the ultimate and most comprehensive directive, encapsulating the very essence of a right relationship with the Creator and serving as the wellspring for all other righteous actions and attitudes. It is the command that defines the core of God's desire for humanity.

**How does this commandment relate to the rest of the Law and the Prophets?**

Answer: As Jesus Himself explains in [Matthew 22:40](/matthew/22-40 "Matthew 22:40 - Love Fulfills the Law"), "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." This means that the commandment to love God (the first and great commandment) and the subsequent commandment to love your neighbor as yourself ([Matthew 22:39](/matthew/22-39 "Matthew 22:39 - The Second Great Commandment")) are the interpretive keys and the ultimate fulfillment of all God's revealed will. All the specific laws, moral injunctions, and prophetic declarations in the Old Testament are ultimately expressions of, or lead back to, these two fundamental principles of love for God and love for humanity. They are not merely two commands among many, but the very essence and summary of divine expectation.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Matthew 22:38, declaring the first and great commandment, finds its ultimate fulfillment and perfect embodiment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is the only one who perfectly loved the Lord His God with all His heart, soul, and mind, demonstrating flawless devotion throughout His earthly life. His entire ministry, from His obedience to the Father's will to His sacrificial death, was an expression of this supreme love. Furthermore, Jesus did not merely teach this commandment; He lived it out, becoming the living standard by which this "first and great" love is defined. Through His atoning work on the cross, He not only fulfilled the Law on our behalf but also made it possible for us, through the indwelling Holy Spirit, to begin to truly love God in the way commanded ([Romans 5:5](/romans/5-5 "God's Love Poured Out")). The new covenant, inaugurated by Christ's blood, writes this law of love on our hearts ([Jeremiah 31:33](/jeremiah/31-33 "The New Covenant")), empowering believers to live out the very essence of the Law that Jesus summarized. Thus, the "first and great commandment" points to Christ as its perfect fulfiller and the source of our ability to obey it ([John 15:5](/john/15-5 "Abide in Me")).

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.