Matthew 22:36-40 – Meaning & Devotional
"Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 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. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
What This Verse Means
When asked to identify the single most important commandment out of 613, Jesus distills the entire Old Testament into two inseparable commands: love God completely (heart, soul, mind — every dimension of your being) and love your neighbor as yourself. Everything else in Scripture hangs on these two hooks.
By linking them together, Jesus teaches that genuine love for God always produces love for people, and genuine love for people flows from love for God. You cannot truly do one without the other. This is the ultimate simplification of religion: love up and love out.
Historical Context
A Pharisee lawyer posed this question to test Jesus, hoping to trap Him in a theological debate. Rabbis had extensive arguments about which commandments were "heavy" (important) and which were "light" (less important). Jesus' answer combined Deuteronomy 6:5 with Leviticus 19:18, uniting the two tablets of the Law.
How to Apply This Today
Evaluate your love in both directions. Is your love for God wholehearted — engaging your emotions (heart), your will (soul), and your intellect (mind)? Is your love for neighbors as genuine and attentive as your care for yourself? Pick one person to love better today as an expression of your love for God.
Related Verses
1 John 4:20
"If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?"
Romans 13:10
"Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."
Galatians 5:14
"For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
🙏 A Prayer from Matthew 22:36-40
Lord, help me love You with all my heart, soul, and mind — holding nothing back. And help me love my neighbor as myself. Let everything I do flow from these two great commands. Amen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Bible Questions
Common questions people ask about this passage — answered with KJV scripture.
What Is the Great Commandment?
The Great Commandment is Jesus' declaration that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and the second is to love your neighbor as yourself.
Read answerWhat Does the Bible Say About Love?
The Bible teaches that God is love, that He demonstrated love by sending His Son, and that love for God and neighbor is the greatest commandment.
Read answerWhat Does 'Love Your Neighbor as Yourself' Mean?
Jesus called this the second greatest commandment — it means treating others with the same care, dignity, and concern we naturally show ourselves.
Read answerWhat Does the Bible Say About Loving Your Neighbor?
Jesus identified 'love your neighbor as yourself' as the second greatest commandment, and the parable of the Good Samaritan defines neighbor as anyone in need.
Read answerWhat Is Repentance?
Repentance is a genuine change of mind and heart about sin, turning away from it and toward God.
Read answerWho Was King David?
David was the shepherd boy who became Israel's greatest king, known as 'a man after God's own heart' and an ancestor of Jesus Christ.
Read answerDeep Dive Commentary
For a more in-depth study, read our verse-by-verse commentary:
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