Matthew 22:38

This is the first and great Commandement. Matthew 22:38 (KJV)

“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 statement occurs in a dialogue between Jesus and a lawyer who, on behalf of the Pharisees, asks, “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?” The surrounding passage, Matthew 22:34‑40 (KJV), records the full exchange: “But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, 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.”

In this exchange Jesus draws directly from the Old Testament, quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 for the first commandment and echoing Leviticus 19:18 for the second. By linking these two statutes, He summarizes the core principles of a godly life.

Loving God with all heart, soul, and mind calls us to a total devotion that engages every part of our being—our emotions, desires, thoughts, and intellect. It invites a deep, personal, and intimate relationship with the Lord, where every decision and aspiration is oriented toward Him.

Loving our neighbour as ourselves is presented as inseparable from love of God. It expresses that genuine love for God overflows into compassionate, self‑sacrificial care for others. Treating others with kindness, empathy, and respect reflects the character of Christ and fulfills the second commandment.

Jesus declares that on these two commandments “hang all the law and the prophets,” indicating that the entire biblical teaching finds its foundation in love for God and love for people. This truth challenges each believer to examine the depth of their love for God and the quality of their relationships. By cultivating an unwavering love for God and demonstrating sincere love toward others, we align our thoughts, actions, and intentions with God’s commandments, fulfill the greatest commandments, and become living examples of Christ’s character to the world around us.