Matthew 22:40

On these two Commandements hang all the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 22:40 (KJV)

This verse is part of a larger conversation between Jesus and the religious leaders of his time. In Matthew 22:34-40 we read that the Pharisees, having heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, gathered together. One of them, a lawyer, asked, “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus answered, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 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.”

Jesus therefore summarizes the entire Old Testament Law by emphasizing love for God and love for one’s neighbor. The first commandment he quotes comes from Deuteronomy 6:5, where Moses instructs the Israelites to love God with all their heart, soul, and might—a call to complete devotion and love toward the Creator. The second commandment is drawn from Leviticus 19:18, which commands love toward one’s neighbor as oneself, highlighting the importance of kindness, care, and compassion toward others.

By highlighting these two commandments, Jesus teaches that love is the primacy that fulfills the requirements of the Law. Love for God and love for others are inseparable and form the foundation of a righteous life. When believers genuinely love God with all their being and demonstrate love and compassion toward others, they fulfill the intent of the entire Law and the teachings of the prophets.

Jesus’ teaching also challenges the religious leaders of his day, who focused on external obedience to the Law while neglecting the weightier matters of the heart—love, mercy, and justice. He emphasizes that love is the key to fulfilling God’s purposes and that all the commandments and prophecies of the Old Testament find their ultimate meaning and fulfillment in love.