Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 22:37
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.
37. See Deu 6:5.
heart soul mind ] St Mark and St Luke add “strength.” In Deut. the words are heart soul might. Heart includes the emotions, will, purpose; soul, the spiritual faculties; mind, the intellect, the thinking faculty. This greatest commandment was written on the phylactery which the “lawyer” was probably wearing. See ch. Mat 23:5.
St Mark ( Mar 12:32-34) adds the lawyer’s rejoinder and the commendation of Jesus, “thou art not far from the Kingdom of God.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 37. Thou shalt love the Lord] This is a subject of the greatest importance, and should be well understood, as our Lord shows that the whole of true religion is comprised in thus loving God and our neighbour.
It may not be unnecessary to inquire into the literal meaning of the word love. , from , I love, is supposed to be compounded either of and , to act vehemently or intensely; or, from , because love is always active, and will act in every possible way; for he who loves is, with all his affection and desire, carried forward to the beloved object, in order to possess and enjoy it. Some derive it from and , to be completely at rest, or, to be intensely satisfied; because he who loves is supremely contented with, and rests completely satisfied in, that which he loves. Others, from and , because a person eagerly embraces, and vigorously holds fast, that which is the object of his love. Lastly, others suppose it to be compounded of , I admire, and , I rest, because that which a man loves intensely he rests in, with fixed admiration and contemplation. So that genuine love changes not, but always abides steadily attached to that which is loved.
Whatever may be thought of these etymologies, as being either just or probable, one thing will be evident to all those who know what love means, that they throw much light upon the subject, and manifest it in a variety of striking points of view. The ancient author of a MS. Lexicon in the late French king’s library, under the word , has the following definition: – . “A pleasing surrender of friendship to a friend: – an identity or sameness of soul.” A sovereign preference given to one above all others, present or absent: a concentration of all the thoughts and desires in a single object, which a man prefers to all others. Apply this definition to the love which God requires of his creatures, and you will have the most correct view of the subject. Hence it appears that, by this love, the soul eagerly cleaves to, affectionately admires, and constantly rests in God, supremely pleased and satisfied with him as its portion: that it acts from him, as its author; for him, as its master; and to him, as its end. That, by it, all the powers and faculties of the mind are concentrated in tho Lord of the universe. That, by it, the whole man is willingly surrendered to the Most High: and that, through it, an identity, or sameness of spirit with the Lord is acquired-the man being made a partaker of the Divine nature, having the mind in him which was in Christ, and thus dwelling in God, and God in him.
But what is implied in loving God with all the heart, soul, mind, strength, c., and when may a man be said to do this?
1. He loves God with all his heart, who loves nothing in comparison of him, and nothing but in reference to him: – who is ready to give up, do, or suffer any thing in order to please and glorify him:-who has in his heart neither love nor hatred, hope nor fear, inclination, nor aversion, desire, nor delight, but as they relate to God, and are regulated by him.
2. He loves God with all his soul, or rather, , with all his life, who is ready to give up life for his sake – to endure all sorts of torments, and to be deprived of all kinds of comforts, rather than dishonour God: – who employs life with all its comforts, and conveniences, to glorify God in, by, and through all: – to whom life and death are nothing, but as they come from and lead to God, From this Divine principle sprang the blood of the martyrs, which became the seed of the Church. They overcame through the blood of the Lamb, and loved not their lives unto the death. See Re 12:11.
3. He loves God with all his strength (Mr 12:30 Lu 10:27) who exerts all the powers of his body and soul in the service of God: – who, for the glory of his Maker, spares neither labour nor cost – who sacrifices his time, body, health, ease, for the honour of God his Divine Master: – who employs in his service all his goods, his talents, his power, credit, authority, and influence.
4. He loves God with all his mind (intellect – ) who applies himself only to know God, and his holy will: – who receives with submission, gratitude, and pleasure, the sacred truths which God has revealed to man: – who studies no art nor science but as far as it is necessary for the service of God, and uses it at all times to promote his glory – who forms no projects nor designs but in reference to God and the interests of mankind: – who banishes from his understanding and memory every useless, foolish, and dangerous thought, together with every idea which has any tendency to defile his soul, or turn it for a moment from the centre of eternal repose. In a word, he who sees God in all things – thinks of him at all times – having his mind continually fixed upon God, acknowledging him in all his ways – who begins, continues, and ends all his thoughts, words, and works, to the glory of his name: – this is the person who loves God with all his heart, life, strength, and intellect. He is crucified to the world, and the world to him: he lives, yet not he, but Christ lives in him. He beholds as in a glass the glory of the Lord, and is changed into the same image from glory to glory. Simply and constantly looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of his faith, he receives continual supplies of enlightening and sanctifying grace, and is thus fitted for every good word and work. O glorious state! far, far, beyond this description! which comprises an ineffable communion between the ever-blessed Trinity and the soul of man!
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Jesus said unto him,…. Directly, without taking time to think of it; and though he knew with what design it was put to him, yet, as an answer to it might be useful and instructive to the people, as well as silence and confound his adversaries, he thought fit to give one; and is as follows, being what is expressed in De 6:5.
thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind; that is, with all the powers and faculties of the soul, the will, the understanding, and the affections; in the most sincere, upright, and perfect manner, without any dissimulation and hypocrisy, and above all objects whatever, for this the law requires; and which man, in his state of innocence, was capable of, though now fallen, he is utterly unable to perform; so far from it, that without the grace of God, he has no true love at all to God, in his heart, soul and mind, but all the reverse; his carnal mind is enmity against God, and everything that is divine and good, or that belongs unto him: and though this is now the case of man, yet his obligation to love the Lord in this manner is still the same; and when the Spirit of God does produce the grace and fruit of love in his soul, he does love the Lord sincerely; because of the perfections of his nature, and the works of his hands, and because of the blessings of grace bestowed, and especially for Christ, the unspeakable gift of his love; and most affectionately does he love him, when he is most sensible of his everlasting and unchangeable love to him, and when that is shed abroad by the Spirit; “for we love him, because he first loved us”, 1Jo 4:19 instead of, “with all thy mind”, as here, in De 6:5 it is read, “with all thy might”; and which clause is here added by the Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions, as it is in
Mr 12:30. The Hebrew phrase seems to denote the vehemency of affections, with which God is to be beloved. Though the Jewish writers s paraphrase and interpret it, “with all thy substance”, or “money”; and in the Misna t, the following interpretation is given of the whole;
“”with all thy heart”, with thy imaginations, with the good imagination, and with the evil imagination; and “with all thy soul”, even if he should take away thy soul; and “with all thy strength”, with all thy “mammon”, or riches; or otherwise, “with all thy might”, with every measure he measures unto thee, do thou measure unto him;”
that is, as one of the commentators says u, whether it be good or evil; or, as another w, in every case that happens give thanks to God, and praise him. And certain it is, that as God is to be loved in the strongest manner we are capable of, and with all we have, and are; so always, at all times, under all dispensations of his providence, and upon all accounts, and for all he does towards, in, upon, and for us.
s Targum Onk. & Jarchi in Deut. vi. 5. t Beracot, c. 9. sect. 5. Vid. Targum Jon. in Dent. vi. 5. u Bartenora in Misn. ib. w Maimon. in ib.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Mat 22:37
. Thou shalt love the Lord thou God. According to Mark, the preface is inserted, that Jehovah alone is the God of Israel; by which words God supports the authority of his law in two ways. For, first, it ought to be a powerful excitement to the worship of God, when we are fully convinced that we worship the actual Creator of heaven and earth, because indifference is naturally produced by doubt; and, secondly, because it is a pleasing inducement to love him, when he freely adopts us as his people. So then, that they may not hesitate, as usually happens in cases of uncertainty, the Jews are informed that the rule of life is prescribed to them by the true and only God; and, on the other hand, that they may not be kept back by distrust, God approaches to them in a familiar manner, and reminds them of his gracious covenant with them. And yet there is no reason to doubt that the Lord distinguishes himself from all idols, that the Jews may not be drawn aside from him, but may adhere to the pure worship of God himself. Now if uncertainty does not keep back the wretched worshippers of idols from being carried away to the love of them by impetuous zeal, what excuse is left for the hearers of the Law, if they remain indifferent, after that God has revealed himself to them?
What follows is an abridgment of the Law, (73) which is also found in the writings of Moses, (Deu 6:5.) For, though it is divided into two tables, the first of which relates to the worship of God, and the second to charity, Moses properly and wisely draws up this summary, (74) that the Jews may perceive what is the will of God in each of the commandments. And although we ought to love God far more than men, yet most properly does God, instead of worship or honor, require love from us, because in this way he declares that no other worship is pleasing to Him than what is voluntary; for no man will actually obey God but he who loves Him. But as the wicked and sinful inclinations of the flesh draw us aside from what is right, Moses shows that our life will not be regulated aright till the love of God fill all our senses. Let us therefore learn, that the commencement of godliness is the love of God, because God disdains the forced services of men, and chooses to be worshipped freely and willingly; and let us also learn, that under the love of God is included the reverence due to him.
Moses does not add the mind, but mentions only the heart, and the soul, and the strength; and though the present division into four clauses is more full, yet it does not alter the sense. For while Moses intends to teach generally that God ought to be perfectly loved, and that whatever powers belong to men ought to be devoted to this object, he reckoned it enough, after mentioning the soul and the heart, to add the strength, that he might not leave any part of us uninfluenced by the love of God; and we know also that under the word heart the Hebrews sometimes include the mind, (75) particularly when it is joined to the word soul What is the difference between the mind and the heart, both in this passage and in Matthew, I do not trouble myself to inquire, except that I consider the mind to denote the loftier abode of reason, from which all our thoughts and deliberations flow.
It now appears from this summary that, in the commandments of the Law, God does not look at what men can do, but at what they ought to do; since in this infirmity of the flesh it is impossible that perfect love can obtain dominion, for we know how strongly all the senses of our soul are disposed to vanity. Lastly, we learn from this, that God does not rest satisfied with the outward appearance of works, but chiefly demands the inward feelings, that from a good root good fruits may grow.
(73) “ Un abbregé ou sommaire de la Loy;” — “an abridgment or summary of the Law.”
(74) “ Moyse a fort bien et sagement comprins le tout en ce sommaire;” — “Moses has very properly and wisely comprehended the whole in this summary.”
(75) “ L’entendement;” — “the understanding.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(37) Thou shalt love the Lord thy God.In St. Marks report (Mar. 12:29) our Lords answer begins with the Creed of Israel (Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord), and so the truth is in its right position as the foundation of the duty. It is significant (1) that the answer comes from the same chapter (Deu. 6:4-5) which supplied our Lord with two out of His three answers to the Tempter (see Notes on Mat. 4:4; Mat. 4:7); and (2) that He does but repeat the answer that had been given before by the certain lawyer who stood up tempting Him, in Luk. 10:25. In their ethical teaching the Pharisees had grasped the truth intellectually, though they did not realise it in their lives, and our Lord did not shrink, therefore, so far, from identifying His teaching with theirs. Truth was truth, even though it was held by the Pharisees and coupled with hypocrisy.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
37. Jesus said Jesus gave him not only that which is greatest, but that which, if properly kept, will indeed keep the whole. Heart soul mind All the affections and powers of the man.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.”
Jesus went right to the heart of the matter, citing Deu 6:5. This could hardly fail to meet with their approval for it was in fact a verse which was central to Jewish worship, and repeated by every good Jew each day. It was considered so important that it was carried around in the phylacteries worn by Pharisees on their heads and arms and fixed to their doors in small tubes (on the basis of Deu 6:8-9, interpreted literally). They would thus not have doubted its great importance. And this verse points out that the most important of God’s requirements is that we love Him ‘with heart and soul and mind’, in other words with the whole of our inward beings. (Mark also has ‘and mind’, and adds ‘and strength’ which is found in Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy, however omits ‘mind’, although having said that, mind is included within the Old Testament idea of the ‘heart’. Thus all the descriptions intertwine, for where a man’s heart and soul and mind are involved, so also is his strength). So Jesus was saying that this love for God lies at the heart of all true worship, and of all true morality. But what are to understand by ‘loving God’. It indicates the kind of response that longs for God and continually owns His worth, and thus longs to please Him and do His will because of His total worthiness. But it also includes along with that the idea of trusting Him fully and serving Him truly And once this command is in place and observed all the rest truly is commentary, for it embraces all that God requires of us. Once a man or woman loves God like this their whole lives will be lived in order to please Him, and they will seek to be ‘perfect’ even as He is ‘perfect (Mat 5:48).
Putting the idea of a heartfelt relationship with God as lying at the root of man’s behaviour is not a new concept. The idea can also be found in Deu 10:12; 1Sa 15:22; Isa 1:11-18; Isa 43:21-24; Isa 44:5; Jer 31:33-34; Eze 36:26-27; Hos 6:6; Amo 5:21-24; Mic 6:6-8.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Mat 22:37. Thou shalt lovewith all thy heart, &c. These words heart, soul, &c. though used promiscuously, yet, when thus put together, seem intended to express, after a more distinct manner, the requisite circumstances of that obedience which is the proper evidence of our love towards God. The words with all thy heart imply, that our love and obedience should be sincere, consisting not in the external act only, but likewise in the inward affections of the mind. The words with all thy soul shew, that our obedience must be universal; for he does not love God in the Scripture sense, who obeys him in some instances only, and not in all. Lastly, the words with all thy mind teach, that our obedience to God ought to be willing and cheerful.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
37 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.
Ver. 37. Thou shalt love the Lord ] God must be loved and honoured by us, , saith one; truly, that there be no halting, and totally, that there be no halving; he will not divide with the devil, as the Circassians are said to divide their whole life between rapine and religion. God’s service must be the totum hominis,Ecc 12:13Ecc 12:13 , and the bonum hominis, Mic 6:8 . We should love him infinitely; which, because we cannot, we must love him unfeignedly; but how far short we come in loving him with all our heart, soul, strength, &c. (which yet the Papists affirm feasible), appears by our lives, which, do what we can, are fuller of sins than the firmament is of stars or the furnace of sparks.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
37. . . . ] Not, ‘ The LORD as thy God ,’ but the LORD thy God.
Mat 22:37 . , etc. Jesus replies by citing Deu 6:5 , which inculcates supreme, devoted love to God, and pronouncing this the great ( ) and greatest, first ( ) commandment. The clauses referring to heart, soul, and mind are to be taken cumulatively, as meaning love to the uttermost degree; with “all that is within” us ( , Psa 103:1 ). This commandment is cited not merely as an individual precept, but as indicating the spirit that gives value to all obedience.
Thou shalt love, &c. Quoted from Deu 6:5; Deu 10:12; Deu 30:6.
the LORD = Jehovah. App-98.
soul. Greek. psuche. App-110.
37. . . . ] Not, The LORD as thy God,-but the LORD thy God.
Mat 22:37. , …, thou shalt love, etc.) Moses repeats this in Deu 6:8, from the Decalogue in Ib. Mat 5:10; and it is frequently repeated in the same book, of which it is the sum, the last time with a most solemn adjuration; Ib. 30:19, 20.- , ,[972] with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Those who have copied or collated MSS., have for the most part treated the article with indifference; but as far as can be gathered from MSS. lately collated, St Matthew introduced the article only in the last clause. In the Hebrew it is , q.d., and with all thy strength (et in omni validitate tu). The LXX. render it , and with all thy might. In St Mark it is, , , and with all thy mind and with all thy strength. In St Luk 10:27, it is , one Hebrew word, [973] being expressed by two Greek ones. [sc. , strength, and , mind, or understanding.] Even the Hebrew accents[974] distinguish this third clause from the two previous ones, which are closely united. They all form an epitasis,[975] with which St Matthews introduction of the article only in the third clause agrees. John James Syrbius, Philos. prim, Part I., ch. i., 1, thus expresses himself,-Of ALL those things which are ever found in man, there are three fundamental principles, idea, desire, and emotion. ALL ought to be animated and governed by the love of God.
[972] E. M. has , , .-(I. B.)
[973] – 1)subst. m. strength, force, from the root . No. 3, Deu 6:5, And thou shalt love Jehovah thy God with all thy heart, with all thy mind, , and with all thy strength, i.e. in the highest degree. Gesenius.-(I. B.)
[974] For some account of the Hebrew accents, see p. 132, f. n. 5.-(I. B.)
[975] See explanation of technical terms in Appendix-(I. B.)
DZ. support the articles before , and before : the reading of B. is doubtful. Only inferior uncial MSS. ., etc., omit the articles.-ED.
Deu 6:5, Deu 10:12, Deu 30:6, Mar 12:29, Mar 12:30, Mar 12:33, Luk 10:27, Rom 8:7, Heb 10:16, Heb 10:17, 1Jo 5:2-5
Reciprocal: Lev 3:14 – the fat that covereth Lev 3:16 – all the fat Deu 11:22 – to love Deu 30:16 – to love Jos 22:5 – love 1Ki 2:4 – with all their heart 1Ki 3:3 – loved 2Ki 23:3 – with all their heart Psa 119:96 – but thy Mat 10:37 – that loveth father Mat 22:21 – and Mat 23:23 – the weightier Joh 5:23 – all men Rom 5:5 – because Rom 7:14 – the law Eph 6:24 – in sincerity 1Jo 2:7 – but 1Jo 4:21 – General
THE CHARACTER OF LOVE
Thou shalt love.
Mat 22:37
I stop short at these few words, because I want to speak about the general principle of love, and not about any special application of it to God or to man.
I. Love must be practicalLove, though it is an emotion, is set before us in the Bible in the most practical aspect. We are not bidden to gauge the warmth of our emotion, but we are to test our love by its fruits.
II. Love must be spiritual.Love to God must in some ways differ in its very nature from love to man. Perhaps it really belongs to a higher part of his nature. If we take the Scriptural division of mans nature into body, soul, and spirit, may it not be that while human love belongs to the soul, the seat of the emotions, love to God belongs rather to the spirit, that part which is made to hold blessed communion with the Divine? Love to God may belong perhaps to a purer, higher, less earthly sphere of our being.
III. How love may be fostered:
(a) There must be the putting away, the strenuous, self-denying putting away of all that can stand in the way of love to God.
(b) There must be the cleansing of the soul by Divine grace, and in the power of a true penitence there must be the cleansing of the soul from every taint of impurity.
(c) There must be meditation upon His love, and yet more by meditation upon His love as manifested in the incarnation and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Bishop Walsham How.
Illustration
I have known a mother sorely troubled in mind because she could love her child, her little babe, so passionately, and yet could not feel the same sort of love to God. My comfort to that mother was this: God did not give you that mothers love for Himself, but for your child. He does not ask you to love Him with a mothers love. He asks you for something higher, something less emotional no doubt, something withdrawn more from earth and earthly sensations, and therefore do not be so grieved because you cannot love God in the same way in which you love your child. I believe you do love God, and I believe that if God called you to do so, you would give that very child to Him at His will.
2:37
Jesus stated to him the commandment that requires wholehearted love for God, against which even this lawyer could not have any objection.
Mat 22:37. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, etc. Quoted from the Septuagint version of Deu 6:5.
With all thy heart, literally, in all thy heart. The whole is a demand for supreme affection. If we distinguish between the phrases, the first refers to the whole energy of the reason and the intellect; soul, the whole energy of sentiment and passion; mind, the whole energy of thought and will in its manifestation. To this Mark adds: with all thy strength, which refers more especially to the manifestations of thought and will.
Mat 22:37-40. Jesus said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart Concerning this first and great commandment, and the words wherewith Moses prefaced it, see note on Deu 6:5; and for the elucidation of this whole paragraph, see the notes on Mar 12:28-34, where the conversation which our Lord had with this scribe is related more at large. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets That is, they contain the substance or abridgment of all the religious and moral duties contained in the law and the prophets, which therefore may be all said to hang or depend on them. The expression, says Dr. Whitby, is a metaphor taken from a custom mentioned by Tertullian of hanging up their laws in a public place to be seen of all men; and it imports that in these precepts is compendiously contained all that the law and prophets require, in reference to our duty to God and man; for though there be some precepts of temperance which we owe to ourselves, yet are they such as we may be moved to perform from the true love of God and of our neighbour; whom if we truly love we cannot be wanting in them. For the love of God will make us humble and contented with our lot; it will preserve us from all intemperance, impatience, and unholy desires; it will make us watchful over ourselves, that we may keep a good conscience, and solicitous for our eternal welfare. And the love of our neighbour will free us from all angry passions, envy, malice, revenge, and other unkind tempers: so that both taken together will introduce into us the whole mind that was in Christ, and cause us to walk as he walked.
22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy {p} soul, and with all thy mind.
(p) The Hebrew text in De 6:5 reads, “with thine heart, soul, and strength”; and in Mr 12:30 and Lu 10:27 we read, “with soul, heart, strength and thought.”
To answer, Jesus quoted Deu 6:5 and then Lev 19:18. The terms "heart," "soul," and "mind" are not completely distinct, watertight categories. They overlap somewhat and together cover the whole person. Taken together the meaning is that we should love God preeminently and unreservedly.
"Jesus loves God with his whole heart, for he is blameless in his fealty to God (Mat 4:1-11). Jesus loves God with his whole soul, for he is prepared to surrender his life should God so will (Mat 26:36-46). And Jesus loves God with his whole mind, for he lays claim for himself neither to the prerogatives of worldly power [cf. Mat 20:25; Mat 20:28; Mat 21:5] nor to the security of family, home, and possessions (Mat 8:20; Mat 12:50)." [Note: Kingsbury, Matthew as . . ., p. 12.]
The "and" in Mat 22:38 is explicative. The one command is great because it is primary.
The second greatest command is similar to the first in character and quality (Mat 22:39). It also deals with love (cf. 1Co 12:13). We should love our fellowman unselfishly (cf. 1Jn 3:17-18).
"A simple reading of Lev 19:18 . . . divulges that the command pertained to loving others, not oneself. The ’as yourself’ part of the command only furnishes a comparison of how Jesus’ disciples are to love others." [Note: Robert L. Thomas, Evangelical Hermeneutics, p. 130.]
The writer just quoted went on to discuss why it is inappropriate hermeneutically to argue from this command that one needs to learn to love himself or herself before he or she can love someone else.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)