Matthew 22:35-39
Context22:35 And one of them, an expert in religious law, 1 asked him a question to test 2 him: 22:36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 3 22:37 Jesus 4 said to him, “‘Love 5 the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 6 22:38 This is the first and greatest 7 commandment. 22:39 The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 8
1 tn Traditionally, “a lawyer.” This was an expert in the interpretation of the Mosaic law.
2 tn Grk “testing.” The participle, however, is telic in force.
3 tn Or possibly “What sort of commandment in the law is great?”
4 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
5 tn Grk “You will love.” The future indicative is used here with imperatival force (see ExSyn 452 and 569).
6 sn A quotation from Deut 6:5. The threefold reference to different parts of the person says, in effect, that one should love God with all one’s being.
7 tn Grk “the great and first.”