Matthew 22:34-40

Context

The Greatest Commandment

22:34 Now when the Pharisees¹ heard that he had silenced the Sadducees,² they assembled together.³ 22:35 And one of them, an expert in religious law,⁴ asked him a question to test⁵ him: 22:36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”⁶ 22:37 Jesus⁷ said to him, “‘Love⁸ the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’⁹ 22:38 This is the first and greatest¹⁰ commandment. 22:39 The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’¹¹ 22:40 All the law and the prophets depend¹² on these two commandments.”

Mark 12:28-34

Context

The Greatest Commandment

12:28 Now¹³ one of the experts in the law¹⁴ came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus¹⁵ answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 12:29 Jesus answered, “The most important is: ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 12:30 Love¹⁶ the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’¹⁷ 12:31 The second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’¹⁸ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 12:32 The expert in the law said to him, “That is true, Teacher; you are right to say that he is one, and there is no one else besides him.¹⁹ 12:33 And to love him with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength²⁰ and to love your neighbor as yourself²¹ is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 12:34 When Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Then no one dared any longer to question him.

Acts 23:9

Context
23:9 There was a great commotion,²² and some experts in the law²³ from the party of the Pharisees stood up²⁴ and protested strongly,²⁵ “We find nothing wrong²⁶ with this man. What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?”

[22:34] ¹sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.

[22:34] ²sn See the note on Sadducees in 3:7.

[22:34] ³tn Grk “for the same.” That is, for the same purpose that the Sadducees had of testing Jesus.

[22:35] ⁴tn Traditionally, “a lawyer.” This was an expert in the interpretation of the Mosaic law.

[22:35] ⁵tn Grk “testing.” The participle, however, is telic in force.

[22:36] ⁶tn Or possibly “What sort of commandment in the law is great?”

[22:37] ⁷tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[22:37] ⁸tn Grk “You will love.” The future indicative is used here with imperatival force (see ExSyn 452 and 569).

[22:37] ⁹sn 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.

[22:38] ¹⁰tn Grk “the great and first.”

[22:39] ¹¹sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.

[22:40] ¹²tn Grk “hang.” The verb κρεμάννυμι (kremannumi) is used here with a figurative meaning (cf. BDAG 566 s.v. 2.b).

[12:28] ¹³tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

[12:28] ¹⁴tn Or “One of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.

[12:28] ¹⁵tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:30] ¹⁶tn Grk “You will love.” The future indicative is used here with imperatival force (see ExSyn 452 and 569).

[12:30] ¹⁷sn A quotation from Deut 6:4-5 and Josh 22:5 (LXX). The fourfold reference to different parts of the person says, in effect, that one should love God with all one’s being.

[12:31] ¹⁸sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.

[12:32] ¹⁹sn A quotation from Deut 4:35.

[12:33] ²⁰sn A quotation from Deut 6:5.

[12:33] ²¹sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.

[23:9] ²²tn Or “clamor” (cf. BDAG 565 s.v. κραυγή 1.a, which has “there arose a loud outcry” here, and Exod 12:30).

[23:9] ²³tn Or “and some scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 4:5.

[23:9] ²⁴tn Grk “standing up.” The participle ἀναστάντες (anastante") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

[23:9] ²⁵tn Grk “protested strongly, saying.” L&N 39.27 has “διαμάχομαι: to fight or contend with, involving severity and thoroughness – ‘to protest strongly, to contend with.’…‘some scribes from the party of the Pharisees protested strongly’ Ac 23:9.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant and has not been translated.

[23:9] ²⁶sn “We find nothing wrong with this man.” Here is another declaration of innocence. These leaders recognized the possibility that Paul might have the right to make his claim.