Time after Pentecost · Proper 25 · Year A
Matthew 22:34-46
The Greatest Commandment
October 25, 2026
Overview & Insights
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart… and love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37, 39)
In response to Jesus’ three provocative parables, various groups of Jewish leaders initiate confrontations with Jesus (see 22:15, 23, 34). These revolve around Torah adherence and how to live out faithful allegiance to Yahweh, similar to earlier disputes with Jewish leaders in Matthew (e.g., 12:1–14; 15:1–20). As in Jesus’ earlier teachings, love is shown to be central to proper interpretation of the law (22:34–40; see 5:43–48; 19:19). This series of encounters culminates in a final riddle by Jesus regarding his identity and authority, which silences all his opponents (22:41–46) and leads into a series of judgments on the Jewish leaders (chap. 23).
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Commentary
Commentary on Matthew 22:34-46 Working Preacher
The Lutheran home commentary on the great commandment and the question about David's Lord.
Matthew 22:34-46 Commentary Center for Excellence in Preaching
A Reformed preaching commentary on love of God and neighbor as the heart of the Law.
Matthew 22 - The Great Commandment Enduring Word · David Guzik
A verse-by-verse evangelical study of the two great commandments and the Son of David.
Matthew 22 Commentary Precept Austin
An inductive study page gathering word studies and cross references on the chapter.
Matthew 22:34 Commentaries BibleHub
Classic commentaries gathered verse by verse on the greatest commandment.
Matthew 22:34 Verse-by-Verse Commentary StudyLight
A large library of expositors stacked verse by verse for a further voice on the passage.
Background & Word Study
Matthew 22:34 Interlinear BibleHub
The Greek of the passage word by word with parsing and lexical helps.
Enter the Bible: Matthew Enter the Bible
Luther Seminary's book introduction to Matthew for the setting of its temple debates.
Overview: Matthew 14-28 BibleProject
An animated overview of Matthew's second half and its Jerusalem controversies.
The Church Fathers
Questions preachers ask
What are the greatest commandments?
Asked which commandment is greatest, Jesus joins Deuteronomy 6:5 (love God with all your heart, soul, and mind) and Leviticus 19:18 (love your neighbor as yourself), and says all the Law and the Prophets hang on these two (Matthew 22:34–40). He then turns the tables with a question about the Messiah as David’s Lord (22:41–46).
Where does this fall in the lectionary?
Proper 25 (Ordinary 30) in Year A of the Revised Common Lectionary, the Sunday whose date falls between October 23 and 29.
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