Matthew 22:37-39
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Jesus doesn't just quote Deuteronomy 6:5; he intensifies it by adding "mind" to the command. This emphasizes that loving God isn't just about feelings or actions, but also a deliberate engagement of our intellect and thoughts. It’s a call to align our entire thinking process with God.
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. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just been tested by the Pharisees with questions about taxes and the resurrection. In response, he masterfully defeats their arguments, leaving them silenced. Now, a lawyer among them, seeking to trap him, asks which commandment is the greatest in the Law. Jesus answers by quoting from the Old Testament, declaring that the greatest commandment is to love God with all one's being, followed closely by loving one's neighbor.
Jesus doesn't just ask for a piece of your heart; He asks for all of it. What does it truly mean to love God with every fiber of your being?
Jesus here quotes Deuteronomy 6:5, a central passage for Israel. He emphasizes that loving God isn't a casual feeling; it's an active, total devotion.
Heart, Soul, and Mind:
Jesus uses these terms to show that our love for God must permeate every part of who we are. It's not about compartmentalizing your faith, but integrating it into your entire existence. Every thought, every feeling, every decision should be oriented towards Him.
When asked about the greatest commandment, Jesus didn't invent something new. He pointed back to the very core of God's law.
Jesus identifies loving God as the 'first and great commandment.' This isn't just one rule among many; it's the bedrock upon which all other true obedience is built.
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Why is this the 'Greatest' Commandment?
Understand the original words
agapaō · Greek Verb
In a biblical context, refers to a commitment of the will, mind, and emotions that results in sacrificial action. It is the defining characteristic of the believer's relationship with God and others.
kardia · Greek Noun
Often considered the seat of the intellect, will, and inner self. Biblically, it is the center of human personality and the place where decisions for or against God are made.
psychē · Greek Noun
The vital, animating principle of human life. It refers to the individual person, their life-breath, and their existence before God.
dianoia · Greek Noun
Refers to the faculty of understanding, reasoning, and cognition. Loving God with the mind involves dedicating one's intellectual capacities and thoughts to His glory.
plēsion · Greek Noun
Any other person, particularly those within the community of faith, but in Jesus' teaching, it extends to all people, including enemies. It signifies the object of one's duty of care and love.
This verse directly quotes Deuteronomy 6:5, a foundational text for Jewish faith known as the Shema. Jesus's citation in the context of intense debate with religious leaders highlights its central importance in Jewish understanding of God's Law, even as He redefines its application.
c. 1500 BC
Moses receives the Law
The core commandments, including the Shema and the command to love God, are given to Moses on Mount Sinai.
c. 1400 BC
Deuteronomy written
The book of Deuteronomy records the command to love God with all heart, soul, and strength, emphasizing God's oneness and covenant love.
c. 1st Century AD
Pharisees and Scribes debate
Religious leaders, including Pharisees and scribes, actively engaged in debates about the Law and its interpretation, often seeking to test Jesus.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus is questioned about the Law
Jesus is repeatedly questioned by religious authorities, including lawyers and scribes, seeking to trap Him or test His understanding of the Law.
c. AD 30
Jesus summarizes the Law
In response to questions, Jesus identifies loving God with all one's being and loving one's neighbor as the two greatest commandments, fulfilling the Law and the Prophets.
This passage is the direct source of Jesus' quote, establishing the Old Testament foundation for loving God with one's entire being.
Luke 10:27This parallel account includes 'strength' alongside heart, soul, and mind, emphasizing that this love should permeate every aspect of our physical and mental capabilities.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7While Matthew 22:37 focuses on loving God, this passage describes the characteristics of love itself, providing a crucial understanding of what 'loving God' should look like in action, especially concerning our neighbor.
Romans 12:1-2This passage calls believers to offer their 'bodies as a living sacrifice,' which directly relates to the concept of loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind, urging a transformation that aligns our entire being with God's will.
John 14:15Jesus connects obedience to His commands with love for Him, underscoring that true love for God, as commanded in Matthew 22:37, is demonstrated through our actions and willingness to follow His teachings.
calvinMatthew 22:34-40: "But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together."
- But when the Pharisees heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they assembled together. 35. And one of them, a doctor of the law, put a question to him, tempting him, and saying, 36. Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37. Jesus saith to him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38. Th…
henryMatthew 22:34-40: "But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together."
22:34-40 An interpreter of the law asked our Lord a question, to try, not so much his knowledge, as his judgment. The love of God is the first and great commandment, and the sum of all the commands of the first table. Our love of God must be sincere, not in word and tongue only. All our love is too little to bestow upon him, therefore all the powers of the soul must be eng…
Jesus doesn't just quote Deuteronomy 6:5; he intensifies it by adding "mind" to the command. This emphasizes that loving God isn't just about feelings or actions, but also a deliberate engagement of our intellect and thoughts. It’s a call to align our entire thinking process with God.
Jesus has just been tested by the Pharisees with questions about taxes and the resurrection. In response, he masterfully defeats their arguments, leaving them silenced. Now, a lawyer among them, seeking to trap him, asks which commandment is the greatest in the Law. Jesus answers by quoting from the Old Testament, declaring that the greatest commandment is to love God with all one's being, followed closely by loving one's neighbor.
Jesus has just been tested by the Pharisees with questions about taxes and the resurrection. In response, he masterfully defeats their arguments, leaving them silenced. Now, a lawyer among them, seeking to trap him, asks which commandment is the greatest in the Law. Jesus answers by quoting from the Old Testament, declaring that the greatest commandment is to love God with all one's being, followed closely by loving one's neighbor.
"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. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." — Jesus doesn't just quote Deuteronomy 6:5; he intensifies it by adding "mind" to the command. This emphasizes that loving God isn't just about feelings or actions, but also a deliberate engagement of…
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Last reviewed October 2026
