The Catechism of the Catholic Church discusses the moral requirements of the Gospel using the framework provided by the Ten Commandments which the history of Christian interpretation — in the light of Jesus’ teaching on the two greatest commandments — has conveniently systematized into three commandments for God and seven for man. (cf. CCC 2083). The Lord’s teaching on the two greatest commandments is found in the Synoptic Gospels where Matthew (Matthew 22:34-40) closely follows Mark (Mark 12:28-31); Luke (Luke 10:25-38) gives the teaching a different twist.
Relevant Links
Matthew 22:34-40: The Two Greatest Commandments - Symposium with the Fathers: Loving God and Neighbor
Sunday Thoughts: Love for God and Neighbor
Guide for Reading
The teaching about the two greatest commandments is found within the context of Jesus’ disputations with the power groups of Jerusalem. He had just silenced the Sadducees in their question about the Resurrection. To the Sadduccees and to those listening, Jesus puts himself among those who share the belief of the Pharisees. The question posed to him by a Pharisee about the greatest commandment has to be understood within the context of the Pharisees’ own search for a simplified presentation of the 613 precepts of the Torah, easy to remember and therefore put into practice. The question was therefore posed in a way similar to an academic exercise and intended to put Jesus to the test.
- After making your Sentence Flow, determine how the episode is to be divided into parts.
- Compare your translation with other available translations or go to Biblos for this purpose. See what is being translated with the phrase "scholar of the law" (NAB).
- Compare the phrase "Love God with all …" with the one found in Mark and Luke, and the one found in Deuteronomy 6:5
- Note that Jesus adds "a second one", that is "like it (=the first)"
- Go to a concordance or to Biblos and look for the phrase "law and prophets" in Matthew.
- Review Matthew 5-7 and classify which verses are relevant to "love for God" and "love for neighbor". (The result of this exercise would be good as a future reference later on and can be expanded to include the whole of Matthew’s gospel.)
- Read the following sections of the Catechism of the Catholic Church
Matthew Catechism of the Catholic Church Matthew 22:34-36 CCC 581 Matthew 22:36 CCC 2055 Matthew 22:37-40 CCC 2055 Matthew 22:37 CCC 2083 Matthew 22:40 CCC 1824 - Pope Benedict XVI has written an encyclical called "Deus caritas est" (God is Love). You would do well to read it too.
Comparing the Readings
The selection from Exodus 22:20-26 balances the limited nuance for the word "neighbor" in Leviticus 19:18. While the original meaning of the word as it stands in Leviticus means "fellow-Israelite", there are other passages in the Torah which regulate relationships with foreigners; Exodus 22:20 is one of these. The motivation given for "not molesting" a foreigner is Israel’s memory of having been an alien in a strange land. The rest of the selection focuses on the weak members of society (widows and orphans) and how to lend. The responsorial psalm (Psalm 18:2-51) which expresses the devotee’s love for God. The sentiment expressed in the psalm is that of complete trust in God, which is similar to what Jesus requires from his listeners in Matthew 5-7. Combined with the selection from Exodus gives the message that loving God is expressed in loving those whom He loves.
Suggestions for the Lesson
The topic is too familiar and has been discussed using different frameworks. I would suggest that
- one begins with the image of the cross and use it to explain the intimate connection between love for God ( the vertical bar) and the horizontal bar (the horizontal bar) 1.
- Emphasize that Jesus added the commandment on love for neighbor because it was the one that the Pharisees have been neglecting (see the Marcan connection with Hosea 6:6).
34But the Pharisees hearing that he had silenced the Sadducees, came together:
35And one of them, a doctor of the law, asking him, tempting him:
36Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law?
37Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind.
38This is the greatest and the first commandment.
39And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
40On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets.
28And there came one of the scribes that had heard them reasoning together, and seeing that he had answered them well, asked him which was the first commandment of all.
29And Jesus answered him: The first commandment of all is, Hear, O Israel: the Lord thy God is one God.
30And thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength. This is the first commandment.
31And the second is like to it: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is no other commandment greater than these.
25And behold a certain lawyer stood up, tempting him, and saying, Master, what must I do to possess eternal life?
26But he said to him: What is written in the law? how readest thou?
27He answering, said: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind: and thy neighbour as thyself.
28And he said to him: Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.
29But he willing to justify himself, said to Jesus: And who is my neighbour?
30And Jesus answering, said: A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, who also stripped him, and having wounded him went away, leaving him half dead.
31And it chanced, that a certain priest went down the same way: and seeing him, passed by.
32In like manner also a Levite, when he was near the place and saw him, passed by.
33But a certain Samaritan being on his journey, came near him; and seeing him, was moved with compassion.
34And going up to him, bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine: and setting him upon his own beast, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
35And the next day he took out two pence, and gave to the host, and said: Take care of him; and whatsoever thou shalt spend over and above, I, at my return, will repay thee.
36Which of these three, in thy opinion, was neighbour to him that fell among the robbers?
37But he said: He that shewed mercy to him. And Jesus said to him: Go, and do thou in like manner.
38Now it came to pass as they went, that he entered into a certain town: and a certain woman named Martha, received him into her house.
5Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole strength.
34But the Pharisees hearing that he had silenced the Sadducees, came together:
35And one of them, a doctor of the law, asking him, tempting him:
36Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law?
36Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law?
37Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind.
38This is the greatest and the first commandment.
39And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
40On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets.
37Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind.
40On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets.
20He that sacrificeth to gods, shall be put to death, save only to the Lord.
21Thou shalt not molest a stranger, nor afflict him: for yourselves also were strangers in the land of Egypt.
22You shall not hurt a widow or an orphan.
23If you hurt them they will cry out to me, and I will hear their cry:
24And my rage shall be enkindled, and I will strike you with the sword, and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.
25If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor, that dwelleth with thee, thou shalt not be hard upon them as an extortioner, nor oppress them with usuries.
26If thou take of thy neighbour a garment in pledge, thou shalt give it him again before sunset.
18Seek not revenge, nor be mindful of the injury of thy citizens. Thou shalt love thy friend as thyself. I am the Lord.
20He that sacrificeth to gods, shall be put to death, save only to the Lord.
2I will love thee, O Lord, my strength:
3The Lord is my firmament, my refuge, and my deliverer. My God is my helper, and in him will I put my trust. My protector and the horn of my salvation, and my support.
4Praising I will call upon the Lord: and I shall be saved from my enemies.
5The sorrows of death surrounded me: and the torrents of iniquity troubled me.
6The sorrows of hell encompassed me: and the snares of death prevented me.
7In my affliction I called upon the Lord, and I cried to my God: And he heard my voice from his holy temple: and my cry before him came into his ears.
8The earth shook and trembled: the foundations of the mountains were troubled and were moved, because he was angry with them.
9There went up a smoke in his wrath: and a fire flamed from his face: coals were kindled by it.
10He bowed the heavens, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.
11And he ascended upon the cherubim, and he flew; he flew upon the wings of the winds.
12And he made darkness his covert, his pavilion round about him: dark waters in the clouds of the air.
13At the brightness that was before him the clouds passed, hail and coals of fire.
14And the Lord thundered from heaven, and the highest gave his voice: hail and coals of fire.
15And he sent forth his arrows, and he scattered them: he multiplied lightnings, and troubled them.
16Then the fountains of waters appeared, and the foundations of the world were discovered: At thy rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the spirit of thy wrath.
17He sent from on high, and took me: and received me out of many waters.
18He delivered me from my strongest enemies, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me.
19They prevented me in the day of my affliction: and the Lord became my protector.
20And he brought me forth into a large place: he saved me, because he was well pleased with me.
21And the Lord will reward me according to my justice; and will repay me according to the cleanness of my hands:
22Because I have kept the ways of the Lord; and have not done wickedly against my God.
23For till his judgments are in my sight: and his justices I have not put away from me.
24And I shall be spotless with him: and shall keep myself from my iniquity.
25And the Lord will reward me according to my justice; and according to the cleanness of my hands before his eyes.
26With the holy, thou wilt be holy; and with the innocent man thou wilt be innocent.
27And with the elect thou wilt be elect: and with the perverse thou wilt be perverted.
28For thou wilt save the humble people; but wilt bring down the eyes of the proud.
29For thou lightest my lamp, O Lord: O my God enlighten my darkness.
30For by thee I shall be delivered from temptation; and through my God I shall go over a wall.
31As for my God, his way is undefiled: the words of the Lord are fire tried: he is the protector of all that trust in him.
32For who is God but the Lord? or who is God but our God?
33God who hath girt me with strength; and made my way blameless.
34Who hath made my feet like the feet of harts: and who setteth me upon high places.
35Who teacheth my hands to war: and thou hast made my arms like a brazen bow.
36And thou hast given me the protection of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath held me up: And thy discipline hath corrected me unto the end: and thy discipline, the same shall teach me.
37Thou hast enlarged my steps under me; and my feet are not weakened.
38I will pursue after my enemies, and overtake them: and I will not turn again till they are consumed.
39I will break them, and they shall not be able to stand: they shall fall under my feet.
40And thou hast girded me with strength unto battle; and hast subdued under me them that rose up against me.
41And thou hast made my enemies turn their back upon me, and hast destroyed them that hated me.
42They cried, but there was none to save them, to the Lord: but he heard them not.
43And I shall beat them as small as the dust before the wind; I shall bring them to nought, like the dirt in the streets.
44Thou wilt deliver me from the contradictions of the people: thou wilt make me head of the Gentiles.
45A people, which I knew not, hath served me: at the hearing of the ear they have obeyed me.
46The children that are strangers have lied to me, strange children have faded away, and have halted from their paths.
47The Lord liveth, and blessed be my God, and let the God of my salvation be exalted:
48O God, who avengest me, and subduest the people under me, my deliverer from my enemies.
49And thou wilt lift me up above them that rise up against me: from the unjust man thou wilt deliver me.
50Therefore will I give glory to thee, O Lord, among the nations, and I will sing a psalm to thy name.
51Giving great deliverance to his king, and shewing mercy to David his anointed: and to his seed for ever.
6For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice: and the knowledge of God more than holocausts.
CCC 2083
¶2083 Jesus summed up man's duties toward God in this saying: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." This immediately echoes the solemn call: "Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God is one LORD."
God has loved us first. The love of the One God is recalled in the first of the "ten words." The commandments then make explicit the response of love that man is called to give to his God.
CCC 581
¶581 The Jewish people and their spiritual leaders viewed Jesus as a rabbi. He often argued within the framework of rabbinical interpretation of the Law. Yet Jesus could not help but offend the teachers of the Law, for he was not content to propose his interpretation alongside theirs but taught the people "as one who had authority, and not as their scribes". In Jesus, the same Word of God that had resounded on Mount Sinai to give the written Law to Moses, made itself heard anew on the Mount of the Beatitudes. Jesus did not abolish the Law but fulfilled it by giving its ultimate interpretation in a divine way: "You have heard that it was said to the men of old. . . But I say to you. . ." With this same divine authority, he disavowed certain human traditions of the Pharisees that were "making void the word of God".
CCC 2055
¶2055 When someone asks him, "Which commandment in the Law is the greatest?" Jesus replies: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the prophets." The Decalogue must be interpreted in light of this twofold yet single commandment of love, the fullness of the Law:
The commandments: "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up in this sentence: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
CCC 2055
¶2055 When someone asks him, "Which commandment in the Law is the greatest?" Jesus replies: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the prophets." The Decalogue must be interpreted in light of this twofold yet single commandment of love, the fullness of the Law:
The commandments: "You shall not commit adultery, You shall not kill, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment, are summed up in this sentence: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
CCC 2083
¶2083 Jesus summed up man's duties toward God in this saying: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." This immediately echoes the solemn call: "Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God is one LORD."
God has loved us first. The love of the One God is recalled in the first of the "ten words." The commandments then make explicit the response of love that man is called to give to his God.
CCC 1824
¶1824 Fruit of the Spirit and fullness of the Law, charity keeps the commandments of God and his Christ: "Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love."
- This illustration seems to have its origins from the Eastern fathers, specifically, John Damascene↩
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