Love the Lord Your God: What Does Matthew 22:37 Mean?

Matthew 22:37, “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” (King James Version)

Also see the meaning of If God Is For Us Who Can Be Against Us to learn more.

Love the Lord Your God: Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

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 engaged for him, and carried out toward him.

To love our neighbour as ourselves, is the second great commandment. There is a self-love which is corrupt, and the root of the greatest sins, and it must be put off and mortified; but there is a self-love which is the rule of the greatest duty: we must have a due concern for the welfare of our own souls and bodies.

And we must love our neighbour as truly and sincerely as we love ourselves; in many cases we must deny ourselves for the good of others. By these two commandments let our hearts be formed as by a mould.

Also see the meaning of With God All Things Are Possible to learn more.

Matthew 22:37 | Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

Mr 12:13-40. Entangling Questions about Tribute the Resurrection, and the Great Commandment, with the Replies—Christ Baffles the Pharisees by a Question about David, and Denounces the Scribes. ( = Mt 22:15-46; Lu 20:20-47).

The time of this section appears to be still the third day (Tuesday) of Christ’s last week. Matthew introduces the subject by saying (Mt 22:15), “Then went the Pharisees and took counsel how they might entangle Him in His talk.”

13. And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees—”their disciples,” says Matthew (Mt 22:16); probably young and zealous scholars in that hardening school.

and of the Herodians—(See on [1482]Mt 12:14). In Lu 20:20 these willing tools are called “spies, which should feign themselves just [righteous] men, that they might take hold of His words, that so they might deliver Him unto the power and authority of the governor.” Their plan, then, was to entrap Him into some expression which might be construed into disaffection to the Roman government; the Pharisees themselves being notoriously discontented with the Roman yoke.

Tribute to Cæsar (Mr 12:14-17).

Also see the meaning of Husbands Love Your Wives to learn more.