Matthew 22:34-40

To begin a short series on The Law of God, we will begin with Matthew 22:34-40.

In this passage, Jesus is asked to sum up the Law of Moses by naming the greatest of the commandments. Jesus’ reply combines two commandments, naming one as “first” and the other as “another like it”. Take a few moments to track down where these two come from, then read the chapter around them from their source documents. Can you find any clues as to why Jesus chooses these two?

One might have expected Jesus to choose one of the commandments commonly known as The Ten Commandments, located in Exodus 20. Why do you suppose he did not?

Why do you suppose Jesus includes the words “…and the prophets” in his reply (see Matthew 22:40).