Matthew 19:19

Ver. 18,19. Mark addeth, defraud not, Mark 10:19, but Luke doth not put it in, Luke 18:20. Three things we may observe:

1. There are no commandments mentioned but those of the second table.

2. Nor are they reckoned up in order.

3. The tenth commandment is expressed by, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself; which elsewhere our Saviour calls the second great commandment, and makes comprehensive of all the commandments of the second table. We must not from our Saviour's order here, in the enumeration of the commandments, either conclude that the precepts of the second table are greater than those of the first, or that it is enough to keep them in order to eternal life: nor yet, that the fifth commandment is lesser than the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, because it is put after them. But;

1. Our Saviour had reckoned up commandments enough to convince this man that he could not by keeping the commandments hope for eternal life.

2. He had reckoned those, by some of which he intended by and by to convince him that he had not kept the commandments.

3. And those of the non observation of which it was most easy to convince him.

4. The Pharisees looked upon these as the most vulgar and easy commandments.

5. Because love to our neighbour is an excellent evidence of our love to God. As concerning the order in which they are enumerated, it was not our Saviour's business here to show which was the greatest commandment; that he hath elsewhere determined, calling, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, &c., the first and great commandment: here he is not solicitous about the order.