Vincent's Word Studies in the NT

Matthew 22:36

Which is the great commandment [π ο ι α ε ν τ ο λ η μ ε γ α λ η]. The A. V. and Rev. alike miss the point of this question, which is : which kind of command is great in the law ? That is, what kind of a commandment must it be to constitute it a great one? Not, which commandment is greatest as compared with the others? The scribes declared that there were 248 affirmative precepts, as many as the members of the human body; and 365 negative precepts, as many as the days in the year; the total being 613, the number of letters in the Decalogue. Of these they called some light and some heavy. Some thought that the law about the fringes on the garments was the greatest; some that the omission of washings was as bad as homicide; some that the third commandment was the greatest. It was in view of this kind of distinction that the scribe asked the question; not as desiring a declaration as to which commandment was greatest, but as wanting to know the principle upon which a commandment was to be regarded as a great commandment.

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Vincent's Word Studies in the NT

Matthew 22:36

Old Testament

New Testament