Matthew 22: 34 40 The Greatest Commandment

Target year level: Year Two

Scripture text

Introduction

Scripture scholars think that the Gospel of Matthew was written in the last part of the first century CE, sometime after 70 CE. Matthew’s intended audience was Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians who were familiar with Jewish culture, religious belief and religious practice. Matthew’s text has many Jewish references that take for granted an audience familiar with Judaism.

For further background on the Gospel of Matthew, see the The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE), Introduction to Matthew .

World behind the text

Many scholars believe Matthew’s Gospel was written at Antioch, a Greek-speaking city with a number of Jewish synagogues. Antioch became the capital of the Roman province in Syria in 64 BCE and in the 1^st Century CE was the third largest city in the Roman Empire. Christianity had become well established in Antioch by 80 CE. A number of other possible locations with a similar demographic to Antioch are also suggested as possible sites for the writing of Matthew’s Gospel.

Matthew 22: 24-30 needs to be read and understood in relation to questions and disputes in Matthew’s community about the precise relationship between the Christian churches and Judaism, particularly with regard to the continuing relevance for Christians of Jewish Law and its associated religious and cultural practices and observances. This and other matters were a source of ongoing tension between Early Christian house churches and the local Jewish Synagogue. Within Christian churches, there were disputes over the extent to which the observance of Jewish Law was required of Jewish and Gentile Christians.

Matthew’s Gospel was also written at a time of increasing tension between Jewish synagogues and Christian churches over claims about truth and authenticity. On both sides, there was a general hardening of attitudes. For further information see Early Christian churches and Judaism

World of the text

Matthew 22:34-40 is to be understood as a culminating text in its immediate literary context. Texts in Matthew 21:12- 23:37 highlight and focus on antagonism between Jesus and his own Jewish community. Jesus is shown in conflict with particular representatives of Judaism in the person of Chief Priests , Elders, Pharisees and Sadducees. The parable narratives of the cursed fig tree (Mt 21:18-22); the two sons (Mt 21: 28-32); the wicked tenants (Mt 21: 33-41) and the wedding banquet (Mt 22: 1-14) underline what Matthew sees as the failure of the People of Israel, and particularly of their leadership, to be faithful to their own best traditions and to Jewish Law, which expresses and embodies their Covenant with God.

Texts in Matthew on cleansing the temple (21:12-17); cursing the fig-tree (21:18-22); dispute over Jesus’ authority (21:23-27) and paying taxes (22:15-22) together with questions about the resurrection (22:23-33) are intended to further make the point that those who promote and administer Jewish Law have failed to appreciate its authentic meaning and purpose. For Matthew, the authentic meaning of The Law is summed up at Matthew 22:34-40 ‘The Greatest Commandment’: love of God and love of neighbour. This is what is at the heart of The Law, both for Jews and for Christians.

World in front of the text

Matthew 22:34-40 challenges contemporary Christians to:

Keep a perspective on their own religious beliefs and practices in relation to the Greatest Commandment
Critique all religions, together with their laws, beliefs and practices, in relation to the Greatest Commandment
Promote common action and understanding between churches, religions and all people of good will on the basis of the Greatest Commandment.