And one of them, a doctor of the law, asked him, tempting him:
και επηρωτησεν εις εξ αυτων νομικος πειραζων αυτον και λεγων
10 Church Fathers comment on this verse
The evangelist offers yet another justification for the silence of the Pharisees, exposing their arrogance further. How so? The Savior had previously put an end to the arguments of the Sadducees, and the Pharisees ought to have refrained from speaking after that. Yet they approach Him once more, this time with the same intent to challenge Him, sending a lawyer to Him not for instruction, but to test Him, inquiring, What is the first commandment?
The adversary approaches Jesus out of profound envy. Upon witnessing the Sadducees humiliated and the populace extolling the Lord for His wisdom, the Pharisees sought to challenge Him, hoping to catch Him altering the first commandment as a means of revising the law, which would give them grounds to accuse Him. In revealing the ill intent of these challengers, who came not with a sincere desire to understand but driven by hostility, jealousy, and rivalry, the Lord clarifies that love stands as the pinnacle of the commandments.
A teacher of the law poses a question, not with a genuine pursuit of understanding, but rather to examine whether the one being questioned comprehends what is required of Him, specifically, what the foremost commandment is. He does not inquire about commandments broadly, but seeks to identify the primary and most significant commandment; his intention is to create an opportunity for criticism, since all that God commands holds great significance. Hence, no matter how He responds, the answerer would inadvertently validate another commandment as great amidst the many.
Thus, the individual who understands and asks a question, not with a true desire for knowledge but with the aim of assessing the knowledge of the one who is expected to answer, mirrors the approach of the Pharisees, approaching not as a learner but as a challenger.
Once the Sadducees were rendered silent, the Pharisees launched another assault, scrutinizing the lawyer, not out of a genuine quest for knowledge, but with premeditated hostility.
The Gospel we are currently reflecting on may be succinct, yet it lays the essential groundwork of the Christian faith and underpins all virtues. Its clarity is such that it appears to require little explanation; however, the Divine Word and the earth share a profound connection. Just as the surface reveals grass, trees, flowers, and fruits, those seeking precious metals and stones must delve deep into the earth's core. In similar fashion, when we examine the Gospel's text, we perceive its divine essence, the grace of God, spiritual allure, and holy simplicity on the surface. Yet, for those who yearn for profound teachings, elevated ideas, and doctrinal truths of God, it is essential to explore the depths of the text and uncover its innermost meanings.
Therefore, even if the Gospel's words seem straightforward, engaging in a devoted study and interpretation is highly beneficial and worthy of our respectful attention. In those times, a lawyer was recognized as a teacher and interpreter of the law, often referred to as a scribe; hence, the Evangelist Mark designates this individual, whom Matthew identifies as a lawyer, as a scribe (Mark 12:28). This lawyer, belonging to the Pharisees, upon hearing, as noted by Mark, that Jesus responded wisely to the Sadducees, approached Jesus Christ and sought to test Him with the question, “Teacher, which commandment is the greatest of those written in the law?”
TEACHER. What is the foremost commandment in the Law, the first and most significant commandment? The Pharisees distinguished between more important and less important commandments, categorizing the ceremonial laws of Moses as the major ones and the ethical guidelines for righteous living as the minor ones. However, they could not reach a consensus on which commandment held the highest position: some deemed the Sabbath observance to be paramount, others prioritized the law of circumcision, and still others highlighted the commandment regarding purification, among various opinions. They regarded this inquiry as crucial, since it was essential to determine which commandment could be overlooked when fulfilling both was not possible.
They failed to grasp that the essence of the Law is rooted in obedience to God, and thus, even if a person obeys every command, breaking even one command renders them accountable for all. Consequently, the Pharisees, particularly those known as lawyers, interpreters, and teachers of the Law, chose to pose this question to Jesus Christ, not with a desire to learn, but rather expecting that the Savior might alter God's command, thereby allowing them to accuse Him of blasphemy. The Lord perceived their intentions, recognizing that they had entirely lost sight of love, the heart of all commandments, and understood that their spirits were withering from malice and jealousy. Therefore, He directly addressed what they had overlooked.
The distinction between Matthew and Mark lies in the portrayal of the lawyer's interaction with Christ. In Matthew, the lawyer serves as a tool of the Pharisees, aiming to entrap the Lord with his inquiry. In contrast, Mark illustrates the lawyer approaching Christ after observing how well He responded to the Sadducees regarding the resurrection. Upon engaging with Christ, the lawyer receives acknowledgment from Him regarding his closeness to the kingdom of God. This variation highlights Matthew's focus on the implications of the lawyer's question for the Pharisaic faction, along with their mindset and intentions, while Mark emphasizes the personal characteristics of the questioner and the impact of Christ's response on him.
What motives did the Pharisees harbor in attempting to test the Lord? It may be challenging to conceive an answer they anticipated from Christ other than the one He provided. To explore this, we can note that Jesus, after replying to the lawyer, posed a question to the Pharisees, clarifying that the Messiah is not merely the son of David, as they believed, but also the Son of God. This leads us to consider that the Pharisees likely recalled Christ’s declaration of Himself as the Son of God, which they deemed blasphemous, emphasizing the oneness of God (John 10:33). They likely expected that in addressing the issue of the greatest commandment in the law, the Lord would speak to the demands of faith and self-love (John 6:28-29) in His capacity as the Son of God. Had He responded in such a manner, the Pharisees would have denounced Him publicly as a blasphemer and a violator of the law. However, the Lord first affirms the unity of God and then asserts that love for God is the foundation and essence of the moral law, coupled with love for one’s neighbor as a necessary follow-up to love for God (see 1 John 4:20-21).
In response to the lawyer's inquiry regarding the foremost commandment, the Pharisees reconvened in the temple, intent on presenting Jesus with what they deemed the most challenging question concerning the hierarchy of the commandments. They categorized the commandments into major and minor, designating the ceremonial laws as the major ones while viewing the rest as minor. However, they found themselves in disagreement over which of the major commandments held primacy: some advocated for the Sabbath commandment, while others prioritized the law of circumcision. Consequently, they selected their most learned lawyer to approach Jesus and pose the question: Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the law?
The Pharisees, pleased with the downfall of their rivals, sought to challenge Him once more with an inquiry. A lawyer among them posed the question, "Teacher, which commandment is the foremost in the law?" This inquiry displayed a degree of acknowledgment of His teaching authority, allowing the lawyer to genuinely seek answers to the troubling matter. Among the scholars, there was ongoing contention concerning which commandment was the most significant, one that aligned best with the concept of righteousness. Traditionally, this question devolved into a never-ending discourse filled with trivial distinctions, such as categorizing commandments as heavy or light, primary or secondary, exclusive or additional, and so forth.
Upon learning that the Lord had effectively addressed the Sadducees, the Pharisees convened to capitalize on this moment, seeking to reclaim their stature in the view of the populace and to assert dominance over their despised rivals. To achieve this, they appointed one of their most knowledgeable members, a skilled legal expert, to pose a challenging question to Jesus Christ—a query designed to confuse and disconcert Him. This scribe, who seemed to have reservations about the malice of his fellow Pharisees, was motivated to carry out their request eagerly, likely because he appreciated how the Lord had responded to the Sadducees.
The inquiry he brought forth was a prevalent debate among the Pharisees, who, focused on the ceremonial aspects of the law, struggled to determine which commandment held the utmost priority. They categorized the commandments into major and minor ones; among the major commandments, some placed the observance of the Sabbath first, while others prioritized circumcision or sacrificial rites, with only a few recognizing the moral imperative of loving God and one's neighbor (Luke 10:27). It is possible that the Pharisees anticipated that the Divine Teacher would emphasize the latter, hoping He might amend the law or even assert divine authority in His response (St. John Chrysostom). Should that occur, their temptation would have succeeded.
The expert in the law approached Jesus and inquired, "Teacher, which is the first commandment of all?"
Passages read together with this verse.
Greek text, 8 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
THEOSIS