On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
All Commentaries on Matthew 22:40 Go To Matthew 22
John Chrysostom
AD 407
So therefore what He did before, this He does here also. I mean, that both there, when asked about the manner of the resurrection, He also taught a resurrection, instruct ing them beyond what they inquired; and here, being asked the first commandment, He rehearses the second also, which is not much inferior to that (for though second, it is like that), intimating to them, whence the question had arisen, that it was from hatred. For charity envies not. 1 Corinthians 13:4 By this He shows Himself to be submissive both to the law and to the prophets.
But wherefore does Matthew say that he asked, tempting Him, but Mark the contrary? For when Jesus, he says, saw that he answered discreetly, He said unto him, You are not far from the kingdom of God. Mark 12:34
They are not contradicting each other, but indeed fully agreeing. For he asked indeed, tempting, at the beginning, but being benefitted by the answer, was commended. For not at the beginning did He commend him, but when he had said, That to love his neighbor is more than whole burnt sacrifices, then He says, You are not far from the kingdom; because he overlooked low things, and embraced the first principle of virtue. For indeed all those are for the sake of this, as well the Sabbath as the rest.
And not even so did He make His commendation perfect, but yet deficient. For His saying, You are not far off, indicates that he is yet falling short, that he might seek after what was deficient.
But if, when He said, There is one God, and there is none other but He, He commended him, wonder not, but by this too observe, how He answers according to the opinion of them that come unto Him. For although men say ten thousand things about Christ unworthy of His glory, yet this at any rate they will not dare to say, that He is not God at all. Wherefore then does He praise him that said, that beside the Father, there is no other God?
Not excepting Himself from being God; away with the thought; but since it was not yet time to disclose His Godhead, He suffers him to remain in the former doctrine, and praises him for knowing well the ancient principles, so as to make him fit for the doctrine of the New Testament, which He is bringing in its season.
And besides, the saying, There is one God, and there is none other but He, both in the Old Testament and everywhere, is spoken not to the rejection of the Son, but to make the distinction from idols. So that when praising this man also, who had thus spoken, He praises him in this mind.
