Author: Charlie Garrett

Saturday, 19 September 2026

While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, Matthew 22:41

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Having been gathered, also, the Pharisees, He queried them, the ‘Jesus’.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus summed up the thought being discussed about the greatest commandment, saying that all the law and the prophets, they hang upon the premise that one is to love the Lord above all else and his neighbor as himself. It next says, “Having been gathered.”

It is a perfect participle, signifying that they were gathered and their gathering continued at the present time. Those who were gathered were “also, the Pharisees.”

This, then, may be the same gathering just mentioned concerning the Pharisees in verse 34. If so, it is a chronological development that logically fits the ongoing narrative. It also may be a categorical presentation of another time the Pharisees had gathered together. Either way, Matthew presents it after the question about the discussion of the greatest commands. As for this gathering, it says, “He queried them, the ‘Jesus’.”

Rather than them questioning Jesus, as was frequently the case, He questions them. Whether or not the words here are still on the same day as the questioning of Jesus’ authority in Matthew 21:23-27, they fit well together. They asked Him about His authority. In turn, He asked them about where John’s authority came from.

The implication was that if John’s authority was from heaven, and because John pointed to Jesus, Jesus’ authority was from heaven as well. What Jesus will ask them about next will fit into a similar thought concerning who the Christ is and where His authority is derived from.

Life application: Having just been asked about the greatest command, Matthew now presents a question about the Christ that is raised by Jesus to those who have not accepted Him as their Messiah. These thoughts may seem disconnected, but are they?

If the concept of a coming Messiah was rightly understood from a proper reading of their Scriptures, having a proper understanding of who He would be and what He would do was essential to having right doctrine.

In turn, having right doctrine is essential to accurately understanding who God is, what He is doing, and how it affects the relationship between Himself and His creatures. Ultimately, one cannot be loving towards his Creator if his doctrine is wrong.

The intent of pleasing God may be there, but the ability to rightly please Him is not. As such, Jesus presenting information that will lead these men to think through who the Christ is, and thus who He is, is vital for them to have a rightly loving relationship with God. Jesus says this explicitly in John –

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. ²⁴ He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.’” John 14:23, 24

What may seem like a debate among people based on their one-sided evaluation of Scripture is actually deeper and more important than who gets the most points in the debate. Getting wrong who the Son is can lead to an eternity-changing mistake. Therefore, Jesus’ words about the nature of the Christ are intended to help these men have that all-loving relationship with their God as demanded in the greatest commandment.

As was seen in the discussion about loving God with all one’s heart, soul, mind, and strength, it is actually impossible for fallen man to do. Therefore, we need God’s Christ. It is He who has accomplished that for us. That is why getting right who Jesus is becomes the most important thing we can ever do. To get Jesus wrong is to be forever separated from God.

Jesus’ actions towards His neighbors reveal that He is loving them as Himself. He wanted the best for these men, whether they chose to accept it or not.

Lord God, the Bible is filled with wonder and delight. It leads us to think through our state before You and to conclude that we need Jesus. What a precious word. It tells us of how much You love us, having sent Him so that the bridge back to You could be made. Thank You for the giving of Your Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus! Amen.

Friday, 18 September 2026

On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:40

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“In these, the two commandments, all the law and the prophets, they hang.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus mentioned the second great commandment, loving one’s neighbor as oneself. Having said that, He next says words bearing emphasis, “In these, the two commandments.”

There are the two commandments, and there is everything else which is positionally fixed within the scope of these first two. That fixed position is that by which “all the law and the prophets, they hang.”

Some manuscripts do a changeup switcheroo and say, “In these, the two commandments, all the law, it hangs – and the prophets.” The intent is the same, but the prophets are somewhat of an afterthought, as evidenced by the singular “it hangs.”

Either way, the point is that the entire body of Scripture, summed up in the words “law” and “prophets,” hangs from the fixed idea of loving God with every fiber of one’s being and loving one’s neighbor as oneself.

One might exclaim that this can’t be. There is exile and punishment recorded in Scripture. Lamentations deals with death and destruction. How can those things hang on such a notion? The answer is that Israel failed to do these things. The lessons of Israel are the basis for understanding our relationship with God, including the consequences of disobedience.

As it is certain that nobody is capable of loving God as commanded or of loving one’s neighbor as the law demands, we need something more than Israel’s futile relationship with God, which is based on this law. This is the point of them having been given the law. Paul says –

“Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. ²² But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. ²³ But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. ²⁴ Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. ²⁵ But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.” Galatians 3:21-25

What the law could not do because of our failing limitations, Christ was able to accomplish. With His work complete, we place our faith in what He has done, thus nullifying the law in our lives. There can be no middle ground. People who think Christ is their Savior while they attempt to merit God’s favor through law observance set aside the only avenue they have to perfectly meet God’s standard.

Life application: There is no reward for “doing one’s best” when it comes to law observance. If the law and the prophets hang on these two great commandments, then God’s standard must be met in meeting every single prescription in the law and the prophets. To fail to do so demonstrates that we have failed in these two commandments.

The law requires tassels with a blue thread in them to be on the corners of one’s garments (Numbers 15:37-40). To not do so is a violation of the law. The person has failed to love the Lord with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength because that precept hangs on the idea presented in the command. The reason for it is explained in verse 40, “that you may remember and do all My commandments, and be holy for your God.”

This is true with every precept of the law. When a violation of the law occurs, a sacrifice must be made to atone for the infraction. One cannot say, “Jesus is my sacrifice for such things” if he is observing the law. Jesus is not the prescribed sacrifice for infractions of the now-fulfilled law.

Rather, Jesus is the fulfillment of the law and the Initiator of the New Covenant. This is the error in thinking of law observers. Violations of the law must be dealt with under the law. Removal of the law is necessary for Christ to have authority over a person. When in Christ, Paul says, “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace” (Romans 6:14).

Only Christ can remove sin from our presence by removing the law from our state of existence. Think about what is said in these two verses –

“For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” John 1:17

“You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” Galatians 5:4

Law or grace. One must decide. There can be no intermingling of the two.

Lord God Almighty, help us to think clearly about what it means to be in Christ. May we never offend what You have offered through Him by attempting to somehow merit it through the observance of the law He fulfilled. Help us to get this right and to trust solely and wholeheartedly in Jesus Christ’s perfect righteousness. Amen.

Thursday, 17 September 2026

And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:39

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Second, also, like it: You will love the ‘neighbor, yours’ as yourself.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus, referring to His citation of Deuteronomy 6:5, said that it is the first and great commandment. This answered the jurisprudent’s question, but Jesus has more to say before finishing, saying, “Second, also, like it.”

The addition of these words is not superfluous, even if unasked for. Rather, when He finishes, He will sum up the reason for providing the second great commandment. For now, the word “like” is translated from the Greek word homoios. It signifies like in appearance or character. The nature of the second commandment is the same as that of the first.

In order to reveal the second great commandment, Jesus refers to the book of Leviticus. In Chapter 19, there is a long list of moral and ceremonial laws covering a whole host of topics. Jesus says, “You will love the ‘neighbor, yours’ as yourself.”

The first and great commandment is to love God, as Jesus described it. The next deals with human relationships, but with the same theme: love. His words specifically come from Leviticus 19:18, where it says –

“Not you will avenge, and not you will maintain ‘sons, your people’. And you will cherish to your associate according to you. I – Yehovah.” (CG)

In Leviticus, the word translated as maintain is nuanced. It has to be understood as maintaining a grudge, as if it were a garden and someone continues to tend to it, allowing the grudge to fester. Despite being in a long list of ceremonial laws, and affixed to the end of one of them, Jesus pulls this short thought out as the second great commandment.

A key point, thus, is to know that Jesus was fully aware of its presence and the context in which it was placed. His use of it then is not arbitrary. He looked to the thought, determined the essential nature of the words, and held them up as an ideal that goes beyond the individual laws which surround it.

Loving one’s associate is not elevated above loving oneself. Rather, the law, as well as Jesus’ citation of it, holds them in the same position. One who does not properly tend to himself in a cherishing manner cannot properly tend to others in an appropriate way.

Life application: This is another law that condemns us. Although people have claimed they have never borne any ill will toward others, it is hard to accept such words. Human interactions inevitably lead to disagreements where ill feelings result. We may hide such thoughts away as if they don’t exist, but they do.

As this is so, the very nature of the law continues to condemn us. But notice how the two commandments, which are held up by Jesus as the two greatest, reflect His nature. He is the incarnate Word, the God/Man. Thus, He is capable of both types of love. He can fully love God, and He can fully love His neighbor as He loves Himself (who is both God and Man).

His fulfillment of these commands is then credited to us when we believe the gospel. Our imperfect love is covered by Christ so that God only sees Christ’s perfection in love – for His Father, for His associates, and for Himself (being both God and Man).

All things are reconciled for us through Christ. Forever and ever we can, and we will, thank God for what He has done through Jesus.

O God, we are filled with shortcomings, faults, and errors in our conduct toward You and toward others. And yet, You have covered over our failings and imperfections with the precious blood of Christ our Lord. Thank You for what You have done. We praise You with hearts full of joy and thanks. All praise, glory, and honor to You. Amen.

Wednesday, 16 September 2026

This is the first and great commandment. Matthew 22:38

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“This, it is – first and great commandment.” (CG)

In the previous verse, Jesus responded to the question of the jurisprudent, saying, “You will love – ‘Lord, the God, yours’ in all the ‘heart, yours’, and in all the ‘soul, yours’, and in all the ‘cognition, yours’.” Having said that, He continues, saying, “This, it is – first and great commandment.”

Some manuscripts change the words around and add in the definite article, saying, “This, it is, the great and first commandment.” Either way, the intent is a total and complete focus on the Lord as preeminent in observing the commandments.

As noted, the commandment that Jesus says is the first and great of the commandments actually encompasses all of the commandments because the commandments stem from God. They are what He expected of His people, being the standard by which they would be judged.

As a violation of one of the commandments, any one of them, reveals imperfection in His standard, the first commandment is impossible for man to fulfill. To covet means a person has not loved the Lord with all of his heart, soul, and cognition. This is just an example which extends to every commandment found in the law.

Therefore, this first and great commandment is a mark of condemnation for all who live under the law. Any person who says they have perfectly fulfilled this commandment only separates himself further from God because he has lied to himself and God, and maybe others also, that he has perfectly fulfilled it.

This is why Jesus came. God knows our inability to love Him as the law requires. There is too much involved in what the command demands. But in sending Jesus, we can love God more perfectly than the law would ever make possible.

Because Jesus fulfilled the law, He embodies the perfect love of God demanded in this first and great commandment. Therefore, in loving Jesus, believing that He embodies this law, and focusing on His grace that extends from His fulfillment of it, we can – through Him – meet the demand of the commandment.

Life application: The Geneva Bible’s comment on Matt 22:34 says, “The gospel does not abolish the precepts of the law, but rather it confirms them.” Depending on their meaning of “confirm”, what they said is true, or it is the most ridiculous commentary possible on the matter.

Their words are similar to what Paul says in Romans 3:31, “Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.”

Some read these words and take it that the precepts of the law are still binding. That is not at all what Paul means. The law of faith is a means of validating or strengthening the law. We have failed at fulfilling it, but Jesus fulfilled it on our behalf. Think of Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:17 –

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.”

Fulfill it He did! Now, by faith in His work we are free from the very law which He fulfilled on our behalf. His merits are credited to us when we place our faith in what He did. Thus, the law is established in us, it is upheld in us, and thus it is obsolete to us.

When something is fulfilled, it is no longer necessary. As He fulfilled it in our stead, we are free from its constraints. This is the amazing work of Jesus on our behalf. Our love of God is magnified through our faith in Christ. He is how we can truly love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Lord God, thank You for Jesus who makes our imperfect love and devotion to You complete. Through Him, we are set free from trying to earn Your favor. Rather, Jesus has done it all. Our faith in Him fulfills every limitation that once stood against us. We praise You with all of who we are for what You have done. Thank You for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Tuesday, 15 September 2026

Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ Matthew 22:37

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at the “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“The ‘also Jesus’, He said to him, ‘You will love – ‘Lord, the God, yours’ in all the ‘heart, yours’, and in all the ‘soul, yours’, and in all the ‘cognition, yours’.’” (CG)

In the previous verse, the jurisprudent asked Jesus his question, which was, “Teacher, which-such commandment – greatest in the law?” In response, Matthew records Jesus’ words, beginning with, “The ‘also Jesus’, He said to him, ‘You will love – ‘Lord, the God, yours’.’”

In Mark, Jesus begins with Deuteronomy 6:4, saying, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.’”

That is not so much a command as a statement of mental preparation and factual information about the nature of God. Matthew doesn’t include this but goes directly to answering the question. Jesus words are found in Deuteronomy 6:5, saying that Israel is to love the Lord their God.

Love in this sense is not an emotional love, but a volitional one that places the object of the love above all else. Involved in this is the idea of honor, giving priority to, etc. That continues to be seen in the next words, “in all the ‘heart, yours’.”

In Scripture, the heart is the center of one’s being. Not the physical being where the heart pumps blood, but the desire-producing center. In this thought there is included the idea of cognition, moral preference, etc. It is the point of man that establishes the “who I am” of the person in nature. Every bit of this is to be directed to the Lord God. And more, He continues with, “and in all the ‘soul, yours’.”

This speaks of the person’s distinct identity, which leads to the thought of his individual personality. Thus, this establishes the “who I am” in personal identity. Israel is told they are to take everything that establishes them as individuals and to love the Lord God from that perspective. Also, Jesus says, “and in all the ‘cognition, yours’.”

Here is a new word, dianoia, deep thought. It is from dia, through, and nous, the mind or intellect. Thus, it is more than just the mind, but what is going on in the mind. The word cognition suits quite well, although in Ephesians 2:3, it is rendered in the plural and would need explanation for it when using the word “cognitions”, as in mental machinations.

Everything that goes on in Israel’s gray matter was to be directed in a volitional love toward the Lord God. Jesus went from the jurisprudence’s general which-such question to a specific answer that covers all laws within the Law of Moses. This is because all laws are covered through the sense of obedience, which is then reflected in the heart, soul, and cognition.

Life application: One can think of these aspects of a person’s page on a social media site. The heart is seen in the overall profile of the person. The Who I Am in my nature in the overall presentation is seen in the heart. The Who I Am in my personal identity and preferences is seen in the soul. The Who I Am as I reveal myself through interactions with others and how I present my worldview would be reflected in the cognition aspect.

Each part reflects something about me that can be evaluated. Someone may see my general profile and say, “I want to share with this person.” He may see my identity and preferences and say, “This guy likes what I like. We can share our traits together.” Another person may see my posts and say, “He is spot on in how he evaluates the political wrangling going on. I want to watch as he interacts with people on this level.”

God is evaluating all of us on these things at all times. He knows our makeup, what identifies us as individuals, and how we interact with Him. But He also knows our limitations. The law did not allow for limitations. If Israel thought about the words of Deuteronomy 6:5, they would have seen, right from the beginning, that what is demanded is impossible to meet.

Some people focus on the Lord way, way more than others. And yet, they still fall short of the perfection demanded by the law. To violate one precept of the law is to have failed to meet the requirements of the truth stated in Deuteronomy 6:5. This is why Jesus said in Matthew 11 –

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

The law was a burden no person could carry. It only brought condemnation, apart from its allowances for sin forgiveness as provided in the sacrificial system. Jesus came, however, to fulfill the law. In His fulfillment of it, that burden has been removed from us.

This is known as grace. This is why it is so important that we never mar grace by reinserting the law into our lives or by attempting to insert it into the lives of others. We are to trust in God’s grace, knowing it is sufficient to cover all our failings.

Our effort, after salvation, is to do our best to honor God with deeds of righteousness apart from the Law of Moses. We are never to set aside God’s grace. That can only lead us to pride in self and giving up on the grace we so desperately need from moment to moment throughout our lives.

Lord God, thank You for the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank You. May we never attempt to override what He has done, but to rest in His fulfillment of the Law of Moses. May our deeds of righteousness be in honor of Jesus from this day forward. Amen.