Verse 40
The rest of the Old Testament hangs from or flows out of these two commandments. All the other laws deal with specific applications of one or the other of these two commands. The prophets consistently stressed the importance of heart reality with God and genuine love for one’s neighbor. Without these two commandments the Old Testament lacks unifying summaries. These are the most important commandments, but they are not the only ones.
"Mark includes the clause ’. . . is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices’ (Mark 12:33). Matthew omits this since it might offend his [unsaved] Jewish reader, and the point is well made without it." [Note: Toussaint, Behold the . . ., p. 259.]
This declaration prepared for Jesus’ denunciation of the religious leaders in Matthew 23:1-36.
"Jesus had now answered three difficult questions. He had dealt with the relationship between religion and government, between this life and the next life, and between God and our neighbors. These are fundamental relationships, and we cannot ignore our Lord’s teachings. But there is a question more fundamental than these, and Jesus asked it of His enemies." [Note: Wiersbe, 1:82.]
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