Matthew 22:40 Meaning and Explanation
“On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →On these two commandments, Jesus says, hangs everything in the law and the prophets.
What Does Matthew 22:40 Mean?
Jesus closes with a picture: all the law and the prophets "hang" on these two commands, as a door hangs on its hinges or a weight on a nail. Every statute, every prophetic plea, is suspended from love of God and love of neighbor.
This is not a shortcut past the Scriptures but the key to them: remove love, and the commandments dangle without support; supply it, and each one finds its purpose. Paul learned the lesson well -- "love is the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:10). To grow in God is not finally to master more rules but to be mastered by these two loves.
Matthew 22:40 in the Original Language
kremannymi (κρεμάννυμι), 'hang' -- to suspend from; the law hangs on love as a door on its hinges.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 22:40
What does Matthew 22:40 mean?
On these two commandments, Jesus says, hangs everything in the law and the prophets.