Matthew 22:40 — Community Reflections

MATTHEW 22:40 — KING JAMES VERSION 0

“On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question. The counter-question: Jesus has answered three test questions; now he asks the Pharisees a question that they cannot answer. The question is not a test but an invitation: if they could answer correctly, they would understand who Jesus is.

Church Fathers on Matthew 22:40

The Pharisees having been themselves already confuted (in the matter of the denarius), and now seeing their adversaries also overthrown, should have taken warning to attempt no further deceit against Him; but hate and jealousy are the parents of impudence.
Jerome · 4th century

Jesus had put the Sadducees to silence, to shew that the tongue of falsehood is silenced by the brightness of truth. For as it belongs to the righteous man to be silent when it is good to be silent, and to speak when it is good to speak, and not to hold his peace; so it belongs to every teacher of a lie not indeed to be silent, but to be silent as far as any good purpose is concerned.
Origen · 3rd century

Or the Pharisees meet together, that their numbers may silence Him whom their reasonings could not confute; thus, while they array numbers against Him, shewing that truth failed them; they said among themselves, Let one speak for all, and all speak, through one, so if He prevail, the victory may seem to belong to all; if He be overthrown, the defeat may rest with Him alone; so it follows, 'Then one of them, a teacher of the Law, asked him a question, tempting Him.'
Pseudo-Chrysostom · 5th century

Read all 23 entries in the readerCatena Aurea · St. Thomas Aquinas, tr. J. H. Newman · public domain

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