Matthew 22:40

 Matthew 22:40

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

a. NASB 1995: “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” [NASB95 New American Standard Bible. Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation; All Rights Reserved]

b. NKJV: “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” [Scripture quotations marked "NKJV" are taken from the New King James Version®, Copyright© 1982, Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.]

c. Classic Amplified: These two commandments sum up and upon them depend all the Law and the Prophets. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Peshitta Eastern Text: On these two commandments hang the law and the prophets. [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT. Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

e. ESV: On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” [Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved."]

f. Unless otherwise stated, all greek and Hebrew definitions are from Blue Letter Bible

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

a. On [Strong: 1722 en, en; a primary preposition denoting (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest (intermediate between G1519 and G1537); "in," at, (up-)on, by, etc.:—about, after, against, + almost, × altogether, among, × as, at, before, between, (here-)by (+ all means), for (… sake of), + give self wholly to, (here-)in(-to, -wardly), × mightily, (because) of, (up-)on, (open-)ly, × outwardly, one, × quickly, × shortly, (speedi-)ly, × that, × there(-in, -on), through(-out), (un-)to(-ward), under, when, where(-with), while, with(-in). Often used in compounds, with substantially the same import; rarely with verbs of motion, and then not to indicate direction, except (elliptically) by a separate (and different) preposition.]

b. these [Strong: 3778 hoûtos, hoo'-tos; from the article G3588 and G846; the he (she or it), i.e. this or that (often with article repeated):—he (it was that), hereof, it, she, such as, the same, these, they, this (man, same, woman), which, who.]

c. [Strong: 3588. [tais] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tais] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé, Hē, hē, hai, tas.]

d. two [Strong: 1417 dýo, doo'-o; a primary numeral; "two":—both, twain, two.]

e. commandments [Strong: 1785 entolḗ, en-tol-ay'; from G1781; injunction, i.e. an authoritative prescription:—commandment, precept.]

f. hang [Strong: 2910 kremánnymi, krem-an'-noo-mee; a prolonged form of a primary verb; to hang:—hang.]

g. all [Strong: 3650 hólos, hol'-os; a primary word; "whole" or "all", i.e. complete (in extent, amount, time or degree), especially (neuter) as noun or adverb:—all, altogether, every whit, + throughout, whole.]

h. the [Strong: 3588. [ho] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [ho] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé, Hē, hē, hai, tas.]

i. law [Strong: 3551 nómos, nom'-os; from a primary νέμω némō (to parcel out, especially food or grazing to animals); law (through the idea of prescriptive usage), genitive case (regulation), specially, (of Moses (including the volume); also of the Gospel), or figuratively (a principle):—law.]

j. and [Strong: 2532 kaí, kahee; apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:—and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

k. the [Strong: 3588. [hoi] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [hoi] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé, Hē, hē, hai, tas.]

l. prophets [Strong: 4396  prophḗtēs, prof-ay'-tace; from a compound of G4253 and G5346; a foreteller ("prophet"); by analogy, an inspired speaker; by extension, a poet:—prophet.]

1). The enemies of Jesus were constantly trying to get him to say something that they could use against him. The whole chapter of Matthew 22 gives 3 examples, one right after another, of his enemies attempting it. But Jesus was led by the Spirit and gave inspired answers that confounded them all. Where did he get that wisdom? Was it because He was God in the flesh and Omniscient? No. When the Second Person of the Godhead became a servant in the form of a man, he emptied Himself of His Godlike abilities.

a). Philippians 2:6, 7 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

b). Many translations write he emptied himself. Others say he laid aside his privileges. When Jesus became man he emptied himself or laid aside his God-like abilities, Omniscience, Omnipotence, and Omnipresence. These are all attributes of God and Jesus laid them aside when He became the form of a servant, when He became man.

c). He was certainly not all-knowing, for the Scripture says that Jesus increased in wisdom (Luke 2:52). When Jesus cast out devils it was not because he was Omnipotent or all-powerful, it was because He did it through the Spirit (Matthew 12:28; Acts 10:38; Luke 4:16-19). 

2). In the passage cited above from Matthew where Jesus outsmarted his enemies, I personally believe that it was because He meditated in the word of God and was being led by the Holy Spirit.

a).  Psalm 119:97-101 O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. 

119:98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. 

119:99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. 

119:100 I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts. 

119:101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.