--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had…" description: "\"“when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. 35One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, test..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/the-lockman-foundation-20726_commandment_when-the-pharisees-heard-that-jesus-had_2411844.jpg" --- # when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the… ![“when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. 35One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, 36“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND…” quote by The Lockman Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/the-lockman-foundation-20726_commandment_when-the-pharisees-heard-that-jesus-had_2411844.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/the-lockman-foundation-20726_commandment_when-the-pharisees-heard-that-jesus-had_2411844.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/the-lockman-foundation-20726_commandment_when-the-pharisees-heard-that-jesus-had_2411844.jpg) > ““when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. 35One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, 36“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38This is the great and foremost commandment.”” [The Lockman Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-lockman-foundation/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Jesus identifies love for God as the supreme command, encompassing heart, soul, and mind. **In simple terms:** Love God fully is the top law. Key Takeaway Prioritize love for God. Themes faith love obedience Mood reverent inspirational Type scriptural teaching When to use this quote - personal prayer - church teaching - ethical decision making Key Concepts theology ethical hierarchy Questions to Reflect On - How does loving God with all being affect daily choices? - What challenges arise in fully loving God? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Commandment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commandment/) ## Related quotes > [But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-morell/but-take-diligent-heed-to-do-the-commandment-and-the-law-which-moses/) Thomas Morell > [Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest? He said to him,You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/teacher-which-commandment-in-the-law-is-the-greatest-he-said-to-him/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Read a lot, write a lot is the great commandment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/read-a-lot-write-a-lot-is-the-great-commandment/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The first great commandment was to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, might, mind and strength; and the second was like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heber-j-grant/the-first-great-commandment-was-to-love-the-lord-our-god-with-all-our/) [Heber J. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heber-j-grant/) > [The great commandment of life is to love the Lord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/the-great-commandment-of-life-is-to-love-the-lord/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [“Jesus taught that "the great and first commandment is to love God completely, totally, and unreservedly -- with all one's heart, with all one's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-strauch/jesus-taught-that-the-great-and-first-commandment-is-to-love-god/) [Alexander Strauch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-strauch/) > [To be commanded to love God at all, let alone in the wilderness, is like being commanded to be well when we are sick,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/to-be-commanded-to-love-god-at-all-let-alone-in-the-wilderness-is/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [The first and great commandment is: Don't let them scare you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmer-davis/the-first-and-great-commandment-is-don-t-let-them-scare-you/) [Elmer Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmer-davis/) > [“The Great Commandment.\* 4d Hear, O Israel!\* The LORD is our God, the LORD alone! 5Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-great-commandment-4d-hear-o-israel-the-lord-is-our-god-the-lord/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The great commandment is that we preach the gospel to every creature, but neither God nor the Bible says anything about forcing it down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-zamperini/the-great-commandment-is-that-we-preach-the-gospel-to-every-creature/) [Louis Zamperini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-zamperini/) > [“Remember always this great commandment that Jesus left for us in Matthew 7:1–2:   “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-mcgowan/remember-always-this-great-commandment-that-jesus-left-for-us-in/) [Kathleen McGowan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-mcgowan/) > [“the true God did confess the commandment of the law as the word of God, and called no one else God besides His own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/the-true-god-did-confess-the-commandment-of-the-law-as-the-word-of/) The Church Fathers > [ God the Eternal Father did not give \[the\] first great commandment because He needs us to love Him. His power and glory are not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/god-the-eternal-father-did-not-give-the-first-great-commandment/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [In my opinion, Donald Trump lives a life of loving and helping others as Jesus taught in the great commandment. He cannot be bought;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-falwell-jr/in-my-opinion-donald-trump-lives-a-life-of-loving-and-helping-others/) [Jerry Falwell, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-falwell-jr/) > [ \[Let\] the poor the needy and oppressed of the Earth, and those who want Land, resort to the fertile lands of our western country,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/let-the-poor-the-needy-and-oppressed-of-the-earth-and-those-who-want/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) ## More by The Lockman Foundation > [“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-lockman-foundation/enter-through-the-narrow-gate-for-the-gate-is-wide-and-the-way-is/) [The Lockman Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-lockman-foundation/) > [“And He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-lockman-foundation/and-he-also-went-on-to-say-to-the-one-who-had-invited-him-when-you/) [The Lockman Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-lockman-foundation/) > [“While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-lockman-foundation/while-they-were-eating-jesus-took-some-bread-and-after-a-blessing-he/) [The Lockman Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-lockman-foundation/) > [“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. 43But be sure of this, that if the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-lockman-foundation/therefore-be-on-the-alert-for-you-do-not-know-which-day-your-lord-is/) [The Lockman Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-lockman-foundation/) > [“Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.’ 34But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-lockman-foundation/again-you-have-heard-that-the-ancients-were-told-you-shall-not-make/) [The Lockman Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-lockman-foundation/) > [“And the disciples came to the other side of the sea, but they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6And Jesus said to them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-lockman-foundation/and-the-disciples-came-to-the-other-side-of-the-sea-but-they-had/) [The Lockman Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-lockman-foundation/) > [“8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-lockman-foundation/8-he-has-showed-you-o-man-what-is-good-and-what-does-the-lord-require/) [The Lockman Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-lockman-foundation/) > [“Someone in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” 14But He said to him, “Man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-lockman-foundation/someone-in-the-crowd-said-to-him-teacher-tell-my-brother-to-divide/) [The Lockman Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-lockman-foundation/) > [“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. 16But if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-lockman-foundation/if-your-brother-sins-go-and-show-him-his-fault-in-private-if-he/) [The Lockman Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-lockman-foundation/) > [“5Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-lockman-foundation/5jesus-answered-truly-truly-i-say-to-you-unless-one-is-born-of-water/) [The Lockman Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-lockman-foundation/) > [“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16You will know them by their fruits.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-lockman-foundation/beware-of-the-false-prophets-who-come-to-you-in-sheep-s-clothing-but/) [The Lockman Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-lockman-foundation/) > [“make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-lockman-foundation/make-disciples-of-all-the-nations-baptizing-them-in-the-name-of-the/) [The Lockman Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-lockman-foundation/) > [“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8For everyone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-lockman-foundation/ask-and-it-will-be-given-to-you-seek-and-you-will-find-knock-and-it/) [The Lockman Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-lockman-foundation/) > [“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-lockman-foundation/come-to-me-all-who-are-weary-and-heavy-laden-and-i-will-give-you-rest/) [The Lockman Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-lockman-foundation/) > [“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. 17But beware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-lockman-foundation/behold-i-send-you-out-as-sheep-in-the-midst-of-wolves-so-be-shrewd-as/) [The Lockman Foundation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-lockman-foundation/) [Explore all 30 The Lockman Foundation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-lockman-foundation/) ## More Commandment quotes > [“Eve is a figure for the soul that each human should love. The commandment to be fruitful and multiply did not originally refer to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-greenblatt/eve-is-a-figure-for-the-soul-that-each-human-should-love-the/) [Stephen Greenblatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-greenblatt/) > [“The leader’s commandment is made up of pledges to solve local and global problems, and not to create more problems to add to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/the-leader-s-commandment-is-made-up-of-pledges-to-solve-local-and/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Here is your government at work. A congressman from Colorado said he wants to draft a rule that would make it unethical to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/here-is-your-government-at-work-a-congressman-from-colorado-said-he/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [“I had broken the most basic commandment of our culture: Thou shalt pretend there is nothing wrong.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/i-had-broken-the-most-basic-commandment-of-our-culture-thou-shalt/) [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) > [But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-morell/but-take-diligent-heed-to-do-the-commandment-and-the-law-which-moses/) Thomas Morell > [The second commandment is "Thou shall not construct any graven images." Is this really the pinnacle of what we can achieve morally? The second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-harris/the-second-commandment-is-thou-shall-not-construct-any-graven-images/) [Sam Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-harris/) > [The second commandment that Jesus referred to was not to love others instead of ourselves, but to love them as ourselves. Before we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-warner/the-second-commandment-that-jesus-referred-to-was-not-to-love-others/) Jim Warner > [“The eleventh commandment of art: thou shalt not be boring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-m-driscoll/the-eleventh-commandment-of-art-thou-shalt-not-be-boring/) [W.M. Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-m-driscoll/) > [“128. Matthew 22:36-37 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-jackson/128-matthew-22-36-37-love-the-lord-your-god-with-all-your-heart-and/) Lois Jackson > [Righteous marriage is a commandment and an essential step in the process of creating a loving family relationship that can be perpetuated beyond the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/righteous-marriage-is-a-commandment-and-an-essential-step-in-the/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [“It is highly significant, perplexing to say the least, that we have been bound for thousands of years to a commandment that hardly anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller-the-drama-of-the-gifted-child/it-is-highly-significant-perplexing-to-say-the-least-that-we-have/) [Alice MIller, The Drama of the gifted child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller-the-drama-of-the-gifted-child/) > [Loving your neighbour as much as yourself is practically bloody impossible? You might as well have a commandment that states,'Thou shalt fly'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/loving-your-neighbour-as-much-as-yourself-is-practically-bloody/) [John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/) > [Now we must remark, that there are two parts in the Commandment-the first forbids the erection of a graven image, or any likeness; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/now-we-must-remark-that-there-are-two-parts-in-the-commandment-the/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [Your very eyes. How they have always been for me the command to obey, the inviolable and beautiful commandment. No, no, I'm not telling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-walser/your-very-eyes-how-they-have-always-been-for-me-the-command-to-obey/) [Robert Walser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-walser/) > [“Superficially, the Fourth Commandment can be regarded as a kind of life insurance for old people, which was perhaps necessary in biblical times but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller-the-drama-of-the-gifted-child/superficially-the-fourth-commandment-can-be-regarded-as-a-kind-of/) [Alice MIller, The Drama of the gifted child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller-the-drama-of-the-gifted-child/) [Browse all 211 Commandment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commandment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. 35One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, 36“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38This is the great and foremost commandment.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "The Lockman Foundation" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-lockman-foundation/when-the-pharisees-heard-that-jesus-had-silenced-the-sadducees-they/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Commandment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-lockman-foundation/when-the-pharisees-heard-that-jesus-had-silenced-the-sadducees-they/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/the-lockman-foundation-20726_commandment_when-the-pharisees-heard-that-jesus-had_2411844.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/the-lockman-foundation-20726_commandment_when-the-pharisees-heard-that-jesus-had_2411844.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/299/the-lockman-foundation-20726_commandment_when-the-pharisees-heard-that-jesus-had_2411844.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. 35One of…” — The Lockman Foundation", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "The Lockman Foundation", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-lockman-foundation/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“when the Pharisees heard that Jesus...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-lockman-foundation/when-the-pharisees-heard-that-jesus-had-silenced-the-sadducees-they/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-lockman-foundation/when-the-pharisees-heard-that-jesus-had-silenced-the-sadducees-they/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```