Matthew 22:36 (KJV)

Passage

Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

Nearby Context

Matthew 22:34 But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.

Matthew 22:35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,

Matthew 22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

Matthew 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Matthew 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "master", "great", and "commandment". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "master" and "great", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 35's "Then one of them which was a..." into verse 37's "Jesus said unto him Thou shalt love...", so "master" and "great" belong inside that flow. In Matthew context, the local focus is Christ, faith, and discipleship.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "master" and "great" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.