ACC ~ Matthew 22 v40

LAW AND PROPHETS IN SUMMARY

ORIGEN: After this you ask how it is that “all the law and the prophets depend upon these two commands.” For it seems that the texts show us that whatever was written in Exodus or Leviticus or Numbers or Deuteronomy depend “upon these two commands.” But how is the law which regards lepers or the continual flow of blood or the menstruation of women dependent “upon these two commands”? And still further, how does the prophecy about captured Jerusalem, [1] or the vision of Egypt in Isaiah [2] and the other prophets, or the vision of Tyre [3] or whatever may be prophesied about Tyre or the king of Tyre, [4] or Isaiah’s vision of the four-footed beasts in the wasteland [5] “depend upon these two commands”?

It seems to me that the answer is something like this. He who fulfills all that is written concerning the love of God and neighbor is worthy to receive the greatest thanks from God.

Concerning this it has been argued that “the utterance of wisdom [comes] through the Holy Spirit,” after which follows “the utterance of knowledge” which is “according to the Spirit.” [6] COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 4. [7]

[1] Cf. Is 5:1-30.

[2] Cf. Is 19:1-25.

[3] Is 23:1-18.

[4] Ezek 28:12-19.

[5] Is 30:6-7.

[6] 1 Cor 12:8.

[7] GCS 38.2:7-8.