Albert Barnes Commentary Matthew 22:36

"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" — Matthew 22:36 (ASV)

Which is the great commandment? That is, the greatest commandment, or the one most important. The Jews are said to have divided the law into greater and smaller commandments. Which was of the greatest importance they had not determined. Some held that it was the law concerning sacrifice; others, that concerning circumcision; others, that concerning washings and purifying, etc.

The law. The word law has a great variety of meanings; it means, commonly, in the Bible, as it does here, the law given by Moses, recorded in the first five books of the Bible.