AN EXPERT IN THE LAW / MATTHEW 22:35-36

START YOUR DAY RIGHT DAILY DEVOTION

(KJV) Matthew 22:35-36

Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, ³⁶ Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

The Question That Changes Everything: Moving from Rules to Relationship

In Matthew 22:35-36, a tense theological showdown unfolds in just two short verses: “One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’”

To understand the weight of this moment, we have to look closely at the identity of the challenger. The text labels him an “expert in the law,” translated from the Greek word nomikos. This was not a modern courtroom lawyer. A nomikos was a highly trained theologian, interpreter, and professional teacher of the Law of Moses—the vast system of commands, moral regulations, and ceremonial duties that God gave to Moses to deliver to the people of Israel.

This expert knew all 613 commandments by heart. He spent his days debating their fine details, drawing legal boundaries, and ensuring strict adherence to the letter of the law. When he stepped forward to “test” Jesus, he wasn’t asking out of genuine curiosity. He was setting an intellectual trap, forcing Jesus to pick a single command above the rest in a culture where religious leaders fiercely debated which laws were “heavy” (important) and which were “light” (less important).

The expert came armed with rules and regulations. Jesus, however, responded by revealing the very pulse behind the pages of scripture:

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39)

The nomikos was looking for a legal loophole or a theological debate. Jesus gave him a mirror. He showed the expert—and He shows us today—that the ultimate goal of knowing God’s Word is not to become rigid gatekeepers of information, but to become people transformed by love.

It is easy to fall into the trap of the expert. We can become highly skilled at checking religious boxes, memorizing facts, or using God’s standards to judge others while our own hearts remain cold. God values our study and deep respect for His commands, but only when that knowledge drives us to love Him completely and serve our neighbors selflessly.

Closing Prayer

Heavenly Father, Author of Truth and Giver of Life, we thank You for Your Word and the boundaries You set to protect and guide us. Forgive us for the times we act like the expert in the law—prioritizing rules over relationship, and legalism over love. We ask that Your Holy Spirit shift our focus from a checklist faith to a heart-first devotion. Teach us to love You with every ounce of our heart, soul, and mind, and to extend that same grace and love to our neighbors every single day. May our lives reflect the heart of Your law to a world that desperately needs Your love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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3. WEDDING CLOTHES / MATTHEW 22:11
4. WILL BE BROKEN TO PIECES /MATTHEW 21:44
5. KINGDOM TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU / MATTHEW 21:43
6. THE TENANTS / MATTHEW 21:33-44
7. IF YOU HAVE FAITH / MATTHEW 21:21-22
8. A HOUSE OF PRAYER / MATTHEW 21:13
9. JESUS OVERTURNED THE TABLES / MATTHEW 21:12
10. RANSOM FOR MANY / MATTHEW 20:28
11. NOT SO WITH YOU / MATTHEW 20:26
12. MEN TO WORK IN HIS VINEYARD / MATTHEW 20:1
13. FIRST WILL BE LAST / MATTHEW 19:30
14. RECEIVE A HUNDRED TIMES / MATTHEW 19:29
15. GO SELL YOUR POSSESIONS / MATTHEW 19:21
16. LITTLE CHILDREN / MATTHEW 19:13
17. FOR MARITAL UNFAITHFULNESS / MATTHEW 19:9
18. UNLESS YOU FORGIVE / MATTHEW 18:35
19. IF TWO AGREE / MATTHEW 18:19-20
20. IF YOUR BROTHER SINS / MATTHEW 18:15
21. ANGELS / MATTHEW 18:10
22. WOE TO THE MAN / MATTHEW 18:7
23. MILLSTONE … AROUND HIS NECK / MATTHEW 18:6
24. UNLESS YOU CHANGE / MATTHEW 18:3
25. WHO IS THE GREATEST / MATTHEW 18:1
26. FAITH … NOTHING WILL BE IMPOSIBLE / MATTHEW 17:20
27. UNBELIEVING AND PERVERSE / MATTHEW 17:17
28. WAS TRANSFIGURED / MATTHEW 17:2
29. COMING IN HIS KINGDOM / MATTHEW 16:28
30. TAKE UP HIS CROSS / MATTHEW 16:24
31. KEYS OF THE KINGDOM / MATTHEW 16:19
32. PETER … ROCK … CHURCH – THE GATES OF HADES WILL NOT OVERCOME / MATTHEW 16:18
33. BE ON YOUR GUARD AGAINST THE YEAST / MATTHEW 16:6
34. YOU HAVE GREAT FAITH / MATTHEW 15:28
35. OUT OF THE HEART / MATTHEW 15:19
36. THAT IS WHAT MAKES HIM ‘UNCLEAN’ / MATTHEW 15:11
37. THEIR HEARTS ARE FAR FROM ME / MATTHEW 15:8
38. FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR TRADITION / MATTHEW 15:5-6
39. DON’T BE AFRAID / MATTHEW 14:27
40. PRAY ALONE / MATTHEW 14:23-24
41. LOAVES AND FISH / MATTHEW 14:19
42. DANCED FOR THEM / MATTHEW 14:6-7
43. SEEING PAST THE FAMILIAR / MATTHEW 13:55
44. SEPARATE THE WICKED FROM THE RIGHTEOUS / MATTHEW 13:49
45. KINGDOM … A NET / MATTHEW 13:47
46. KINGDOM … TREASURE / MATTHEW 13:44-46
47. THE FIERY FURNACE / MATTHEW 13:42
48. WEED OUT … EVERYTHING THAT CAUSES SIN / MATTHEW 13:41
49. YEAST / MATTHEW 13:33
50. A MUSTARD SEED / MATTHEW 13:31
51. LET BOTH GROW TOGETHER / MATTHEW 13:30
52. GOOD SEED … WEEDS / MATTHEW 13:24-25
53. EVIL ONE SNATCHES AWAY / MATTHEW 13:19
54. WHOEVER HAS WILL BE GIVEN MORE / MATTHEW 13:12
55. LET BOTH GROW TOGETHER / MATTHEW 13:30
56. AN EVIL SPIRIT / MATTHEW 12:43
57. JONAH / MATTHEW 12:40
58. BY YOUR WORDS / MATTHEW 12:37
59. THE DAY OF JUDGMENT /MATTHEW 12:36
60. BLASPHEMY AGAINST THE SPIRIT / MATTHEW 12:31
61. TIES UP THE STRONG MAN / MATTHEW 12:29
62. THE KINGDOM OF GOD / MATTHEW 12:28
63. SABBATH / MATTHEW 12:1
64. COME TO ME / MATTHEW 11:28
65. GLUTTON AND A DRUNKARD / MATTHEW 11:19
66. FORCEFUL MEN LAY HOLD OF IT / MATTHEW 11:12
67. GREATER THAN HE / MATTHEW 11:11
68. JOHN / MATTHEW 11:7
69. PROPHET RIGHTEOUS MAN / MATTHEW 10:41
70. TAKE HIS CROSS / Matthew 10:38
71. I DID NOT COME TO BRING PEACE / MATTHEW 10:34
72. ACKNOWLEDGES ME BEFORE MEN / MATTHEW 10:32
73. YOU ARE WORTH MORE / MATTHEW 10:31
74. HELL / MATTHEW 10:28
75. DO NOT BE AFRAID OF THEM / MATTHEW 10:26
76. CITIES OF ISRAEL / MATTHEW 10:23
77. GIVEN WHAT TO SAY / MATTHEW 10:19-20
78. PREACH THE KINGDOM / MATTHEW 10:7
79. AUTHORITY TO DRIVE OUT EVIL SPIRITS / MATTHEW 10:1
80. ASK THE LORD TO SEND / MATTHEW 9:38
81. THE HARVEST IS PLENTIFUL / MATTHEW 9:37
82. NEW WINE INTO OLD WINESKINS / NEW WINE PRESERVED / MATTHEW 9:17
83. THEN THEY WILL FAST / MATTHEW 9:15
84. EAT WITH ‘SINNERS’ / MATTHEW 9:11
85. THEY PLEADED WITH HIM TO LEAVE / MATTHEW 8:34
86. DEMON-POSSESSED MEN /MATTHEW 8:28
87. LET THE DEAD BURY THEIR OWN DEAD / MATTHEW 8:22
88. HEALED ALL THE SICK / MATTHEW 8:16-17
89. GREAT FAITH / MATTHEW 8:10
90. DON’T TELL ANYONE / MATTHEW 8:4
91. JESUS TOUCHED THE MAN / MATTHEW 8:3
92. I NEVER KNEW YOU / MATTHEW 7:23
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95. BY THEIR FRUIT YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THEM / MATTHEW 7:16
96. WATCH OUT FOR FALSE PROPHETS / MATTHEW 7:15
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108. IF YOU FORGIVE / MATTHEW 6:14
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111. DAILY BREAD / MATTHEW 6:11
112. YOUR KINGDOM COME – YOUR WILL BE DONE / MATTHEW 6:10
113. THIS THEN IS HOW YOU SHOULD PRAY / MATTHEW 6:9
114. PRAY IN SECRET / MATTHEW 6:6
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117. EXCEPT FOR MARITAL UNFAITHFULNESS / MATTHEW 5:32
118. HELL / MATTHEW 5:29
119. LOOKS LUSTFULLY / MATTHEW 5:28
120. ANGRY … RACA … FOOL / MATTHEW 5:22
121. UNLESS YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS / MATTHEW 5:20
122. GREAT IN THE KINGDOM / MATTHEW 5:19
123. THE LAW TO FULFILL / MATTHEW 5:17
124. LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD DEEDS / MATTHEW 5:14-16
125. SALT OF THE EARTH / MATTHEW 5:13
126. PERSECUTED BECAUSE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS / MATTHEW 5:10
127. THE PEACEMAKERS / MATTHEW 5:9
128. THE PURE IN HEART / MATTHEW 5:8
129. THE MERCIFUL / MATTHEW 5:7
130. HUNGER AND THIRST FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS / MATTHEW 5:6
131. THE MEEK / MATTHEW 5:5
132. THOSE WHO MOURN / MATTHEW 5:4
133. BLESSED POOR IN SPIRIT / MATTHEW 5:3
134. SERMON ON THE MOUNT / MATTHEW 5-7
135. THE KINGDOM AND HEALING / MATTHEW 4:23
136. FISHERS OF MEN / MATTHEW 4:19
137. SATAN / MATTHEW 4:10
138. ALL THE KINGDOMS OF THE WORLD / MATTHEW 4:8
139. IT IS WRITTEN / MATTHEW 4:6-7
140. FASTING FORTY DAYS / MATTHEW 4:2
141. JESUS … TEMPTED / MATTHEW 4:1-11
142. THE TRINITY IN EXAMPLE / MATTHEW 3:17
143. SPIRIT … ON HIM / MATTHEW 3:16
144. JESUS … BAPTIZED / MATTHEW 3:13
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146. FRUIT IN KEEPING WITH REPENTANCE / MATTHEW 3:8
147. PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES / MATTHEW 3:7
148. KINGDOM OF HEAVEN – REPENT / MATTHEW 3:2
149. WARNED IN A DREAM / MATTHEW 2:22-23
150. KILL ALL THE BOYS / MATTHEW 2:16
151. ESCAPE TO EGYPT / MATTHEW 2:13
152. CHIEF PRIESTS AND TEACHERS OF THE LAW / MATTHEW 2:4
153. HEROD – MAGI / MATTHEW 2:1-2
154. NO UNION WITH HER UNTIL / MATTHEW 1:25
155. VIRGIN … GIVE BIRTH TO A SON / MATTHEW 1:23
156. JESUS / MATTHEW 1:21
157. MARY … JESUS / MATTHEW 1:16
158. CHRIST – SON OF DAVID /MATTHEW 1:1
159. GENEALOGY OF JESUS CHRIST / MATTHEW 1:1-16
160. CREWS N AWAY: ANCHORED IN GRACE

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Blessings, Margarita & Stace