Matthew 22:37–39 (KJV): meaning and how to memorise it

What Matthew 22:37–39 says

Jesus gives the two great commandments: love God with all your heart, soul and mind, and love your neighbour as yourself. They summarise the Ten Commandments.

Matthew 22:37–39 in context

³⁴But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together. ³⁵Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, ³⁶Master, which is the great commandment in the law? ³⁷Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. ³⁸This is the first and great commandment. ³⁹And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. ⁴⁰On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. ⁴¹While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, ⁴²Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David.

Matthew 22, verses 34–42. Read the whole chapter with John Brown’s notes in the Self-Interpreting Bible.

Matthew 22:37–39 in the catechisms

The Reformation catechisms and confessions cite Matthew 22:37–39 9 times as a proof text.

WSC 42
What is the sum of the ten commandments?
WLC 98
Where is the moral law summarily comprehended?
WLC 99
What rules are to be observed for the right understanding of the ten commandments?
WCF 19.2
This law, after his fall, continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness; and, as such, was delivered by God upon mount Sinai in ten commandments, and written in two tables;…
HC 93
How are these commandments divided?
HC 94
What does the LORD require in the first commandment?
WLC 122
What is the sum of the six commandments which contain our duty to man?
WLC 141
What are the duties required in the eighth commandment?
HC 107
Is it enough, then, that we do not kill our neighbour in any such way?

How to memorise Matthew 22:37–39

Hearers breaks the verse into clauses and teaches each clause in four steps. Then it brings each clause back just before you forget it.

01
Read
Read the verse with the clauses marked. Listen to it read aloud.
02
Trace
Type the first letter of each word, with the words shown faintly.
03
Fade
Half of the words go. Type the text again, and fill the gaps from memory.
04
Recall
All the words go. Type it or say it aloud. Each clause gets its own grade and its own review date.