31. But as to the resurrection of the dead–have you never read what was said to you by God,
32. I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead but of the living! [Exod. 3:6.]
33. And when the throng heard it, they were astonished and filled with [glad] amazement at His teaching.
34. Now when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced (muzzled) the Sadducees, they gathered together.
35. And one of their number, a lawyer, asked Him a question to test Him.
36. Teacher, which kind of commandment is great and important (the principal kind) in the Law? [Some commandments are light–which are heavy?]
37. And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect). [Deut. 6:5.]
38. This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment.
39. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself. [Lev. 19:18.]
40. These two commandments sum up and upon them depend all the Law and the Prophets.