Mateus 22

Mateus 22

Henry - That the great commandment of all, which is indeed inclusive of all, is, that of loving God with all our hearts. (1.) Where there is a commanding principle in the soul, there is a disposition to every other duty. Love is the leading affection of the soul; the love of God is the leading grace in the renewed soul. (2.) Where this is not, nothing else that is good is done, or done aright, or accepted, or done long. Loving God with all our heart, will effectually take us off from, and arm us against, all those things that are rivals with him for the throne in our souls, and will engage us to every thing by which he may be honoured, and with which he will be pleased; and no commandment will be grievous where this principle commands, and has the ascendant. (Commentary) Love (25) agapao see related study of noun agape) means to love unconditionally and sacrificially (selflessly) as God Himself loves sinful men (John 3:16), the way He loves the Son (John 3:35, 15:9, 17:23, 24). Note that agapao is a verb and by its verbal nature calls for action. It follows that this quality of love is not so much an emotion as it is an action initiated by a volitional choice, a choice of our wills, indeed a choice or "fruit" supernaturally initiated and enabled by the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22+). SEE 9 page article on AGAPAO in the NIDNTT, PAGE 538