Matthew 19 19

Matthew 19:19 kjv

Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Matthew 19:19 nkjv

'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' "

Matthew 19:19 niv

honor your father and mother,' and 'love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Matthew 19:19 esv

Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

Matthew 19:19 nlt

Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.' "

Matthew 19 verses

Matthew 19 19 Meaning

Matthew 19:19 encapsulates two essential commandments from God's law, as restated by Jesus. First, it reiterates the fifth commandment to honor one's father and mother, emphasizing filial respect and care as foundational to societal and family order. Second, it presents the command to "love your neighbor as yourself," drawing from the Old Testament, which summarizes the core ethical principle for interactions with all humanity, demonstrating active, selfless care and empathy for others. Together, these commands form the bedrock of righteousness concerning human relationships, serving as a gateway to understanding a life pleasing to God.

Matthew 19 19 Context

Matthew 19:19 is part of Jesus' encounter with a rich young ruler who asks what good thing he must do to have eternal life (Matt 19:16). Jesus initially directs him to obey the commandments. In response to the ruler's inquiry about "Which ones?", Jesus recites a list drawn from the second table of the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) concerning one's duty to fellow human beings. Matthew 19:18 lists the prohibitions against murder, adultery, theft, and false witness. Verse 19 then completes this enumeration by adding the positive command to "Honor your father and your mother" (the Fifth Commandment), followed by the overarching summary principle: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." This entire dialogue reveals that while the young man believed he had kept these external aspects of the Law, he had yet to grasp the full, selfless internal requirement of true love for God and neighbor.

Historically and culturally, these commands were central to Jewish understanding of righteous living. Jesus’ inclusion of "love your neighbor as yourself" (from Lev 19:18) as a culminating principle elevates it beyond a simple rule, demonstrating its centrality to God's will. This subtle reordering and emphasis by Jesus acted as a soft polemic against a purely external or legalistic understanding of the Law that was prevalent among some religious leaders of the time. It shifted the focus from merely avoiding sin to actively practicing love.

Matthew 19 19 Word analysis

• Honor (G: Tima, from timao - "to value," "to highly respect," "to revere"):
  • Significance: More than just obeying or respecting. It implies deep care, valuing, supporting, and providing for parents, particularly in their old age or infirmity. This duty underpins the societal structure intended by God.
• your father and your mother:
  • Significance: The first commandment that carries a promise (Eph 6:2-3). It establishes the fundamental unit of human society—the family—as an arena for learning and practicing divine order and respect for authority. This also extended to providing for them as an adult.
• and, 'You shall love' (G: kai agapēseis from agapao - "to love," referring to agape love):
  • kai: A simple conjunction connecting two distinct, yet related, injunctions. It introduces the profound summary command.
  • agapēseis: An imperative future verb, denoting a divine command that one will actively practice agape. This is not merely an emotion but a chosen, selfless act of will that seeks the well-being of the other. It is divine love, distinguishing it from philia (friendship love) or eros (romantic love).
• your neighbor (G: ton plēsion - "the one who is near," "fellow human being"):
  • Original Context: In Leviticus 19:18, it initially referred to fellow Israelites.
  • Jesus' expansion: Through parables like the Good Samaritan and teachings (Matt 5:43-44), Jesus radically expanded this definition to include all people, even enemies, thereby challenging limited interpretations common in His day.
• as yourself (G: hōs seauton - "as your very self," "like yourself"):
  • Significance: This phrase provides the standard and motivation for love. It does not mean loving oneself narcissistically, but rather that we intuitively know what is good for us, what meets our needs, and what avoids harm. The command is to apply this same understanding, consideration, and active care towards others. It presumes a healthy, not self-obsessed, self-regard.
• Words-group by words-group analysis:
  • "Honor your father and your mother": This segment emphasizes hierarchical relationships within the family, foundational for civil society. It's a positive command, not just an abstention. It brings blessings for stability and longevity of life (Eph 6:2).
  • "and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself' ": This section broadens the scope from familial duty to universal human responsibility. It's the Golden Rule's essence, encapsulated. It demands empathetic and proactive benevolence. This command encompasses and fulfills all other negative prohibitions (You shall not murder, etc.) by compelling an active pursuit of others' good rather than merely avoiding their harm. This agape love is the distinctive mark of true discipleship (John 13:34-35).

Matthew 19 19 Bonus section

The Jewish oral law of the time, the Mishnah, contained detailed interpretations of the commandments. While the rich young ruler claimed to have kept these from his youth, Jesus’ summation, particularly the 'love your neighbor as yourself,' hinted at a spiritual depth of the Law that often escaped external legalistic observance. This was a direct echo of how many Pharisees and Sadducees had missed the spirit of the law in favor of the letter, leading to hypocrisy. The connection between love for God (the first greatest commandment) and love for neighbor (the second) is seamless, as genuine love for God naturally flows into genuine love for His creation. Therefore, Matthew 19:19 not only articulates fundamental duties but also serves as a crucial theological lens through which to understand the true intent and summative power of God's divine Law in relation to salvation and spiritual maturity.

Matthew 19 19 Commentary

Matthew 19:19 stands as a pivotal verse in Jesus’ exposition of the Law, demonstrating that divine commands are not merely arbitrary rules but expressions of God's perfect love and design for human flourishing. By listing these specific commandments (from Matt 19:18) and culminating with "honor your father and your mother" and the profound summary "love your neighbor as yourself," Jesus is not asserting salvation through perfect law-keeping. Instead, he uses the law as a mirror to expose the rich young ruler's true spiritual condition – his lack of full devotion and love beyond superficial obedience. The commands, particularly the call to "love your neighbor as yourself," reveal the depth of righteousness God demands: not just abstaining from wrong, but actively willing and pursuing the good of others, even at personal cost. This understanding transcends a minimalistic, external obedience and calls for a transformed heart, indicating that without the active love commanded, the ruler's claim of having kept the Law was ultimately deficient. It challenges us to examine if our understanding of Christian life is merely abstaining from sin or truly rooted in selfless, active love for those around us.