And he answering

(ο δε αποκριθεις). First aorist participle, no longer passive in idea. The lawyer's answer is first from the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:3; Deuteronomy 11:13) which was written on the phylacteries. The second part is from Leviticus 19:18 and shows that the lawyer knew the law. At a later time Jesus himself in the temple gives a like summary of the law to a lawyer (Mark 12:28-34; Matthew 22:34-40) who wanted to catch Jesus by his question. There is no difficulty in the two incidents. God is to be loved with all of man's four powers (heart, soul, strength, mind) here as in Mark 12:30.

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Old Testament