Matthew 22:32-42

32 'I am - not was - the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob.' The living God defines himself not as the God of dead men, but of the living."

33 Hearing this exchange the crowd was much impressed.

34 When the Pharisees heard how he had bested the Sadducees, they gathered their forces for an assault.

35 One of their religion scholars spoke for them, posing a question they hoped would show him up:

36 "Teacher, which command in God's Law is the most important?"

37 Jesus said, "'Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.'

38 This is the most important, the first on any list.

39 But there is a second to set alongside it: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.'

40 These two commands are pegs; everything in God's Law and the Prophets hangs from them."

41 As the Pharisees were regrouping, Jesus caught them off balance with his own test question:

42 "What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?" They said, "David's son."