22:35a

And one of them, a lawyer:
The phrase one of them means that this person was a member of the Pharisees. The Greek word that the English Standard Version translates a lawyer refers to someone who studied and taught the law. It is not someone who went to court for a lawsuit. It refers to the same sort of person as the word “scribe” in 21:15a. Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

and one of them, a teacher of the Law (Good News Translation)
-or-
One of them was an expert in the Jewish Law. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
One Pharisee was an expert in the law of Moses

22:35b

asked him a question to test him: The Greek verb that the English Standard Version translates as to test means means “to try to trick/trap.” (This verb is also in 22:18b.)

Here are some other ways to translate this clause:

tried to trap him with a question (Good News Translation)
-or-
tried to trick him by asking

-or-

He wanted to see if Jesus could answer his question well or if he would say something wrong. He asked him (Translation for Translators)

Jewish teachers did not agree which was the more important commandment. No matter how Jesus answered, some of them would be happy and other would be angry at him. It is probably in this sense that the lawyer tested Jesus.

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