Mark 12:28-34

Intro

Catch up

Confrontation stage

Jesus has entered Jerusalem to high praise

He cleared out the temple

And now is being directly challenged

First by the pharisees

Then the sadducees

Now by the scribes

Each try to challenge him to say something against Rome or something that would make the people discredit him

They wanted to rid themselves of this Jesus because he challenges their position in society

Read Mark 12:28-34

Mark 12:28–34 ESV

28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Another Question

Mark 12:28 ESV

28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”

The Scribe comes up and sees that this man has answers well

Mark 12:17 ESV

17 Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him.

Mark 12:27 ESV

27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong.”

This scribe may have been different

He saw that Jesus had good answers

While we dont know his motives as we did the Pharisees and Sadducees

We know that he wanted answers from this man as well

He wanted answers because he perceived that Jesus had the answers

So he asks this question

perhaps a questions that has been burning in his own heart

He knows the law well

Knows there are 613 individual statutes

365 negative

248 positive

Knows the interpretations of the law

He probably has an idea of what the most important commandment is

But he came to Jesus to ask

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT COMMANDMENT

Jesus answers

Just as the scribe came to ask a questions

Jesus answers

Not like he did with the pharisees and the sadducees but he answers directly

Mark 12:29–31 ESV

29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Jesus answered

Not why put me to the test

Not is this not the reason you are wrong

But Jesus answered the question

How he answers this question is very important

A truth in principle we must take away from this narrative

The broader picture here is the conflict Jesus has with these temple leaders the Pharisees, Saducees, and scribes

On the whole the scribes arent big fans of Jesus either

In the movie I see this man as slightly different than the other scribes

This is a man who has a genuine question for Jesus

He precieves that he is wise and he wants to gain understanding

And Jesus answers accordingly with a truth that we should not overlook

This is literally Jesus answering the question we all probably want to know to

What is the most important thing for me to do??

And he answers it using scripture

This is a combination of the beginning of the Shema Deuteronomy 6:4-5

Deuteronomy 6:4–5 ESV

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

and Leviticus 19:18

Leviticus 19:18 ESV

18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

This isnt some foriegn concept

This isnt I say its this

This is what the Word of God says ...

Do these two things

Love God with everything

Love your neighbor

Order is important

First Love God

With all of you

Discuss with your small group heart, soul, mind, strength

Why did mind make it in here

Second Love your neighbor

This is not first for a reason

The object of all our worship and effection should be God

and the result of that is an action

Loving ones neighbor

A scribe so close

Mark 12:32–34 ESV

32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.

mark makes a point to leave the scribes response to Jesus answer unlike he did with the other two

why?

because this scribe almost gets it

God is one

and no one is beside him

and we should love him and our neighbor

all greater than any other works