NOTES for Mar 12:28-34
28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? |
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: |
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. |
31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. |
32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: |
33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. |
34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question. |
Hide
Jesus does not break the familiar world, but He radically changes it from within, filling established ideas with the right understanding. Out of the many commandments, so familiar, He singles out two, and the meaning of a person's relationship with God and with the world immediately comes into clear focus. True, the scribe is interested in only one commandment, since from a human point of view only one thing can be most important. Yet Christ unexpectedly places two commandments side by side.
That the commandment to love God is named first is natural and could not be otherwise. But that the commandment to love a human being is placed beside it, and that no other commandment can compare with these two, was a breakthrough in grasping the highest Reality. The high dignity of the human person, the calling to deification, is something absent from non-biblical religions and is the reason God became man. Understanding this is one of those golden talents given to us by the Savior that we ought not bury in the ground, but put to use more often.
The scribe who understands this (a very modern figure, by the way) is not far from the Kingdom of God. Someone who is near is not yet inside; he still has to take a step toward Christ, and that step can be so hard to take. People like this scribe often find it hard to decide on such a step, but because they have drawn near, it would also be easier for them to enter.
Topics:
After registering, you can subscribe to any Bible reading plan. Personalized settings and other services for registered users are planned, so we recommend registering now. Registration is free. | ||
