Daily Devotions
Mark
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. "Acts 2:27b"
Day 268 – Mark 12
THE SECOND COMMANDMENT
As in the other arguments, Jesus brought up a second matter. Jesus always sought to apply the truth into life’s personal circumstances. It is not sufficient to be theologically correct. If this truth is truly believed in, then the following must apply.
“And the second, like it, is this:
‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’
There is no other commandment greater than these.”
MARK 12:31
1. A seemingly obscure text from Leviticus
Jesus singled out this text from Leviticus as the complement to the first commandment (Cf. Leviticus 19:18b).
The average person would not be able to see the full significance of this text, stuck in the middle of the Book of Leviticus.
2. No other commandment greater than these
Jesus effectively summarized ALL of God’s commandments into two main categories.
a) Love God
b) Love one’s neighbour
ADMISSION OF THE SCRIBE
The scribe could not help but admire the erudition of Jesus.
“The scribe said to Him,
‘Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth,
for there is one God, and there is no other but He.
And to love Him with all the heart,
with all the understanding, with all the soul,
and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbour
as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings
and sacrifices.'”
MARK 12:32-33
A WORD OF ADVICE
The concession uttered by the scribe however did not represent personal faith. Thus Jesus added the following words.
“You are not far from the kingdom of God.”
MARK 12:34A
Would the scribe take one more step? Would he now come to Jesus in faith? Sadly, there was no response from the scribe. All the opponents now avoided Jesus!
“But after that no one dared question Him.”
MARK 12:34B