Lesson 10 of 13
February 3, 2013
“The Law Expert: Asking
About What Matters Most”
Mark 12:28-34
Study Aim: To measure my life
by what Jesus said matters most
All Scripture quotes are from the
NIV version unless otherwise
indicated. Most lesson comments are
from the Study Guide followed by SG.
BaptistWay
Press, Dallas,
Texas
PowerPoint by Don Cannata
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Overview of 13 Lesson Series
1. John the Baptist:
Preparing for Jesus
2. Peter: Telling Jesus
He’s Wrong
3. James and John: We
Are First
4. Levi: Outsiders
Welcome
5. A disturbed man:
Freed from Being Out of
Control
6. Two Desperate
People: Relying on
Jesus
7. Hometown People:
Stuck in the Ordinary
8. The Religious
Leaders: Bound By
Tradition
9. The Disciples: Slow to
Get It
10. The Law Expert:
Asking About What
Matters Most
11. The Woman at
Bethany: Honoring Jesus
Extravagantly
12. Judas: Doing the
Unthinkable
13. Women at the Cross
and the Tomb
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Lesson 10 – “The Gospel of Mark”
A Plan for Mark’s Gospel
During the year or more that Peter and
Mark were so closely associated, they
must have engaged in many earnest
conversations about their Lord.
Outline of the Gospel
1. An introduction (1:1-20)
2. The Galilean Ministry (1:21-6:13)
3. Outside of Galilee (6:14-10:52)
4. Ministry in Jerusalem (11:1-14:22)
5. Crucifixion/Resurrection (14:4316:20)
Source: Hugh R. Peterson, “A Study of The
Gospel of Mark”, Convention Press,
Nashville, TN 1958, p. 2
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Lesson 10 – “The Gospel of Mark”
The Background of the Lesson
The background of this lesson’s focal
passage actually begins in Mark 11:27.
Jesus was back in Jerusalem (his final
week of ministry) after his triumphant
entry and cleansing the temple.
As religious leaders tried to discredit
Jesus, they asked him a series of
questions focused on his right to speak
with authority about the things of God.
SG
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Lesson 10 – “The Gospel of Mark”
Loving God Completely (12:28-30)
Jesus used the positive summary
answering the question regarding the
most important of all commandments.
Mark 12:28 One of the teachers of the
law came and heard them debating.
Noticing that Jesus had given them a
good answer, he asked him, “Of all the
commandments, which is the most
important?”
Mark 12:29 “The most important one,”
answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O
Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is
one.
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Lesson 10 – “The Gospel of Mark”
Loving God Completely (12:28-30)
Jesus reinforced the accepted belief that
the most important command was to
love God with the whole self.
Mark 12:30 Love the Lord your God
with all your heart and with all your soul
and with all your mind and with all your
strength.’
Forgetting self and giving ourselves
unreservedly to God is the first
command and leads to freedom and joy.
SG
Does this work for you?
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Lesson 10 – “The Gospel of Mark”
Loving Our Neighbor as Ourselves (12:31)
This commandment included the last six of the
Ten Commandments with their instruction to
care for parents and the prohibitions against
murder, adultery, stealing, lying and coveting
(Ex.20:12-17). SG
Mark 12:31 The second is this: ‘Love
your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no
commandment greater than these.”
Jesus’ answer to the question about
what matters most was clear. Love God
with an undivided heart and love their
neighbors as themselves. SG
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Lesson 10 – “The Gospel of Mark”
Loving Our Neighbor as Ourselves (12:31)
In Luke’s account the “expert in the law”
wishing “to justify” himself asked Jesus, “and
who is my neighbor (Luke 10:29). Jesus told
the story of the Good Samaritan.
This forever changed the definition of
neighbor from “one of your people”
(Leviticus 19:18) to the neighbor
being anyone in need of help. SG
What motivates you to help your
neighbor? What sometimes keeps you
from helping someone in need?
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Lesson 10 – “The Gospel of Mark”
Loving Our Neighbor as Ourselves (12:31)
Cast Study to Explore
Late at night your phone rings,
and it’s the teenage girl living
next door. She says, “Daddy is
really angry, and we are scared.
Can you help us?”
How can you best be neighbor to
this young girl and to her family?
What should you do? SG
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Lesson 10 – “The Gospel of Mark”
“Not Far From” but Not There Yet (12:32-34)
Mark 12:34 When Jesus saw that he had
answered wisely, he said to him, “You
are not far from the kingdom of God.”
And from then on no one dared ask him
any more questions.
The expert in the law was able to
acknowledge what mattered most, but he
had not yet heard or responded to Jesus’
command to follow him. To acknowledge
truth is a wonderful first step. Obedience
to truth is essential to being a part of the
kingdom of God. SG
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Lesson 10 – “The Gospel of Mark”
Implications and Actions
We need to recognize that we too
may be “not far from the kingdom
of God,” but we can also recognize
that entry into the kingdom of
God comes as we follow Jesus and
accept his grace, forgiveness, and
power. SG
1. What keeps us from giving God
first place in our lives?
2. How do we balance self-care and caring
for others?
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Lesson 10 – “The Gospel of Mark”
Implications and Actions
3. How do you determine who
your neighbor is?
4. Why is the belief in the
kingdom of God important for
daily living?
5. What are some specific ways
you can better love God with “all”
of yourself?
End of Lesson 10 of 13
Lesson 11 is entitled “The Woman at Bethany:
Honoring Jesus Extravagantly.” Focal text is
Mark 14:1-9
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Lesson 10 – “The Gospel of Mark”
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