Christ’s Critics: A Scribal Lawyer
Mark 12:28-37 6/3/2012
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.' Mark 12:29-30 ESV
The Question of the Greatest Commandment. [Mark 12:28-34;
Matt. 22:35-40; also see Luke 10:25-28]
1. A question asked. [Mark 12:28]
A. Who’s posing the question? [28] {cf. Matt. 22:34-35}
B. What is the question? "What commandment is the foremost of all?"
B. He made a perceptive comparison. [33b]
 Loving the LORD God and loving others is far better than
performing religious rituals.
 God doesn’t take delight in the ritual. 1 Samuel 15:22
Samuel said, "Has the LORD as much delight in burnt offerings
and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to
obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.
[Ps. 40:6-8; 51:16-17; Jer. 6:20; 7:22-23; Hosea 6:6; Amos 5:21-24]
Instead of sacrificing, God would rather you …
C. Jesus commends him. [34]
“You are not far from the kingdom of God.”
The Question of David’s Son. [Mark 12:35-37; Matt. 22:41-46;
Luke 20:39-44]
1. Jesus asks a question. "How is it that the scribes say that the
2. Jesus’ answer. [Mark 12:29-31]
A. Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:4-5. “The foremost is”
1) The LORD is our God, the LORD is one. Shema-“Hear”
Christ is the son of David?”
A. Why is Jesus’ quote of Psalm 110:1 difficult?
1) The Rabbi’s taught that Psalm 110 was Messianic.
2) David wrote that the Messiah would conquer his enemies.
3) Yet David called him “my Lord”.
2) You shall love the LORD your God.




With all your heart With all your soul With all your mind With all your strength -
Concepts linked to loving -
B. Jesus quotes Leviticus 19:18. “The second is this”
1) You shall love your neighbor as yourself. [cf. Luke 10:30f]
2) There is no other commandment greater than these. Gal. 5:14
For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "You
shall love your neighbor as yourself." [cf. Rom. 13:8-10]
3. The Scribe’s comeback. [Mark 12:32-34]
A. He agreed with Jesus.
B. Jesus repeats the question? [37]
C. Why does Jesus pose this question?
{Ps. 118 Messianic}
2. The response of the hearers. [Mark 12:37b]
A. The crowd - enjoyed listening to Him.
B. The religious leaders ceased questioning Jesus. [Matt. 22:46]
Conclusion: How far are you from the kingdom of God? [Lawyer]
1. He understood that God isn’t impressed with one’s religiosity.
2. He understood that loving God with one’s whole being and loving
one’s neighbor is what God desires.
3. He hadn’t placed his faith in Jesus as his Messiah.
How far are you from the kingdom of God?