Mark 12:34 "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." Today’s verse shows that the scribe had rightly grasped the heart of the Law and the priority of inward devotion over outward ritual. That understanding placed him near the truth of the Gospel. Commentators note, however, that he was not yet fully in the Kingdom, because he had not yet received Jesus as the Messiah or committed himself to follow Him. The passage reminds us that intellectual agreement with God’s moral requirements is an important step, but entrance into the Kingdom requires personal faith and submission to Christ. We want to follow Jesus’ example: to stoop and serve others in humility and charity, even to wash one another’s feet. Jesus is not handing us rungs on a ladder we climb by our own effort. He is giving us a pattern to follow. So as we study the acrostic GRACED: G o to God in prayer d...
Mark 12:33 "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." Read that last phrase again if you need to: "more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." In today’s verse a scribe affirms that loving God with all one’s heart, understanding, soul, and strength, and loving one’s neighbor as oneself, is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. This statement summarizes the core of the Law. Genuine devotion and ethical love outweigh external religious rituals. The verse highlights several key theological points: Supremacy of love . Heartfelt obedience is superior to ceremonial law. This echoes the prophetic word that God desires mercy and knowledge of Him more than ritual (Hosea 6:6). Comprehensive devotion . Loving God requires the totality of one’s being: affections, intellect, and physic...