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?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Mark 12:28-34 (NIV)
What is the most important thing in your life? Now, there’s a question. There are so many aspects of life to be considered. Where does one put the “most” when deciding priority?
The Scribe in Mark’s narrative seems to be overjoyed at the Lord’s responses to the Pharisees and Sadducees. He decides to try his hand at questioning Jesus. He chooses the Law of Moses as his material. “What is the greatest commandment?” he asks. And Jesus gives him a textbook response.
The Scribe is well-pleased and complimentary of the Lord’s response. Finally, he has found someone who can give the correct answers in a debate . . . someone whose theology is correct. So, he wisely agrees with the answer Jesus gave commending him for his understanding and showing some of his own. “To love him with all your heart, with all you understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” But he failed to note that Jesus was not repeating theology and doctrine. Instead, Jesus had responded to the question from the depths of his own experience of love for God and his neighbors.
So, Jesus confronts the Scribe: “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Correct theology and doctrine are not enough to save us. Knowing the right answers is not enough to save us. We must be in the kingdom of God. And to get into the kingdom of God, we must know and believe in the King of the kingdom.
Dear Father, thank you for your kingdom and Jesus Christ the King. Empower us with love for God and for our neighbors. Enable us to possess the saving faith that places us in the Kingdom of God. This I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be encouraged today in the King of the kingdom,