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Friday 22 February 2013

Mark 12:28-34 - Questions and Answers

Yet another questioner arrives. This time it is not clear if the questioner is hostile or not. I suspect he isn't, but that this is an example of someone being neutral about Jesus, trying to be neither for nor against. Much as today we get people who respect or admire Jesus' teachings. This isn't good enough, we need to be fully committed to Him.
The man asks Jesus which is the most important commandment. It is not clear why he asked this, perhaps there was some theological debate he was involved in.
Jesus' answer is entirely conventional, and would cause no controversy at all. The first is to love God with all that we have, and the second is to love our neighbour as ourself. Loving God and loving others go together If we say we love God but hate our brother, then we are a liar, as John says in his first epistle. Conversely, we cannot truly love our fellow man without loving God.
The man then congratulates Jesus, so it seems that the man was just trying to puff himself up.
Jesus, however, does not rebuke him, but seems pleased with the man's response, and tells him that he is not far from the kingdom.

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