MARK 12:28-37 Lesson # 35
THE CENTER OF RELIGION
I. Greetings:
II. Introduction: Being Put to the Test.
Q Has anyone ever asked you what a Christian was?
Q How did you answer?
An = See if some will share what their experiences were.
Q Do some people ask questions, not to learn, but to see if they can catch you in some type of error?
An = Jesus was asked a question like this. Notice how He answered those who did not want to learn. True to Jesus’ form, He took the opportunity to teach. It was those who overheard the dialogue, who perhaps benefited the most from the answer: Jesus’ disciples and those hearing the dialogue.
III. What is the Greatest Commandment: Mark 12:28-34.
A. The Intellectual Challenge: Mark 12:28
>>>> Have someone read Mark 12:28.
Note: Barclay points out there were two tendencies present in Jesus’ day regarding the Law (Barclay pp. 306-308). One tendency was to summarize it; the other was to expand on it. Scribes had found 613 commandments in the Torah, so there were attempts to categorize them according to their importance. Other famous men attempted summaries. One famous rabbi, a generation before Jesus, was asked to summarize the law and his answer was: “What you hate for yourself, do not do to your neighbor. This is the whole law, the rest is commentary. Go and learn.” In the O.T. there are several summaries (Barclay, pp. 306-307, has a whole list), but my favorite is Micah 6:8: “He has told you, O man, what is good, and what it is that the Lord require of you: to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.”
St. Augustine, a Christian, centuries later said, “Love God, and do what you like” (Barclay, p. 308).
Mark recorded how Jesus answered the question. Let us watch to see what He did.
B. Jesus Ennobles The Discussion Beyond Petty Debate. Mark 12:29-31.
>>>> Have someone read Mark 12:29-31.
Q What was Jesus’ answer?
An = Jesus’ answer was a combination of two commandments: love God and love man which were taken from two parts of the Torah or Pentateuch :Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:18.
Q Why did Jesus say “Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is One”?
An = One of the most famous passages in the Old Testament, especially for Israelites, is Deuteronomy 6:4-5. Today, it is read in every synagogue service, in every country, every time they meet.
Q What does this “our God is One” mean?
An = God is One, not many, i.e. monotheism. It could also mean God has integrity, He is trustworthy. The word integrity comes from the idea of oneness. Our God is one, not one way this time and another contradictory way another. In other words, He is faithful. He does not change.
Either way we see it, this phrase can help us understand Jesus’ answer about the greatest commandment. For Jews, the command to love God stems from His uniqueness and loyal commitment (covenant love) to them (Lane, p. 432).
Q Can we love God without loving our neighbor?
An = Turn to Romans 13:8-10 and James 2:8-9.
>>>> Have someone read Romans 13:8-10
>>>> Have someone read James 2:8-9
C. Coming Ever So Close To Jesus. Mark 12:32-34.
Q When attacked, should we get close minded or defensive? Is it hard to stay open minded?
Q When someone else makes a good point, should we be willing to give credit where credit is due? Is this a good way to debate?
An = After there answers, only add, watch the interaction between Jesus and this man.
>>>> Have someone read Mark 12:32-34.
Q What do you think of the Scribe’s Response?
An = It was a good answer. In reference to 12:32, >>> Have someone read Deuteronomy 4:35. What the man saw was that God’s glory was more important than legalism and even more important than the proper practice of religion (i.e. sacrifices). The greatest importance was to love God and one’s neighbor.
Note: There are some of you here today who have come to this realization even though you are not close to God; if this is the case, you are incredibly close to the truth.
Q What did Jesus mean by His answer in 12:34?
An = He thought this man had answered well. Jesus complemented him. Even though this was a debate, Jesus called a “good answer” a “good answer”. That is how we should be when we discuss religion or our faith. Jesus was open to seeing good answers from opponents.
Q How can we be that way?
Q What did “near the kingdom” mean?
An = After their discussion, you could add that Jesus said the man was close but not there. The kingdom of God is more than a good intellectual understanding. Some people are attracted to the faith and are drawn to truth. So how does one come from being close to being there?
Q. Can one get closer to God? How is this done?
Let us read on, for I think Jesus will help us answer this. We will look at one part of His answer today (12:35-37 and the rest next week).
IV. Coming Closer: Mark 12:35-37.
>>>> Have someone read Mark 12:35-37.
Note: This was a Haggada question. It was a question that asked how two seemingly contradictory Scriptures can be shown to be both true.
Q What were the two contradictory concepts?
An = The messiah was the son of David and the messiah was David’s Lord. In other words, the coming messiah was a descendent of King David and yet was David’s superior, the Messiah was David’s Lord.
Q How can both be true?
An = the Incarnation. God came into the world. Jesus was David’s son in the flesh, in a human decent line; yet, He was also God. Jesus was born a defenseless baby and yet in that baby was Almighty God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth. All that we see and know in this life was created by God, and God was in Jesus. God came to earth and dwelt among us.
Note: Jesus words here have progressed beyond the point where Jesus was just a good and insightful moral teacher. We now understand that Jesus Christ was “God in the flesh”. We have to accept Jesus, not as teacher alone, but as Lord. He has to be Lord over our lives.
Q Why did Jesus use questions?
An = to help them and us see the truth for themselves, to see the truth on our own. Jesus wanted them to see the He was their Lord. However, they needed to decide for themselves who Jesus was.
Q How many of you know those who want God to save them out of our earthly problems but are not interested in having them save them from their sins?
An = Do we want Jesus to be a limited savior, one who saves us from our personal problems, or to be the Savior of the World. Jesus does want to help us with our personal problems. We all came here today with loads of them. Some of us are keenly aware that we have needs, and others of us are clueless that we have needs. Those of you who know you have needs are the more insightful ones.
However, Jesus wants to help us with our greatest need. I have to ask myself, do I want Him to save me from my sins. I have to ask myself if I really think I need to be saved from my sins. Do I want to enlist Jesus merely in the cause of finding a mate, a good or better job, good health and prosperity? Again, Jesus is interested in these things, but He is most of all interested in saving the world from its sins. That is why the central thing about Jesus Christ is the Cross. He came to earth as the son of David, but also to save from sins.