28
One of the scribes came and heard them questioning together, and knowing that he had answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the greatest of all?”
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NEW TESTAMENT
All chapters Mark 12:28–34
The Holy Bible · EnglishOpen an explanation beneath verses with notes. Your notes and highlights stay on this device.
29
Jesus answered, “The greatest is: ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
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ExplanationCommentary
Verse 29. Literally the Lord our God is the only Lord: and this is the sense of the text in Deuteronomy 6:4. The word in the original text, rendered by the term Lord, is the grand name JEHOVA, which signifies properly God, considered as the supreme Being, or the author of all existence.
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30
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.
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31
The second is like this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
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32
The scribe said to him, “Truly, teacher, you have said well that he is one, and there is none other but he;
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33
and to love him with all the heart, with all the understanding, all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
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ExplanationCommentary
Verse 33. Venerable Bede gathers from this answer of the Scribes, that it had been long disputed among the Scribes and Pharisees, which was the greatest commandment in the law; some preferring the acts of faith and love, because many of the fathers, before the law was instituted, were pleasing to God on account of their faith and piety, and not on account of their sacrifices; yet none were agreeable to God who had not faith and charity. This Scribe seems to have been of the opinion of those who preferred the love of God. Ven. Bede.—This excellence of charity teacheth us that faith only is not sufficient. B.
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34
When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from God’s Kingdom.” No one dared ask him any question after that.
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ExplanationCommentary
Verse 34. Being now refuted in their discourse, they no longer interrogate him, but deliver him up to the Roman power. Thus envy may be vanquished, but with great difficulty silenced. Ven. Bede.
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