Love based or law based, the greatest commandment, Mark 12:28-34
Mark 11&12, Speaks about Jesus entry to Jerusalem, interestingly there are no recorded healings or miracles in these two chapters. He seems to move into more of a teaching and discussing mode.
V28 “Of all the commandments(Law) which is the most important”?
Yet another question from a teacher of the Law, but this one appears to have had honourable intentions, no attempt to entrap Jesus. He heard Jesus debating with the Sadducees and thought he’d given a good answer. Not every question has a hidden motive.
V29 “The most important one is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one(the nations worshipped multiple gods or demons). LOVE the Lord your God with all your heart(FIRST is our HEART) and with all your soul and with all our mind and with all our strength( four times Jesus said with ALL). The second is this: ‘LOVE your neighbour as yourself(simple but powerful). There is no commandment greater than these”.
V32 “Well said teacher, You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but Him. To love Him with all your heart, all your understanding, all your strength and to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices”.
This teacher’s comment is also quoted at length(unusual), he was having a two way conversation with the Lord, but he was also speaking truth with a right attitude.
V34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God”. How true it is that our words locate us and reveal the thinking of our hearts.
Please take some time today to tell the Lord you LOVE Him! He gave His all for us!
Maybe we’ll have an opportunity to show love to someone around us today.
God bless you and keep you this day and every day.