Scripture Focus: ³⁴ When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God” (Mark 12:34; read vv. 28-34).

Introduction

When Jesus shut down the commerce in the temple, his actions were more than a mere symbolic condemnation of business transactions in God’s holy house. They were a strike at the very sacrificial system associated with this temple, as well as the exploitation that accompanied the transactions. Jesus’ “cleansing of the temple” is what began the repeated controversies in this section of scripture.

An unnamed scribe, likely associated with the Pharisees, had been listening in on Jesus’ conversations with various groups. Apparently impressed with Jesus’ answers, he approaches with his own question. There is nothing in Mark’s narrative to suggest that this scribe approached Jesus from a negative perspective. His question, unlike the others, does not appear to have been asked to trap Jesus, but for genuine understanding.

One of the major questions among Torah experts was: “What is the greatest command in Torah?” Rabbis would look for ways to summarize the Torah. Apparently, this scribe asked Jesus how he would summarize the entire tenor of Torah. Jesus quotes both the Sh’ma and V’Hafta, and links Leviticus 19:18 to his response. According to Jesus, these two, fundamental statements coalesce to capture the essence of Torah.

The scribe’s enthusiastic agreement with Jesus’ response, was followed by his own observation: To love God and one’s neighbor is more important than the sacrificial system, of which he was a part. Because of this, Jesus said he was “not far” from the kingdom. To enter it fully, he would have to leave the system that benefited him.

Some Background

The Sh’ma is found in Deuteronomy 6:4: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” This foundational creedal statement is called the “Sh’ma” because the first word “hear” in Hebrew is “sh’ma.” Every pious Jew to this day begins and ends the day by saying the Sh’ma.

The V’Hafta is the following verse: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” It also begins with the Hebrew phrase “v’hafta”: “and you will love…” Jesus combines these two, foundational texts with Leviticus 19:18: “Love your neighbor as yourself”, something no other teacher had ever done. In the context, to “love one’s neighbor” involved acting in appropriate ways toward him or her, not merely “feeling for” them. To love God, therefore, is inextricably linked with loving actions toward others.

Questions

What did you hear in this morning’s message that stood out to you? What was interesting, important, or confusing?

Did this unnamed scribe approach Jesus in the same, skeptical manner as the other groups? Why? Why not?

Why did Jesus add Leviticus 19:18 to the Sh’ma and V’hafta?

According to Leviticus 19, what is involved in loving one’s neighbor? How is this connected to loving God?

Reflections

Jesus’ interactions with the unnamed scribe leaves one wondering. What became of him? Was he one of the thousands of Jews “zealous for the law” who had come to belief in Jesus? What was necessary for him to move from being “not far” from the kingdom to fully embracing it? And, what was it about this individual that evoked such a statement from Jesus? This scribe, though he recognized love of God and neighbor as more important than sacrifices and burnt offerings, nonetheless, was a part of that system. To fully embrace the kingdom was to, finally, leave that system for Jesus. Easy said. Hard to do. The call of discipleship remains an invitation to total life in the Son.