Mark 12:28-34 “One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" 29 "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31 The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." 32 "Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." 34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.”
Mark 12:28-34 is such an interesting insertion by the Holy Spirit because it has an entirely different feel from all of the preceding verses and stories in this chapter. Jesus has been in a series of intense confrontations with skeptics, critics, and attackers and suddenly the entire atmosphere is shifted by the presence of someone with a good heart!
Once again this story begins with a man coming to Jesus with the kind of question that could have been perceived as a test or simply an honest inquiry and it is only through the process of the exchange that the true nature of the reveals the condition of this man’s heart. It is a valuable illustration of the fact that at times we must withhold our conclusions about a matter or an individual until they have been searched out more fully over time! In this case one of the teacher of the law comes with a question to the Lord but the motive of his heart originates in the fact that Jesus had given the other Sadducees a good answer. It seems as if he has been genuinely impacted by the quality of Jesus’ response and as a result his heart is more open to the Lord. His inquiry seems as if it is a secondary inquiry that is filled with hope. Could this be someone he could believe in!?
Jesus’ response to this man’s inquiry carries a uniquely different tone than the responses that He gave to the other leaders. There is no undertone of correction or rebuke. There is only a direct and honest answer. Jesus is able to recognize the difference in the attitude of the inquiry and so He answers in a similar spirit. Jesus encapsulates the commandments of God into two primary themes – love God – love people!
The answer that Jesus provides for this teacher of the law is a response that springs from the scriptures and as a result this man receives it well. It is worth noting that Jesus gave many scriptural answers to many of the religious leaders of the day and yet those whose hearts were not in a right place with God constantly stumbled over His answers even though they were doctrinally sound. This consistent pattern is a continual revelation of the reality that a wrong heart condition can blind us even to clear truth!
Verse 34 begins with a thought provoking phrase; “when Jesus saw that he had answered wisely…” The nature of this exchange is fascinating because each of the two participants is examining the other’s response. It is as if their careful exchange is a series of mutual tests. What makes it so interesting is that in this rare case. Each one discovers that they like the other!!!! This teacher is impressed with the soundness of Jesus’ answer and Jesus is impressed with the heart of this teacher. Unlike most of His encounters with the religious leaders Jesus ends this dialogue with a personal affirmation of the man He is dealing with “you are not far from the kingdom of God.”
This entire season of testing that Jesus has undergone has addressed more than His theology. It has been a season of spiritual warfare as He has triumphed over every trap, test and snare. It reveals that even though the majority of the Sadducees, Pharisees and teachers of the law had a closed heart, there were indeed few leaders who were genuinely open hearted in their relationship to their position and their God! There is a powerful conclusion to this final exchange that seems to put a capstone on the whole season not just this one event. Verse 34 concludes with the statement “And from then on no one dared to ask Him any more questions.” In much the same way that Luke 4:13 concludes Jesus’ exchange with Satan by saying “he left him until an opportune time,” this season of testing is silenced by the wisdom of Jesus’ answers and He is left in peace for a time.
