Intimate Moment with a Teacher of the Law

Scripture Passage- 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?”

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

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. ³³To 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.”

   ³⁴When 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 to ask Him any more questions.

Mark 12:28-34

The following account is a fictionalized version of the text.  Parallel passages in Scripture are Mt 22:34-40 and Mk 12:28-34.

When Jesus entered Jerusalem for Passover sitting upon a donkey, it caused quite a stir among the crowds. They had been looking forward to Messiah’s coming and many of the Israelites suspected Jesus was the Messiah.  

The religious leaders reasoned differently. Jesus couldn’t be the Messiah- He was the son of a carpenter from Nazareth. And His teachings were contrary to the traditions. He was causing a lot of trouble for them. And they wanted to squelch the commotion before Passover.

The Sadducees and the Pharisees teamed up to challenge Jesus with questions. “Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar?”  “If a woman marries seven times, whose wife will she be at the resurrection?” They asked, not in search of truth, but to discredit Him in the eyes of the common people.

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them good answers, the teacher of the law asked Jesus, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

Jesus turned and looked the man. He noticed this learned man was older and wiser than the others present.  Perhaps He could reach this elder with the light of truth.

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’”

Without a pause Jesus continued, “The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

The teacher of the law nodded in agreement. “Well said, teacher,” he replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but Him. 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.”

Jesus looked around at those who were listening.  He pitied these followers. Like sheep without a shepherd, many were hanging in the balance, waiting to hear His response. Would they put their trust in Him, in the truth, in God? Or would they bend under pressure from the religious leaders?

With the elder’s wise answer, Jesus pressed further. He wanted this teacher of the law to take the next step, bringing himself, and possibly a slew of followers with him, into the kingdom of heaven. But the teacher of the law needed more than wisdom and expert knowledge of the law. He needed to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah, the promised One of God, and as his Savior and Lord. For no one could enter the kingdom of heaven without first recognizing its King.   

Jesus led with a simple statement. “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” The teacher of the law nodded and thought to himself, “not far from the kingdom of God!” He was satisfied, and pleased with the compliment, pleased he had come so far. 

Jesus looked back at the teacher of the law and waited. He waited on another question or at least a comment. He waited for a spark of realization to come over the elder. Jesus thought back over the past three years. Did not the testimony of John the Baptist bear witness of Him? Did not His teachings stir up men’s hearts for truth that ran deeper than outward appearances? Did not the miracles speak volumes of His true identity? Jesus had healed the helpless, drove out demons, raised the dead, fed the crowds…What more could He possibly do to make men see?   

Too much was at stake. They were about to miss the kingdom of heaven because they were content with being “not far”. He was saddened by the thought. Just as He had warned them, H e knew the day of reckoning was near. This very Passover was the Father’s appointed time. In just a few days Jesus knew He would be rejected and sacrificed as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. A new covenant would replace the old. No more burnt offerings, no more sacrifices. Whoever called on Him for forgiveness would be pardoned from each and every sin ever committed. More than that, He would gladly grant them eternal life in His kingdom.

Jesus was disappointed as He watched the teacher of the law bend over, pick up his things and walk back inside the temple with a few students following. Jesus looked over the crowd still standing nearby. He was willing to tell them more about the kingdom of heaven. He knew each of them would have to decide for themselves. Yet one by one they also walked away. From then on, no one dared to ask Him any more questions. And His heart ached for this teacher of the law and all the others who were not yet in the kingdom of heaven.  

Prayer

Dearest Lord Jesus,

You walked this earth to bring light into darkness. Help me to slow down and deeply consider Your claims. Guide me as I sift through the pages of Scripture, beginning to end, which speak of You throughout the Old and New Testaments.  

May I block out my preconceived notions of what I expect or want You to be and align my opinions with the divinely written word. I pray that I would fully understand that obedience is greater than sacrifices or works of service.

May I look carefully at Your words– Your conversations, sermons, and prayers. You spoke of greater things to come, as well as a day of reckoning.

Help me to consider Your works. Your mighty miracles speak of Your true identity. Your actions and reactions, habits and practices set an example for me to follow and show me the way to go.  

Help me to love You with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my heart, and all my strength. I admit there are too many times when I forget to remember You.

Help me to love my neighbor as myself. I confess that this one is tough at times. I need to remember how much You love me, and how often I’ve needed Your forgiveness, to swell my heart toward others around me.

Reveal the truth of the Word to me, so that I may proclaim you as the Christ, the anointed One, who was sacrificed for my sins, and look forward to Your coming as the King who will rule forever. May I may ready to tell others of the hope I’ve found in You.