Not Yet in the Kingdom of God
March 28, 2025 - Friday of the Third Week of Lent
Mark 12:28-34
According to Jewish tradition dated from the third century after Christ, there are 613 commandments. However, many rabbis and teachers of the law were pondering today’s question: “Which is the first of all the commandments?” (Mark 12:28). Was it Micah’s statement: “To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Mic. 6:8)? Was it Isaiah 56:1, “Maintain justice and do what is right”, which contains only two commands? Was it a statement from Amos, “seek the Lord” (Is. 5:6), or the famous phrase from the book of Habakkuk, “the righteous shall live by faith” (Hab. 2:4) that summarize the entire Torah in one command?
Jesus joins Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:18 together. “Hear, O Israel. The Lord our God is one Lord” (Mark 12:29). He is worthy of undivided love that is willing to give one’s life for Him. In Lev 19:18, neighbor refers to a fellow Israelite, but in Jesus’ teaching loving one’s neighbor knows no limits (see Matt. 5:43-44; Luke 10:29-37). Loving our brothers and sisters is an indication of loving God. If we love Christ, we should feed His sheep (John 21:15-17). On the other hand, “whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen“ (1 John 4:20).
The scribe adds his comment to Jesus’ answer: love-agape “is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices” (Mark 12:33). Yes, indeed. After all “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins“ (Heb. 10:4). Moreover, in the year 70 CE, the entire sacrificial system with its Levitical priesthood came to an end when the Temple got destroyed by the Romans. It was replaced by “a priesthood that does not pass away” (Heb. 7:24) and by the “once for all” sacrifice of Jesus Christ (Heb. 7:27).
“You are not far from the Kingdom of God” (Mark 12:34), which means that he is not in the kingdom yet. But, to enter the kingdom of God he needs to repent and believe in the Gospel (Mark 1:15). The scribe asked the Lord about the first of all the commandments and got the answer. But now he needs to apply it into his life, namely to profess that Jesus is Lord and to love Him with all his life.