Keraia
Mark 12

Mark 12:28

The Greatest Commandment · Mark 12:28–34
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Translations

Modern
Now one of the scribes had come up and heard their debate. Noticing how well Jesus had answered them, he asked Him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”
Traditional
And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
Literal
And one of the scribes having come, having heard them reasoning together, having seen that He answered them well, questioned Him, “Which commandment is first of all?”
Latin
Et accessit unus de scribis, qui audierat illos conquirentes, et videns quoniam bene illis responderit, interrogavit eum quod esset primum omnium mandatum.

Interlinear

Greek
English
Now one of the scribes had come up and heard their debate. Noticing how well Jesus had answered them, he asked Him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”

Notes

Mark 12:28

“Which commandment is the most important of all?”: The Torah (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) contains 613 separate commandments, and Jewish teachers frequently debated about which were more important than others. No command was considered unimportant, but some were recognized as more fundamental than others (see Matthew 22:40).

Rabbi Hillel’s answer to this question was, “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor” (Babylonian Shabbat 31a; see also Tobit 4:15). Other suggestions included Proverbs 3:6; Isaiah 33:15–16; 56:1; Amos 5:4; Micah 6:8; and Habakkuk 2:4.

Mark 12:28–34

After the three hostile challenges in 11:27–12:27, we might expect the next question to Jesus to be hostile (see 11:28; 12:13, 15, 19–23). However, this question was different. Earlier in Mark, the teachers of religious law usually opposed Jesus (2:6–7, 16; 3:22; 7:1, 5; 8:31; 9:14; 10:33; 11:18, 27). Jesus also warned the crowds about their lack of honesty (12:38–40). But this teacher spoke respectfully to Jesus and even praised him (12:28, 32–33). Jesus said the man answered wisely and was "not far from the kingdom of God" (12:34).

Events

Parallels

Deuteronomy 6:1–19 Matthew 22:34–40

Glossary

Bible, Manuscripts and Text of the (New Testament) Biblical Concept of Law Mark, Gospel of Neighbor Scribe

Topics

Jesus, the Christ: Tested by a Biblical Expert (In Jerusalem) Satire of Jesus Against Hypocrites Scribes: Modern were Doctors of the Law