What's Most Important?

Mark 12: 28-34 (November 1, 2009)

1) The Text

28One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” 29Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; 30you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that ‘he is one, and besides him there is no other’; 33and ‘to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,’ and ‘to love one’s neighbor as oneself,’ —this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that no one dared to ask him any question.

2) The Context

Some religious leaders have asked Jesus questions about issues central to Jewish thinking, trying to trap him; e.g., Will he state publicly that his authority is from God?; Should a Jew pay poll taxes to Caesar? He has avoided entrapment in both cases.

Now, in Mark, a scribe asks a question to learn rather than to entrap. There were 613 precepts in Jewish law. Which is the most important? Jesus offers two, not one; the first is the shema (v. 29), recited twice daily by pious Jews. He links a second to the first: love your neighbor, whoever he is, as you do yourself (v. 31). Jesus combines these two precepts into a moral principle, linked by love. Both precepts are “much more important” than temple-based religion.

In the Anglican (Episcopalian) tradition, the Ten Commandments are read to the congregation in the opening section of the Holy Communion. In a shortened service, clergy often replaced the Ten Commandments with a version of the two great commands. In Prayer Book revision this practice was formalized. The Australian Prayer Book of 1978 included the alternative "Our Lord Jesus Christ said: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind and with all your strength. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

The response of the people, composed by Archbishop Cranmer for the 1552 Prayer Book, was "Lord, have mercy on us: and write your law in our hearts by your Holy Spirit." Often, congregations just use the response, "Lord have mercy," In Second Order services, the Confession and Absolution can be said following the Two Great Commandments. The latest Australian Prayer Book, 1995, continues this practice.

3) Interpretation

When we ignore the rhetoric and simply look at someone's lifestyle (ourselves or others), we'll soon learn the answer to the question: what's most important? The question asks more than values. It points toward a life orientation. It helps to answer the greater question: what is the purpose of life?

In a relationship with God, we can ask the same question: what's most important? How does that question impact our prayer life, our family life, our social life? What one principle or character trait tells others we are followers of Christ?

The scribe asked Jesus a question about importance in the Law. An answer to a question about the Law should come from the Law. So Jesus quoted Scripture. Even in the time of Jesus, rabbis realized that some commands in the Torah carried more weight than others. The Ten Commandments themselves were written in order of importance.

Beyond the question of hierarchy, however, came the question of justice and mercy. How should a judge enforce these commands when circumstances pulled at the question in different directions? Finally came the question of social expression. How do these commands proclaim God among the nations, as well as unite the community of believers? What command could the faithful use to show they were Jews?

Jesus answered the first part of that question with the Shema, Deuteronomy 6:4-5. Love God with all your being. Love in this sense was not an inner emotion or psychological state alone. In the time and culture of Jesus, love meant allegiance. As God made a covenant with his people (a formal allegiance between a king and his subjects), he demanded a response. A commitment and a faithful life to that allegiance (i.e., covenant) was the only answer. Notice that the command was pointed at the nation and the individual. God wanted faithful individuals to form a faithful community. The individual was to take ownership of his or her response and take responsibility for the type of community he or she lived in. Taking both types of ownership was implicit in the command: "Love God."

Jesus backed up the Shema with another important verse: love of neighbor. This meant allegiance to one's community. What did love for one's neighbor mean to the followers of the Nazarene? For the evangelizing Christians, love meant a certain openness to the stranger, the outcast, and the sinner. For many Christians had found themselves with those titles in the past. In addition, it meant caring for those who had no one else to care for them: widows and orphans. Finally, it meant a code of conduct that showed the utmost fidelity to community itself. They clung to each other for survival, for strength, and for growth. Christianity was built on charity, caring for others regardless for their background.

The scribe responded to Jesus' answer with enthusiasm. Yes, the Law could be summed up with a strict monotheism and a strict fidelity to the community. But beyond this agreement lay disagreements on means. How do you love God and neighbor? For the Christian, the answer could be found in a relationship with Jesus. He was the means to the Father.

Agreement on these two guiding commands and their shared quality of allegiance became the starting point for proclaiming the Good News. Yes, one could live his or her life trying to love God and neighbor, but there was a better way. Believe in the One who had lived the commandment perfectly. Believe in the One who could help the faithful along the way.

4) Thought Exercise

How can we build a stronger relationship with Jesus?

Who are our neighbors and how can we love them more?