Mark 12:28-34

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Mark 12:28-34

The scribes and Pharisees were (however bad otherwise) enemies to the Sadducees; now one would have expected that, when they heard Christ argue so well against the Sadducees, they would have countenanced him, as they did Paul when he appeared against the Sadducees (Acts 23:9); but it had not the effect: because he did not fall in with them in the ceremonials of religion, he agreeing with them in the essentials, gained him no manner of respect with them. Only we have here an account of one of... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - Mark 12:28-34

12:28-34 One of the experts in the law, who had listened to the discussion, and who realized that Jesus had answered them well, approached him and asked him, "What is the first commandment of all?" Jesus answered, "'The Lord thy God is one Lord, and you must love the Lord your God with your whole heart, and your whole soul, and your whole mind, and your whole strength.' This is the second, 'You must love your neighbour as yourself.' There is no other commandment which is greater than these."... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 12:28

And one of the Scribes came ,.... Matthew calls him a lawyer, Matthew 22:35 , an interpreter of the law, as a Scribe was: and having heard them reasoning together ; being present at the dispute between Christ and the Sadducees, which he diligently attended to: and perceiving that he had answered them well : in a most beautiful manner. The Jews have adopted the very Greek word here used, and make use of it in the same sense as אמר ליה קאלום F14 T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 108. 1.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 12:29

Jesus answered him, the first of all the commandments is ,.... Christ replied at once, without taking any time to consider of it, that the chief and principal of all the commands of the law, and what is of the greatest importance is, hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord . The Vulgate Latin, and Arabic versions read, "one God"; but the Syriac, and Ethiopic render it, "one Lord"; and that rightly, agreeably to the Greek text, and to Deuteronomy 6:4 , from whence this is taken.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 12:30

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God ,.... Which is to be understood of the one God, Father, Son, and Spirit; for all the three divine persons are to be equally loved, being possessed of the same perfections and excellencies, and having done the same works, and having bestowed like benefits and favours upon men: and though there is now no principle of love to God in men; but, on the contrary, men are enemies to God in their minds, which appears by their wicked works; yet this commandment is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 12:31

And the second is like ,.... "Unto it", as in Matthew 22:39 and so it is read here in two ancient copies of Beza's, and in the Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic versions; namely this, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself . This commandment stands in Leviticus 19:18 and respects not an Israelite only, or one of the same religion with a man's self, or his intimate friend and acquaintance, or one that lives in the same neighbourhood; but any man whatever, to whom... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 12:32

And the Scribe said unto him ,.... This reply of the Scribe, is not related by Matthew: well, Master, thou hast said the truth : what thou hast said is truth, and thou hast expressed it in a most beautiful manner: the Scribe was charmed with his answer, and could not forbear speaking in commendation of it, and even before the multitude, and those of his own sect: this was a rare and uncommon instance; it was not usual with the Scribes and Pharisees, whatever convictions they were laid... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 12:33

And to love him with all the heart ,.... That is, the one God, with a sincere hearty love and affection; and with all the understanding ; of his being, perfections, and works, which will serve to draw the affections to him: this clause answers to that, "with all thy mind", in Mark 12:30 ; and with all the soul ; with all the powers and faculties of it; and with all the strength ; a man has, or is given him; with all the vehemency and fervency of soul he is master of: and to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Mark 12:34

And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly ,.... Wisely and prudently, as a man of sense and understanding; by taking in the several parts of our Lord's answer very distinctly, and reasoning upon them, and confirming them: he said unto him, thou art not far from the kingdom of God : not meaning from heaven, and eternal happiness; for right and distinct notions of the above commandments, and even the performance of the in by a sinful and imperfect creature, can neither give a man a... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Mark 12:30

Thou shalt love the Lord - On the nature and properties of the love of God and man, and the way in which this commandment is fulfilled, see the notes on Matthew 22:37 , etc. read more

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