Mark 12:29-31

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 12:29

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

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 12:28-34

The great commandments. This passage of the Gospel affords common ground, upon which those who lay the greatest stress upon Christian doctrine may meet with conciliation and harmony those who are wont to insist most upon Christian morality. Here is a statement, upon the highest authority, as to what God requires of man, as to what man owes to God and to his fellow-men. "Do this, and thou shalt live!" It is a sublime view of the great purposes of our spiritual being. Beyond this religion... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 12:28-34

The Law akin to the gospel, but inferior to it. I. True RELIGIOUS INQUIRY IS ENCOURAGED BY CANDOUR AND SPIRITUAL INSIGHT ON THE PART OF RELIGIOUS TEACHERS . Matthew tells us that the Pharisees came together top the same place." when they saw the disscomfiture of the Sadducees; and "then one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying." Mark introduces him as one of the scribes. In the one Gospel the motive and encouragement are... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 12:28-34

The essence of religion. I. THE LEADING IDEA FOR THE INTELLIGENCE . The unity of God, his personality, his supreme lovableness. "All love is lost save upon God alone." II. The leading maxim for the will. To love one's neighbor as one's self. Kant said, trying to translate the gospel into his own dialect, "Act so that the maxim of thy will may be the principle of an universal legislation." III. The moral surpasses the ritual in religion. Surpasses it by including it with... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Mark 12:28-34

Parallel passage: Matthew 22:34-40 .— Question about the greatest commandment. I. PUERILITIES OF THE PHARISEES . The Pharisees busied themselves about the letter of the Law, but had little practical acquaintance with its true spirit. The Jews generally divided the commandments of the Law into the preceptive and prohibitory—the "Do" and the "Do not;" nor was there anything amiss in this. But the Pharisees, we are told, counted the affirmative precepts, and found them as many... read more

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