Main Argument: Follow Jesus as Savior and King as the only way to entirely love God and rightly love others.

A WISE QUESTION (v28)

Who were the scribes, and why did this one seem to ask his question?

Mark 12:28 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?

HIGHEST COMMANDS OF ALL (v29-31)

Why does Jesus respond with two commands instead of just one?

1) Love God Entirely (v29-30)

Mark 12:29–30 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

OT Quotation & Allusion: Deuteronomy 6:4-5; 11:13-21; Numbers 15:37-41; Joshua 22:5

What is so significant about the covenant name: “Yahweh”?

• YHWH + AdOnAy = YAhOwAh (or Jahovah/Jehovah)

• The most basic meaning of “Yahweh” is: “The One Who Is.”

• It is the name by which God has made and keeps all His promises.

What is so significant about the “oneness” of God?

• The Hebrew word order is: “Yahweh our God Yahweh is one.”

• Everything God does comes from His own essence, which cannot be changed.

What does God’s “oneness” have to do with the command for us to love Him?

• Everything we are and have comes from Yahweh.

• We are commanded to “Hear” Him (Shema in Hebrew).

• For Yahweh to be “our God,” we must be in obedient, loving unity with Him.

What does it actually look like to love God as commanded?

• Heart: all our will and affections

• Soul: all our life and being

• Mind*: all our intelligence and understanding

• Strength: all our capability and resources

Q: With what part of your “all” do you not love God?

2) Love Neighbor As Yourself (v31)

Mark 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

OT Quotation & Allusion: Leviticus 19:18; NT Use: James 2:8

Q: What does loving others as yourself have to do with loving God?

Hint: Think about how God created us.

Who does Jesus consider to be our neighbor?

Hint: Luke 10:25-37

AGREEMENT ON THE SUPREMACY OF THE COMMANDS (v32-33)

Mark 12:32–33 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

OT Allusions & Quotations: Deuteronomy 4:35; Exodus 8:10; Isaiah 45:21; 1 Samuel 15:22; Hosea 6:6; Proverbs 21:3

Why is the obedience of love better than temple sacrifices?

THE NEED TO AGREE ON THE SUPREMACY OF THE SON (v34)

Mark 12:34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

What was the scribe right about?

What did this have to do with being near the kingdom of God?

Previous Sayings: Mark 1:15; 10:33-34; 9:7

What was the scribe lacking?

Previous Teaching: Mark 8:34-37; 10:15,21

Q: How have you responded to the love of God in Christ?

Jesus’s previous teachings in Mark 8-10 were application of the Shema in fuller redemptive history.

LOVE GOD & OTHERS THROUGH JESUS

The sacrificial love of Jesus is both the standard to which the Shema points and the greatest provision of God’s love for sinners.

If you are in Jesus, you will love God and others according to the holy love of God .

NT Application: 1 John 4:7-12