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The Greatest Thing(s)
(Mark 12:28-34)
Mari Ikeda
A. The limitation of knowledge (32-34)
32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.
B. What only Jesus could teach
1. Love for God and love for others are inseparable (28-31)
28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
2. The parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)
“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ 36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” 37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
a. Loving your neighbor means becoming a neighbor
b. Jesus became a neighbor for all people
3. Love for others born of our love for God
Summary
Jesus taught that the greatest commandment was made up of two commandments: To love God with all that we have and all that we are and to love our neighbors as ourselves. To love means to offer ourselves without expecting anything in return. We can do this only because Jesus did this for us. Let us become more intimate and loving in our relationship with God as we learn of this love for us through Jesus. And let us become people who know how to truly love others.
For Discussion
1. What does it mean that Jesus become our neighbor?
2. How can we become neighbors to each other?