“Hear, O Israel …” (Mark 12:28-34 ESV)
The LORD our God, the LORD is one!
There may be other gods, illusions contrived in the religious minds of men and women. But there is only one God, and he desires a love relationship with you and me. Blows me away! I bow low in worship.
- QUESTION: What is the most important command?
(12:28) And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”
- ANSWER: Love God so completely that there is room for no other god.
(12:29–31) Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And 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.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
- ANSWER: You are right. No amount of offering or sacrifice can match this sold out love for God.
(12:32–34) And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33 And 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, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.
