I. The Great Commandment (12:28-34)

• A. The Question of the Greatest Commandment (28).

1. The Scribe’s Observation (28a)
2. The Scribes’ Admiration (28b)
3. The Scribes’ Interrogation (28c)

“The Scribes had declared that there were six hundred and thirteen commandments: two hundred forty-eight affirmative precepts-as many as the members of the human body-and three hundred sixty-five negative, as many as the days of the year (Vincent). There was a great discussion between the opposing theological schools of Shamai and Hillel as to which were the “light” and which were the “heavy” commandments. They discussed the distinction between the ritual and the ethical, or the positive and the moral, the prevalent tendency being to attach more importance and g reater weight to the positive commandments relating to circumcision, Sabbath-keeping, and other ritual requirements (Lightfoot). The result was the “exaltation of the ceremonial element, the curse of later Judaism.” The words of the Rabbis were to be prized above the words of the Law. It was commonly agreed that the positive commandments about the minutest details of the ceremonial law were as binding as the fundamental moral code. The heavy commandments were the ones to which the death penalty was attached, such as the Sabbath-keeping laws, sacrifices, and purifications. If the Pharisees could get Jesus entangled in the web of current theological, hair-splitting controversy, they would bring the unlettered Nazarene Rabbi into disrepute. They hoped He would take the fatal step of asserting again His divine supremacy. This would precipitate a reaction of violence against Him such as had almost swept Him away on various previous occasions.”

• B. Jesus’ Answer of Two-faceted Love (29-31; Deut 6:4-5; Lev 19:18).

1. God is One (29a)
2. Love for God must be encompassing and supreme (29b)

• a. Heart: We must love God emotionally and passionately.
• b. Soul: We must love God consciously and volitionally.
• c. We must love God mentally and intelligently.
• d. We must love God physically and tangibly.

. 3. We must love other people with active compassion and justice.

• C. The Scribe’s Approval (32-33)

1. He agrees with Jesus on all three counts (32-33a).
2. He submits that love is greater than sacrifice and offerings (33b; 1 Sam 15:22; Isa 1:10-17; Jer 7:22-23; Hos 6:6).

• a. We cannot worship God without loving and obeying Him.
• b. We cannot worship God without loving and forgiving people.

• D. Jesus’ Commendation (34)

1. Jesus observed the scribe’s thoughtful response (34a).
2. Jesus remarks that the scribe is near but not yet in the kingdom (34b).

• a. The scribe admires Jesus.
• b. The scribe has not yet trusted in Jesus as the Messiah.

The lawyer could not help himself. What Jesus replied could not have been said better. While this scribe agreed with our Lord’s statement, I cannot help but get the impression that this religious authority is giving his approval as a superior to an inferior, such as a professor would respond to one of his students. He virtually repeats Jesus’ words with a few additional comments. While he has accepted the truth of His teaching, he has not yet acknowledged His sovereign authority, otherwise he should have fallen at the feet of Jesus.

The answer of the Savior must have been shocking. If the scribe had commended Jesus with an evaluation roughly equivalent to ‘not bad, not bad at all,’ Jesus appraises this man’s position as ‘not far from the Kingdom’ (Mark 12:34). That is tantamount to saying to a man like Billy Graham, “That was a fairly good sermon,” or to John Calvin, “Your theology is coming right along, so stay with it.” If the best word Jesus can give to this somewhat receptive scribe is ‘not far,’ what can His evaluation of the rest be?

. 3. The Jewish leaders risk no more questions (34c).
II. The Great Messiah (12:35-37)

• A. The expert’s confession is that the Messiah is the Son of David (35).
• B. David under the inspiration of the Spirit sees the Messiah as his Lord (36; Ps 110:1).
• C. Jesus’ paradox of the Messiah being David’s son and lord (37a).

1. David depicts the Messiah as greater than he is.
2. Messiah is more Lord than he is Son.
3. Jesus implies that He as the Messiah is greater than the scribes think.

• B. The crowd delights and approves of Jesus teaching (37b).

III. The Great Rebuke (12:38-40)

• A. The Scribes’ Public Arrogance (38).

1. Popularity
2. Prestige
3. Power

• B. The Scribes’ Social Arrogance (39).

• C. The Scribes’ Economic Arrogance (40a)

• D. The Scribes’ Religious Arrogance (40b)

• E. The Scribes’ Severe Punishment (40c)

1. The scribes are judged because their piety is without love.
2. They do not love either people or God.

IV. The Great Offering (12:41-44)

• A. Jesus observes the giving of the rich (41).

• B. Jesus observes the giving of the poor widow (42).

• C. Jesus compares the giving of the rich and poor (43-44).

1. He uses this situation as a teaching moment for His disciples (43a).
2. He calls the poor widow the greatest of givers (43b-44).

• a. The widow’s offering was the greatest (43b).
• b. The rich give out of their wealth and excess: their leftovers (44a)
• c. The widow gives everything she has: her life (44b).
• d. The widow gives out of love for God..
• e. Ironically, the widow gives to the very system that oppresses her.

. i. She still sees the temple as God’s house.
. ii. She believes that God will one day redeem it and her.