Mark 12:34, commentary and pictures

Jesus met a series of trap questions with plain and intelligent answers, and in that setting the talk turned to the greatest commandments to love the one Lord with all heart and soul and mind and strength and to love one's neighbor as oneself. The scribe wisely affirmed that wholehearted love for God and unselfish love for neighbor shown in righteous conduct matters more than outward offerings without inward piety, showing moral courage at risk of the leaders' disapproval, and Jesus told him he was not far from the kingdom, after which no one dared ask further questions. To be not far means to gain a deeper and broader view of the principles beneath the sacred precepts and to answer wisely, yet still to remain outside, since nearness is not entry. The one who is near still needs enlightenment to feel need of repentance and to receive Christ by faith as Redeemer and Advocate for pardon and power to obey, for no one can be saved by the law alone and all religious service is of no value apart from living faith in him. Nearness is measured by practical religion rather than profession, so those who live up to the light they have like Cornelius may be nearer than professed believers who neglect duty and fail to carry faith into daily life.

Scribe's Wise Answer

This saying comes at the close of a series of artful questions put to trap Jesus, which he met with plain and intelligent answers that brought precious light to the listening crowd and sowed seeds of truth among them. The immediate discussion concerned which is the first and greatest of all the commandments, answered that the Lord our God is one Lord to be loved with all the heart and soul and mind and strength, and that the second like unto it is to love one's neighbor as oneself, with none other commandment greater than these.

The scribe rightly affirmed that there is one God and none other but he. He grasped that to love God with all the heart and understanding and soul and strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself with unselfish love expressed in righteous conduct and goodness of heart, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices and more acceptable to God than them. He saw that the religion around him had come to consist more in outward acts than inward piety, in continual ceremonial offerings and flowing blood and vain display when the object was foreign from the mind, and that such outward rites offered without right inward purpose were unworthy compared with humble obedience and love to God and unselfish regard for others.

He showed honest discernment and moral courage by openly acknowledging before priests and rulers that Jesus had given the right interpretation of the law. He did so at risk of the frowns, disapproval and threats of the Pharisees, priests and rulers, speaking truth before frowning opponents. His understanding thus exposed the error of their traditions and example, and his courage in voicing his conviction moved Jesus to pity.

Seeing that he answered discreetly and wisely with honest discernment, Jesus recognized his answer and declared to him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. After Jesus so spoke to the scribe, no man dared to ask him any further question.

Near but Not Inside

To be not far from the kingdom means to have received a deeper and broader view of the principles underlying the sacred precepts, recognizing that to love God with all heart and understanding and soul and strength and to love neighbor as self is more acceptable to God than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices, yet to still be outside the kingdom. Nearness is not itself entry into the kingdom even when one recognizes and answers wisely in response to Jesus. The scribe had grasped that true religion is humble obedience and love to God and unselfish regard for others rather than outward ceremonies and vain display, and that continual offerings were unworthy when the object was foreign from the mind.

The man was still outside and needed the touch of divine enlightenment to feel his need of repentance for sin and faith in the Saviour. He needed to acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God and to receive Christ through faith as Redeemer and as the sinner's Advocate with the Father, receiving through faith in Him the power to do what is right. Unless he repented and received Him, the judgment foreshadowed in Jesus' warnings would be his.

No man can be saved through the law but through repentance and faith toward Christ. The law points out duty and guilt, while Christ provides pardon and power to obey, and the law's purpose is not fulfilled when it is separated from the Saviour. All Jewish religious service was of no value whatever unless connected with living faith in Christ Jesus, who is the substance of which that service was the shadow. The Father's law contains something deeper than mere authoritative commands and contains the gospel in principle.

Nearness in Daily Life

Being near the kingdom is measured by practical religion and not by profession of truth. Those who make no profession of religion and make no claim to be Sabbath-keeping Adventists, but who live up to the best light they have, may be nearer the kingdom of heaven than those who profess the truth yet do not carry religion into practical life. The same is true of those who do not profess Christ compared with Sabbath-keepers who neglect their duty, for nearness is decided by deportment and influence, and professed believers whose deportment is worse, who work from selfish motives, and whose influence does not correctly represent the faith are farther off.

A person may be near the kingdom before receiving greater light, as Cornelius was living in obedience to the instruction he had received when God arranged for Peter to bring him more truth. Many others are likewise ready to prize God's wisdom above earthly advantage, to take their stand for Christ, to become faithful bearers of light, and to lead others to him. Parents who fail to teach and guide their children are not near the kingdom and must seek it with the humility and dependence of little children. Their children's eternal well-being is at stake and parents are responsible for their upbringing, though God can make their efforts fruitful.