Mark 12:28-44
(sermon note:
One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, ‘Which commandment is the first of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The first is, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; 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.” The second is this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’ Then the scribe said to him, ‘You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that “he is one, and besides him there is no other”; 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”,—this is much more important than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.’ When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ After that no one dared to ask him any question.
While Jesus was teaching in the temple, he said, ‘How can the scribes say that the Messiah is the son of David? David himself, by the Holy Spirit, declared, “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.’” David himself calls him Lord; so how can he be his son?’ And the large crowd was listening to him with delight.
As he taught, he said, ‘Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.’
He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.’
This morning’s reading reminds me of the one about a little boy named Johnny. Well, Johnny was at Sunday school and his teacher asked him, “If I went to church every week and tried to live my life following the ten commandments, would I get into heaven?” “No!” answered little Johnny. “If I sold my house, my car, and all of my other possessions, and gave all the money to the church, would I get into heaven?” Little Johnny replied “No!” “Ok, well if I spent my whole life being charitable, loving my family, and being kind to everyone I met, would I get into heaven then?” “No!” The teacher was somewhat surprised by little Johnny’s intellect. “Soooo, how do I get into heaven?” “You have to be dead!”
Perhaps this one is more applicable to the encounter Jesus has with the rich man. Recall how the rich man asked specifically what he must do to receive eternal life and Jesus told him to obey all the commandments and sell his possessions. In our reading for today, the scribe simply wanted to know which of the commandments was the greatest. But in both instances, the inquirers were caught up in the legalism of religious life. Obeying and prioritizing the commandments were the key to the good life in this world and the next. Jesus helped them, and us, to reevaluate the importance of the commandments. Yes, we need them to maintain good order, but they don’t really ensure good life. The rich man had obeyed all the commandments and had enough wealth to essentially buy his happiness, yet he knew he lacked something. Jesus has the same clarity as little Johnny. “What you lack is a relationship with God! What you lack are relationships with people!” DUH! The scribe is no different than that rich man. “You’re so caught up in prioritizing the commandments that you’re forgetting the purpose of them! The commandments aren’t the way to the good life! Loving God and loving your neighbor are the way to good life in this world. The commandments only enable us to love God and each other!” DUH! And there is no ticket to heaven. There is only God’s grace! All we have to do to receive it is die…hence, the sheer brilliance of Johnny’s statement!
Yes, Jesus has the same clarity as little Johnny. The scribe, in his prioritizing of the commandments, ultimately revealed his lack of relationships with God and people. He was caught up in judging people and keeping people from knowing the love and grace of God. The laws are black and white and if one doesn’t obey them then there is punishment. But life is rarely, if ever, black and white. Life is an infinite number of shades of gray. Life is a series of compromises and forgivenesses and cooperations and collaborations. Life, true life, is about relationships and being in relationships…loving relationships. The commandments are guides for keeping us in loving relationships with God and with each other. Are they meant to be black and white and thus punishable? I think that by not obeying them we are breaking our relationships which is enough punishment. To be separated from God and/or loved ones is a cruel punishment. So really there is no priority of the commandments. They all help maintain loving relationships and disobeying any of them results in the same cruel punishment.
Our God is a God of love and love can only be experienced by sharing it. Thus, love can only be found in relationships. So our God is also a God of relationships. We know this as reflected by the Triune nature of our God. The three identities of God-Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-are deeply intertwined in loving relationships. Jesus wants us to tap into those loving relationships: “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” Tap into the love of God, it is a powerful source of love! There is no love like God’s love! Always encouraging, always forgiving, always empowering, always supporting, unending love! And let God’s love flow through you to those around you. “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Certainly an interesting way of wording that. Why didn’t Jesus just say, “Love your neighbor as God loves?” And what about those who don’t love themselves very much? Are they justified in not loving others? There’s a reason why Jesus gave these commandments in the order in which he did. IF you love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, then you WILL love yourself and thus those around you.
Jesus commands us to be in loving relationship with God and with each other. Friends, this isn’t optional if we want to consider ourselves followers of Christ. We must be in loving relationships! Jesus commands it, the apostles Peter and Paul reiterate it. In his first letter, Peter tells us, “Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins.” (4:8) We are all sinners of a unique brand. We all put our own unique brand name on sin, and we all need forgiveness. Why? Because through forgiveness relationships are restored and being in loving relationships are key to life, true life. The apostle Paul writes in his letter to the Colossians, “Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” (3:14) When we are in loving relationships, all are behaving as God intends us to behave. There is perfect harmony!
Jesus’ encounter with the scribe allowed him to clearly reveal the importance of loving relationships. He revealed the purpose of the commandments as guideposts for loving relationships with God and with each other. It’s no wonder that Paul so boldly advised in his first letter to the Corinthians, “let all that you do be done in love.” (16:14) Loving relationships are the source of true life. Let us give thanks for Jesus’ teaching and love. Thanks be to God!
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
