Jesus Praises a Jewish Teacher
In Mark 12:28 one of the Jewish leaders who taught the Old Testament to the people has a wonderful encounter with Jesus. Often I think of the Pharisees & Teachers of the Law in terms of their negative qualities: they make prayers to be seen – not because they love God, they write down scriptures (phylacteries) but don’t do what it says, they love to be called teacher, have the place of honor at banquets and they “devour widows houses” (Matt 23 & Mk 12:40). However, not all of the Pharisees and Teachers were this way. Nicodemus was a Pharisee who responded to Jesus (John 3). After Jesus comes back to life, Acts 6:7 says that “a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.”
But here in Mark 12 we find a Teacher of the Law noticing that Jesus has fantastic answers re: taxes and regarding the resurrection. He then asks Jesus, “What is the most important commandment?” (paraphrase). Jesus responds by highlighting the 1st and 2nd commandments… Love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. Also love one another as yourself.
The Teacher is overwhelmed and exclaims, “Well said, teacher!” He goes on to affirm that loving God is more important than all sacrifice and all offerings!
Then Jesus, in front of them all (many are His adversaries), praises the Teacher saying, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”
That is pretty high praise relative to the hypocrisy of his fellow Teachers, Pharisees and Priests. Jesus sees the man’s heart and calls him out highlighting the responsiveness of his heart to God! We often don’t see this because there is so much conflict during Jesus last visit to the temple.
The more you see Jesus praising imperfect people, the more you will praise your children, spouses, friends, co-workers or strangers! Being praised causes all of us to grow in goodness.
Passage: Mark 12:28-34
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?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 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: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 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.” 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.