GOSPEL OF MARK SERIES.
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The Bible: Gospel of Mark icon. |
During 2019, each week, I will write
a weekly post about the Gospel of Mark, as I review and explore each of
the 16 chapters and how it may be applied in our daily lives. If you are
following this series for the first time, you will find this series under
Scripture- New Testament- Gospel of Mark.
Click here to read the first post in the series. I have written this series
in different years (2012, 2015, 2018) with some irregularity, but am determined
to complete this series this year since I am more than half way through this
Gospel.
My goal is to understand and pray the Gospel of Mark. I hope you
will join me on this journey as we travel through the liturgical season.
In today's post we explore chapter 12:28 -34 which is called Jesus and Jesus
and the friendly Scribe.
JESUS AND THE FRIENDLY SCRIBE.
The previous questions to Jesus
in the temple in Jerusalem were asked in a hostile manner, first about
authority by the Jerusalem leaders (11:27-33), then about taxes from the
Pharisees and Herodians (12:13-17), and thirdly about the Resurrection from the
Sadducees (12:18-27). Now comes a fourth question asked by a friendly Scribe.
THE FRIENDLY QUESTION
He asks
a question to Jesus for which he and all those who had studied the laws of
Moses with care had yet to find a convincing answer. Which is the commandment
that is the first of all in God’s law, the one which ground all the other
commandments?
The
scribe was surprised by the answer of Jesus because Jesus gives not one
commandment but two, which He links together as one. Jesus provides two
quotations from the Old Testament. The first one is taken from Deuteronomy
(6:4) known as the schema prayer. This prayer was prayed by all devout Jews
every morning and evening. The second quote is from the Book of Leviticus
(19:18) which most Jews, it seems applied to fellow Jews only.
The
friendly scribe was delighted of both of the choice of the texts and especially
linking them together. He exclaims enthusiastically how much greater, is the
kind of love than even the most solemn sacrifices of the temple.
THE COMMANDMENT OF LOVE BY JESUS.
Jesus
informs the friendly scribe that although he is not yet within that kingdom, he
is coming close to the kingdom of God. He still has to experience something
greater than the first commandment of all, which is to love God and the second
to love one’s neighbour.
This
something is God’s gift of divine life and love to us, the central experience
of the kingdom of God and the heart of the gospel Jesus proclaims.
After
that, Jesus is not asked any more questions.
.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS.
In
our journal and/or our discussion group we may wish to reflect on this passage
as follows:
- Name the key points that you have learnt about the person of Jesus
in this passage of scripture?
- Imagine that you are one of the Pharisees and Sadducees who had
previously asked the questions- What do you see and hear and feel. What
can I learn from this?
- Imagine being the friendly scribe asking a genuine question to Jesus.
What genuine question do I want to discuss with Jesus?
- What is reading the Gospel passage with the eyes and ears of
disciple mean to me?
- How does Jesus make clear His teaching to me in this passage?
- Consider a situation in your life today where the teaching of Jesus
on the commandment of love needs to be applied. When is it difficult to
love God and neighbour whole heatedly?
- Pray for people called to be God’s servants and messengers in
places and situations where they are treated badly. Is there a situation
or a person in your parish who is treated badly for doing the right thing
and therefore is not loved by parishioners in accordance with this
commandment of love?
- Consider how much my faith and love gives a special ‘taste’ to my
day to day living as a Christian, that is, one who follows Jesus as
the Christ?
- What are the areas in my life I need to bring to Jesus in the light
of this parable? What questions do I want to ask Him?
- Am I willing to look into myself with honesty and ask how much do I
grasp what it means to be a true disciple of Jesus in the light of this
teaching?
- Is my love in the divine power of Christ, whom we follow, large
enough to make us ready to follow the teachings of Jesus?
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