R.C. Sproul

So the scribe said to him, Well said, teacher.

You have spoken the truth.

For there is one God, and there is no other but He.

and to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, you are not far from the kingdom of God.

But after that, no one dared question him."

In past weeks, we've looked at the different subgroups among the Jews who brought interesting questions before Jesus.

First of all, we saw the Pharisees who on this occasion were united with the Herodians to try to trap Jesus on questions of

tax, and then last week we looked at the plot of the Sadducees to trip up Jesus with reference to His views regarding the resurrection of the dead.

Now that third group that was distinctive that we meet throughout the New Testament was that group called the scribes.

They were the theologians, the experts in biblical interpretation among the Jews.

And we note that on this occasion, there's not a delegation from the scribes accosting Jesus, but only one of them who raises a question.

And we note this other difference, that his question presumably is not dripping with venom

or vituperation.

He's not hostile, but he comes because he's been profoundly impressed as he listened to the way in which Jesus handles the interrogation by the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

And so we read in Mark's gospel these words, "'One of the scribes came, having heard them reasoning together and perceiving that he had answered them well.'

asked Him, which is the first commandment of all?

Now the question is not a question of temporal chronology.

Jesus is not being asked, what was the first commandment that God ever gave?

That's not the question.