I
find this fascinating. Imagine, being able to view every aspect of
the the world around you at a glance. To see everything, to know how
everything fits together and understand the complexities of your
world at a glance. Take this just a bit farther and try to see
yourself in this microcosm. How do you fit in it? More importantly,
how should you fit in it? In
the Scriptures, someone came to Jesus, looking to simplify his
understanding of pleasing God and fitting in.
Mark
puts it this way…
Mark
12 ( World
English
Bible
)
28 One
of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together. Knowing
that he had answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is
the greatest of all?”
29 Jesus answered, “The greatest is, ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one: 30 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.’ This is the first commandment. 31 The second is like this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
32 The scribe said to him, “Truly, teacher, you have said well that he is one, and there is none other but he, 33 and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”
29 Jesus answered, “The greatest is, ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one: 30 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.’ This is the first commandment. 31 The second is like this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
32 The scribe said to him, “Truly, teacher, you have said well that he is one, and there is none other but he, 33 and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.”
Why
did the “commandment” question in the first place? The obvious
answer would be to please God, but perhaps to obey God might be a bit
more accurate. After all, obeying God’s laws was paramount for the
Jews. But to look for a centralization of obedience in the form of a
condensation?
Jesus
responds with a dual answer of God; God first, others second.
Fortunately, the Scribe understands. Ritual is subordinate to
obedience and obedience is motivated by love. Truly love and you
will truly obey.
Are
we thinking small enough yet?