Monday, November 02, 2009

On-line Bible Study - For the week October 5-11, 2009

Lesson 408
Mark 12:
28One 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?" 29"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'There is no commandment greater than these."
32"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33To 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." 34When 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.

Mark tells this story absent the acrimony that accompanies Matthew's (22:34ff) and Luke's (10:25ff) telling - in both those cases the question is put to Jesus as a test. In Mark the "teacher of the law" (John Nolland translates the line - "one of the scribes ...") hears the discussion between Jesus and Pharisees, Herodians and Sadducees, and his assessment is that Jesus has answered well. There is no suspicion in his question, no attempt to trap. Rather, Mark tells it s if it is a conversation between two scholars.
In the Babylonian Talmud there is a story of a Gentile approaching Rabbi Shammai with the following challenge: "Make me a proselyte on the condition that you teach me the whole Torah while I stand on one foot." The Rabbi chased him away with a stick.
Then the Gentile approached Rabbi Hillel and asked the same question. Rabbi Hillel responded: "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor; that is the whole Torah, while the rest is commentary; go and learn it." Rabbi Hillel's comment is sometimes referred to as the "Silver Rule" - very similar to the "Golden Rule" that Jesus quotes.
One of the components of Jewish Theology that was attractive to some Gentiles of the First Century is the fact that it is a monotheistic religion. In his response to the scribe, Jesus affirms the fact that there is one God - and he aligns himself with that God, Israel's God. Love God with everything - that is straight out of Deuteronomy 6:4-5. Love your neighbor - see Leviticus 19:18.
I have to say that just reading these words - the texts in Deuteronomy and Leviticus, and Jesus quoting them to this scribe - Just reading them gives me comfort. But then, to actually see that someone agrees with Jesus - that for this moment he is not being subjected to some kind of test or being forced into some kind of trap - that gives me hope as well!
Can I love God and others, simply, whole-heartedly, humbly? Can I have meaningful theological, biblical, spiritual conversations with people without the need to prove them right or wrong, or feel that I have to defend my position?
I think Jesus is willing to engage any and every question. Let your seeking be open, honest. Have your opinions, but hold them lightly enough so that the Spirit can teach you something new.
St. Paul writes in Romans 13:8 - Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.
Love God; love each other; and let the law be fulfilled.

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