It was the Saviour’s prophetic lot to go through His ministry despised and rejected of men – even His own countrymen (Isaiah 53:3; John 1:11). Here in this twelfth chapter of Mark we see an example of this. The Chief priests, scribes, and elders of the Jews designed a deceitful strategy in an effort to catch Christ in error and thus solidify their claims against Him and His ministry. But in so doing, not only are their efforts rebutted and their mouths stopped, but Divine Providence shines forth its own holy purpose and what wicked men meant for evil God intends for good and His glory (Genesis 50:20; Romans 9:14-24). As a result of Christ so thoroughly answering the questions of the Jews, one of the scribes is inspired to ask the question which all of humanity should be desiring to know the answer: which is the first commandment of all? That is, what is the commandment that is the heart and summation of obedience to God that I need to know first before I am concerned about anything else? For this is the chief end of man - to glorify God and keep His commandments. Let us consider the prior events that precipitated this final inquiry, and then the answer from Christ given in this passage.

The Sadducees present an improbable, hypothetical situation to Christ, in verses 18-23, expecting to show there was no answer that Christ could provide to support His teaching of the resurrection of the dead. Christ rebukes them saying, “Do ye not err, because ye know not the scriptures?” (verse 24). The Sadducees thought their question to be so clever and perplexing because they had neither studied the scriptures to seek for an answer, nor had they any intention to do so. Had they diligently and honestly sought the scriptures before posing their question, they would have discovered their denial of the doctrine of the resurrection had no basis in the word of God, and, therefore, neither did their question. Having no spiritual understanding they lacked spiritual discernment (1Corinthans 2:14). And lacking spiritual discernment, they did not hesitate to carelessly use the word of God as a tool to attempt to deceive Christ. The Lord, however, cuts to the real issue. He exposes to these men the horrible condition of their souls declaring, “ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God” (verse 24). They neither respected, understood, nor loved the fact that God had power to raise the dead, and rejected the idea that He would do so. Christ proceeds with His own inquiry. “And as touching the dead, that they rise, have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the Dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.” (verses 26, 27). First, it is absurd to think that God is the fountain of all happiness to the saints if they are permanently lost when they die. Secondly, by referencing the great patriarchs, Christ teaches that the souls of the saints are very much alive even after their bodies have long returned to dust. Thirdly, God’s people are begotten, or born again, and are more alive at that point than when alive in body, but dead in sins. Having spiritual life, their hope is alive and their belief is a living belief in Christ through faith which is a gift Supremely bestowed upon them (Ephesians 2:8). As certain as the Father’s eye is fixed on His dear Son, so is a living faith fixed on a living Christ! And what a testimony is given for faith to behold! Christ, as God, was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached to the Gentiles, and believed on in the world; and this Christ was seen ascending into heaven, received into glory, and standing at the right hand of God! (1Timothy 3:16; Acts 1:11; 7:55,56). Christ’s resurrection of His own body being raised from the dead, reunited with His spirit, glorified and ascended into heaven, lays the foundation for the hope of the saint: their hope of their own ascension into heaven, and regeneration being proof of their heavenly adoption. This, is the power of God! It is from this knowledge the saints of God are not just hopeful, they are enlivened! No matter their circumstances, they live with and for this expectation. By His resurrection, Christ secures and justifies this expectation! As Jehovah is the Living God, just so, He is the God of the living and not the dead! (1Peter 1-5; Ephesians 2:8; John 10:10).

“And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceived the he (Christ) had answered them well, asked him, which is the first commandment of all?” (verse 28). Christ having completely discomfited His adversaries with His response, and this scribe having observed this debate, he more thoughtfully asks, which is the first commandment of all? Christ answers, “The first of all the commandments is Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord...”. Dear reader, the first thing the scriptures declare is: In the beginning GOD! Christ being that Word which in the beginning created all things (John 1:1-14), answers this man that the first thing to understand, even before the commandments, is God! The existence and solitary being of God is foremost to be believed. It is the highest acknowledgement and anthem of glory to Him! Beside Him is no other! To believe otherwise is to impugn His character, disgrace His honor, and reap His anger! God is self-sufficient, self-satisfied, and self-existing. All that He created adds nothing to Himself. He changes not (Malachi 3:6) and nothing adds to or diminishes His pure essence and essential glory! Jehovah God alone is God! Because of this fact, He alone is to be worshiped! Anything else is idolatry. For man to imagine and devise other objects of worship is essentially man worshiping himself. God is a very jealous God and addresses idolatry in the most intolerant tones. “...thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God”; “Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God...and make you a graven image...For the LORD thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God”; “Ye shall not go after other gods...lest the anger of the Lord be kindled...and destroy thee...” (Exodus 34:12-14; Deuteronomy 4:23,24; 6:14,15). We ought to pray the more earnest for a deeper, understanding of how great and sovereign our God is. The more we are genuinely convinced that God truly is Lord over all, and His purposes are never thwarted, the greater our trust and faith in God becomes that He can and will deliver us from every hardship of life. Even, our failure to love Him as we desire.

Upon this truth, Christ continues with His answer, “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment” (verse 30). God demands a complete love to Himself! To all lesser beings this may seem an unfair and improbable demand. To a soul that truly has a proper view of their sinful nature and its limitations, it may seem an impossibility and a discouragement. Such a Commandment is surely not possible for sinful, imperfect man to perform! We immediately console ourselves, perhaps, that because we are sinners this could not possibly mean to love the Lord with ALL thy heart, soul, mind, and strength! Oh, but it does! It is not a timid suggestion. It is a commandment, the very first, but it is also a graciously provided blessing! Yes, we are not capable of a perfect, uninterrupted, unblemished act of love in all these different ways. Yet, the love placed within us - it is perfect, it is constant, and it is unblemished. It is of God and consists of His pure nature. It is also effectual. God does not place His eternal gift in error or upon a venture within the soul of man with chance that it would be ultimately removed or rejected (Romans chapter 8). The love of God is an active love and produces what God intends for the saint. In a very simple analogy, the saint is a glass half full, not half empty. They are in the process of being filled. The spiritual nature and the flesh of man are not one and the same. This is why they are at constant war with one another (Romans 7:14-25). It is a conflict, but it is also a progression. The saints can and do love God with all their being apart from their imperfections. In the whole of the progression, God’s people are continually loving Him more, not less. They are in a state of spiritual growth regardless of the inconsistencies or even backsliding involved in that growth. The limbs of the fruit tree are pruned back each year so that they might become more fruitful in future seasons. Every trying experience, or, set back, in the purging hand of Christ is a holy, purifying experience for each child of God. From that fiery purging, greater acts of love for Christ are eventually produced (Malachi 3:3; Hebrews 12:11; Psalms 94:18; John 1:16; 2Corinthians 9:8; Philippians 1:6; 4:7; 1Thessalonians 5:24).

What is it, then, to love God with all our very being? Remembering what has previously been explained, Christ states its summation, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15). In Luke 8:19-21, we find the same language. Christ’s mother and other kinsman desired to see Him, but were unable to because of the throng of people that surrounded Him at this occasion. Upon being told this, Christ responds, “My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.” Without denying His love of natural family, Christ taught a lesson that remains to be remembered: true Israel is not national Israel, true disciples of Christ are not just physical followers, and the true family of God is not blood kinship. But that which is of Spiritual Israel, discipleship, and family are those that are Christ’s. As Christ stated, the true family member of heaven is demonstrated by obedience to the word of God that they hear, or, in other words, that is revealed to them. We know there is no complete knowledge of truth while in this temporal state. But Divine Wisdom has determined that the saints do learn the truth (Romans 15:4); that they go through a progression of understanding which leads to better obedience from a better knowledge of God’s word. Christ equates obedience to love. Obedience is not, however, the stagnant fulfillment of the letter of the law in making sacrifices, but of a broken and contrite heart (Psalms 51:17). This is part of the sanctification process. The soul is purged and the spiritual nature is by degrees, great or small, victorious over the carnal nature. This, God will not despise (Psalms 51:17). Why is that? Because as each fragment of truth is revealed by the Spirit of God to the saint and understood and believed, it becomes a conviction of heart, soul, mind, and [spiritual] strength (1Corinthians 2:11,12). Though it be but a sliver of obedience from a sliver of understanding, God will not despise it. And if not despised, it is accepted. And if accepted, it must be declared perfect and complete, or, “with all” in the judgment of the Almighty! And so, as vessels of mercy prepared beforehand that God might make known to them the riches of His glory (Romans 9:23), the learning, convicted saints obey His commandments...with all their being!

Oh, how the Christian looks up from their daily burdens and labors stained with sin and troubles, desiring to be a better person than they are and dwell in better circumstances. What an encouragement Christ supplies in this entire passage which is one filled with confrontation and the intent of doubt and arguments. Christ not only refutes the unbelievers, but uses this means of Providence to establish the saint’s faith in the Lord and all that He has done and will do for them! May we be blessed to read carefully each promising message the Saviour speaks for His children as He did so in this one, and be truly encouraged.