31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
31 The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'
31 The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
31 And here is the second: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.' There is no other commandment that ranks with these."
31 And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."
31 The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Mark 12:31
Commentary on Mark 12:28-34
(Read Mark 12:28-34)
Those who sincerely desire to be taught their duty, Christ will guide in judgment, and teach his way. He tells the scribe that the great commandment, which indeed includes all, is, that of loving God with all our hearts. Wherever this is the ruling principle in the soul, there is a disposition to every other duty. Loving God with all our heart, will engage us to every thing by which he will be pleased. The sacrifices only represented the atonements for men's transgressions of the moral law; they were of no power except as they expressed repentance and faith in the promised Saviour, and as they led to moral obedience. And because we have not thus loved God and man, but the very reverse, therefore we are condemned sinners; we need repentance, and we need mercy. Christ approved what the scribe said, and encouraged him. He stood fair for further advance; for this knowledge of the law leads to conviction of sin, to repentance, to discovery of our need of mercy, and understanding the way of justification by Christ.