28 And one of the scribes having come near, having heard them disputing, knowing that he answered them well, questioned him, 'Which is the first command of all?' 29 and Jesus answered him—'The first of all the commands 'is', Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one; 30 and thou shalt love the Lord thy God out of all thy heart, and out of thy soul, and out of all thine understanding, and out of all thy strength—this 'is' the first command; 31 and the second 'is' like 'it', this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself;—greater than these there is no other command.' 32 And the scribe said to him, 'Well, Teacher, in truth thou hast spoken that there is one God, and there is none other but He; 33 and to love Him out of all the heart, and out of all the understanding, and out of all the soul, and out of all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as one's self, is more than all the whole burnt-offerings and the sacrifices.' 34 And Jesus, having seen him that he answered with understanding, said to him, 'Thou art not far from the reign of God;' and no one any more durst question him.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Mark 12:28-34
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.