Mark 12

So Jesus
the promised one
has arrived in the big city
on the day Daniel specified,
in the pinnacle week
of the master plan.

Now he is in the temple...
and the cheif priests and elders are here.
The leaders of the chosen people,
the trusted ones
finally have a chance to greet and worship
the reason for their existence.
The focal point of the whole system.
(Mar_11:27)

What a glorious moment!

I am glad to be here.

I hear Jesus speaking about a vineyard.
Yes, we are God's chosen people,

His vineyard,
what a perfect example of who we are.

Yeah, we are like farmers!
See our fruit.
(Mar_12:1-2)

Uh oh....

What did he just say?

Something about the beating of God's servants.
and stonings.
and the killing of God's own son.
(Mar_12:7-8)

Uh, now I'm really confused.

Destroy the farmers?
Take the vineyard away?
Give it to others?
(Mar_12:9)

shock.

Did I hear it wrong?
This is not what I expected.

Why did he start using parables again anyway?
Aren't the preists and elders worthy of straight dialog?

Why does he look so disappointed and alone?

Now the religious leaders are trying to seize him!
The crowd is getting alarmed.

Suddenly the elders turn and leave.
(Mar_12:12)

?

This is bizarre, I don't get it.

Next my leaders send doubting inquisitors,
(Mar_12:13)

Herodians asking about taxes
Sadducees asking about resurrection
Setting traps,
probing for weakness.

He answers well.

And then a final question from an honest scribe:
"Which commandment is greatest of all?"

Mar 12:29 Jesus answered,
"The greatest is,
'Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one:
Mar 12:30
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.
Mar 12:31
The second is like this,
'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
There is no other commandment greater than these."

No one asked him any more questions.
(Mar_12:34)

-=-=-=-

Comment from Jack:
I cheated again. I looked ahead to the other gospels
to see how they phrased it, and was surprised to
realize that they don't mention these "greatest
commandments" at all!

Wouldn't you think the greatest commandments
would be important enough to be included in ALL
the gospels?

Well, we have two accounts anyway...
Matthew 22 and here in Mark 12.

Wouldn't you think they would have stuck in people's
minds enough to be recorded consistently in both?

I mean, if someone taught a lot of stuff I couldn't
remember exactly, but then made it easy for me
by summarizing it into "the greatest commandment"
wouldn't I at least remember that part accurately?

But no, the two accounts are slightly different.
(see Mat_22:36-40)

Matthew leaves out the
"Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one"
and to love him
"with all your strength"

It just bugs me that they are different!

Anyway, funny how you always hear people saying
what "the golden rule" is,
but you never hear them say that first part about
"the Lord is one."

Why have we dropped that part?
Is it because we don't know why He said it?
What it meant?
It doesn't sound like part of a commandment.

Maybe that's why we ignore it.