THE TEMPLE WAR: The Great Command – part 1
072 THE TEMPLE WAR: The Great Command – part 1
Mark 12:28-34 (28-30)
September 20, 2026
As you know, we are in the final week of Jesus’ life.
· He has entered Jerusalem
· He has cleared the temple.
· He is now walking in the temple like He owns the place.
· He is correcting what is broken
And He is facing attack after attack.
The religious powers certainly did not appreciate
Him riding that donkey into town or Him clearing the temple.
They were forced to deal with Him.
AND WE HAVE SEEN THE RESULT.
It is a series of premeditated and preplanned attacks from various groups of people.
First it was the chief priests, scribes, and elders.
They questioned His authority.
· Jesus ended up exposing them as those who do not recognize God’s authority.
Next it was the Pharisees and the Herodians.
They tried to trap Him with a question regarding taxes.
· Jesus ended up exposing them as those who have an unpaid debt to God.
Then it was the Sadducees.
They tried to confuse Him regarding the resurrection.
· Jesus ended up exposing them as spiritually dead men who had strayed far
away from the truth.
We are quickly learning that false religion has no answer for Jesus.
WELL THIS MORNING WE COME TO A 4TH ENCOUNTER.
It’s difficult to tell if this encounter was a premeditated attack,
Or an “off the cuff” response.
It’s even difficult to tell if it is an attack meant to destroy Him
Or an actual incident of genuine curiosity.
Matthew mentions this encounter:
Matthew 22:34-36 “But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
· Matthew’s account certainly makes it sound as though this is another attempt to discredit Jesus.
· They witness Jesus silencing and humiliating the Sadducees, reconvene, and then approach Him again with another question.
· Though, admittedly, it is very difficult to discern the “gotcha” question.
Even if it is a trap, there is no rebuttal to Jesus’ answer
Mentioned in Matthew’s gospel.
Matthew simply records Jesus answering and then narrative moves on.
Luke’s gospel alludes to the scene, but does not mention this particular question or answer.
Luke 20:39 “Some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.”
· That was in response to Jesus silencing the Sadducees.
So neither Matthew nor Luke give us any definitive insight
As to what the motive of the Pharisees was with this question.
But then we come to MARK’S ACCOUNT.
· And Mark gives us insight that neither Matthew nor Luke include.
· Mark gives us the response of the man asking the question.
We actually conclude this brief encounter
With a remarkable statement from Jesus, who says to the scribe,
“You are not far from the kingdom of God.”
THAT STATEMENT BRINGS MUCH CLARITY TO THE POINT
Consider for a moment the text we studied Sunday night.
· We saw the Sadducees approach Jesus with their famous hypothetical
dilemma about a woman whose husband’s kept dying while giving her no
children.
· It was a “stump the chump” dilemma meant to discredit the resurrection.
· You remember the story.
But I want to call you back again to the truth we saw Sunday night
In the way Jesus confronted the Sadducees who asked Him.
Mark 12:24 “Jesus said to them, “Is this not the reason you are mistaken, that you do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God?”
Before Jesus answered the dilemma
He first pointed out that the Sadducees were “mistaken”.
And I would remind you of the meaning of that word.
It is (pla-NAH-o)
It means “to be led into error; deceived”
It is the word used to describe a sheep that has wandered away.
Matthew 18:12 “What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?”
1 Peter 2:25 “For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.”
So when Jesus confronted the Sadducees
He immediately pointed out that
They had strayed a long way from the truth.
They had allowed themselves to be deceived; to be led into error;
And they had ended up a long way away from the truth.
IN FACT, as Mark concluded his account of that debate,
He recorded Jesus saying this: (Only Mark recorded this)
Mark 12:27 “He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; you are greatly mistaken.”
According to Mark, Jesus concluded that debate
By reiterating that the Sadducees were “greatly mistaken”.
· You are WAY out there!
· You are a long way from the truth!
· You aren’t anywhere remotely close to being correct.
So clearly one of the points regarding that last debate
Was to reveal those who are far from the kingdom.
AND THEN WE SEE Mark turn around and give us a story
About one who is very near.
“You are not far from the kingdom of God.”
So in the last two showdowns with Jesus
We have one opponent who is a long way from the truth
And we have one who is very close.
WE ARE VERY INTERESTED IN THIS
If I were to ask you
· What matters most to God?
· What is the chief criteria of the kingdom?
Your answer would be very telling
Regarding what you believe about God
And what you think should be the direction of your life.
WELL, THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE ABOUT TO ASK JESUS
And we’re going to learn what matters most to God
And what is the chief criteria of the kingdom.
This is extremely important information.
· Especially for those of us who seek to please God
· And for those who seek to be in His kingdom.
So let’s take a look at this 4th confrontation of Jesus.
I’m going to break it into 4 points
#1 THE QUESTION
Mark 12:28
As I said a moment ago, it is difficult to tell if this 4th incident is a premeditated attack, or an impromptu response by an intrigued scribe.
EITHER WAY
“One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?”
It is clear that as Jesus engaged the Sadducees
· Many Pharisees had gathered to listen.
· If they were able to take Jesus down, they wanted to be there to see it.
On the other hand, if Jesus was able to silence them
· Then the Pharisees finally had an answer for the Sadducees regarding their famous riddle.
Well Jesus silenced the Sadducees
It is apparent that at least one of the scribes was impressed.
“recognizing that He had answered them well”
· It’s simply a word that means “beautifully, or admirably”
You’ve had moments like this many times
When listening to Jesus speak in the Scriptures.
It is that moment when you face a confusing issue and the Bible speaks to it so perfectly that you are amazed at the truth.
· It is so right.
· It is so perfect.
· It is actually beautiful.
THIS SCRIBE HAD ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS.
When Jesus exposited that one word from Exodus:
Mark 12:26 “But regarding the fact that the dead rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?”
· When Jesus pointed out that it didn’t say, “I WAS the God of Abraham” but rather, “I AM the God of Abraham”
You can almost picture the Scribe slapping himself in the forehead,
“Duh! How could I have missed that all these years?”
The answer was simple yet brilliant.
It was perfect.
And it seems as though, at least from Mark’s account,
That at least one Pharisee was beginning to be won over.
He could see that Jesus was a Bible scholar.
He could see that Jesus knew His stuff.
And it prompts a question from this scribe.
AGAIN, IT’S HARD TO KNOW HIS MOTIVES.
We have difficulty seeing a scribe, a Pharisee, or a lawyer (as Luke calls him)
Being anything but conniving, and yet, it reads here like he is enamored.
And so he asks Jesus what appears to be an honest question.
“What commandment is the foremost of all?”
“What” there is (POY-os)
And it means “of what nature”
“What type of command?” or “What category of command?”
Remember the Rich Young Ruler?
Mattew 19:17-18a “And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” Then he said to Him, “Which ones?”
None of them ever expected that
· Flawless obedience to every single command could possibly be the expectation of God.
· God would require total conformity to all of His commands all the time.
They were especially interested in
Which category was the most important.
That is what this scribe wants to know from Jesus.
What does Jesus think matters most to God?
What does Jesus think is “the foremost” of all of God’s commandments?
You are familiar with the answer that Jesus is going to give,
But I do want to also remind you of another statement by Jesus
Simply to help us make sure we don’t misunderstand.
Because I think many do misunderstand this answer.
Many think that Jesus was saying that
None of the other commands really matter
So long as you love God and love your neighbor.
At least that’s how they interpret it and live it today.
And such thinking has given rise to all manner of tolerance of sin
Under the banner of loving my neighbor.
They would say that “Jesus only cares about love, so as long as I am loving it doesn’t matter if other commands are broken or omitted.”
But that is NOT what Jesus is saying,
And I want to show you that.
Remember:
Matthew 5:17-19 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. “Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
· That statement came from His famous “Sermon on the Mount”
· Jesus gave an incredible statement regarding His commitment to God’s Law.
· He spoke to those who assumed that the Messiah might be forced to eliminate
certain commands.
JESUS SAID JUST THE OPPOSITE.
He didn’t come to abolish any of it.
In fact not “the smallest letter or stroke”.
And anyone who sought to “annul” any part of the Law
Would be “least in the kingdom”.
Jesus did not annul any of it.
Not one dotted “I”, not one crossed “T”.
SO DON’T READ the answer from Jesus
As though He is giving you the only commands that actually matter.
That is NOT how He is answering.
Jesus is going to show you that
This is how you fulfill every command.
This is how you fulfill God’s righteous requirement.
“What commandment is the foremost of all?”
#2 THE ANSWER
Mark 12:29-31
The answer from Jesus has often been dubbed as
“The Greatest Commandment”
It is a quotation from Deuteronomy 6.
· It is commonly referred to as “The Shema”
“Shema” is the Hebrew word for “Hear”,
Which is the first word of the passage.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
This was a command that the Pharisees were quite focused on,
Though they totally missed the point.
You’ve read where Jesus rebukes them for their “broadened phylacteries”
· The Phylactery was like a headband which contained a little leather box which held a rolled up piece of scroll that contained this passage on it.
· They would bind it on their forehead and wear it on their left arm which was closest to their heart.
That’s not exactly what God had in mind.
THAT WOULD BE LIKE YOUR MOTHER TELLING YOU,
“You had better watch what you’re doing”
(which is a command to either stop or be very careful).
So you start videoing yourself so you can literally watch it later.
That wasn’t exactly what she meant.
The Pharisees had clearly missed the point.
But there would be no argument from them
Regarding the importance of the verse.
BUT LET’S EXAMINE IT.
Jesus says that this command is the one that matters most.
“Hear, O Israel! The LORD our God is one LORD; And 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.”
It began with the declaration that GOD IS ONE.
(And we need to contemplate that for a moment)
FIRST, it totally eliminates any idea of pluralism or any acknowledgement of multiple deities.
All the false gods that Israel would encounter in the Promised Land
Were not true gods. They were false. There is only one God.
Isaiah 44:6-8 “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the first and I am the last, And there is no God besides Me. ‘Who is like Me? Let him proclaim and declare it; Yes, let him recount it to Me in order, From the time that I established the ancient nation. And let them declare to them the things that are coming And the events that are going to take place. ‘Do not tremble and do not be afraid; Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, Or is there any other Rock? I know of none.’”
Psalms 135:15-18 “The idols of the nations are but silver and gold, The work of man’s hands. They have mouths, but they do not speak; They have eyes, but they do not see; They have ears, but they do not hear, Nor is there any breath at all in their mouths. Those who make them will be like them, Yes, everyone who trusts in them.”
And there are so many more verses which could be quoted.
Yahweh has declared that there are no other gods except Him.
Everything you see or hear about that is called a god, IS NOT.
They are merely the creation of man.
· They have been imagined by man.
· They have been invented by man.
· They have been in many cases actually carved by man.
This included
· All the ancient false gods of Egypt.
· All the false gods of Canaan.
· All the false gods of Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome.
· Every false god today.
Budda, Allah, the many 1,000 Hindu gods,
And any Marvel character invented by Stan Lee in a comic book.
They are not gods.
They are the inventions of man.
THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD.
There is no need to seek out or serve another.
In fact, the one true God does not tolerate the worship of another.
In the same chapter in Deuteronomy, immediately following the passage we just read, we continue to read:
Deuteronomy 6:10-15 “Then it shall come about when the Lord your God brings you into the land which He swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you, great and splendid cities which you did not build, and houses full of all good things which you did not fill, and hewn cisterns which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant, and you eat and are satisfied, then watch yourself, that you do not forget the Lord who brought you from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. “You shall fear only the Lord your God; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name. “You shall not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who surround you, for the Lord your God in the midst of you is a jealous God; otherwise the anger of the Lord your God will be kindled against you, and He will wipe you off the face of the earth.”
Not only is the only God, but He is a jealous God.
· He does not share His glory.
· He does not share His credit.
· He does not share His bride.
· He does not share His children.
HE IS THE ONLY GOD.
But we need to discuss this a little more.
This is a theological statement that needs to be addressed.
Some, especially Islam, love to point out
The perceived fallacy in that statement
Since Christianity believes in the Trinity.
We believe in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
And if you ever witness to a Muslim, they like to throw that in your face and say, “Only Islam really believes in one God, you believe in 3”
INTERESTING HERE
When Jesus quotes Deuteronomy we see that addressed.
For we read “The LORD our God is one LORD”
· “LORD” is the Hebrew word Yahweh
· “God” is the Hebrew word Elohim
It is interesting that “God” is in fact a plural word.
And yet, we read that “God is one LORD”
“one” is the same word spoken of Adam and Eve that they will become “one flesh”.
So God speaks of Himself as one LORD,
And yet at the same time He uses a word in a plural form.
And we need to understand that, to the best of our ability.
Though the trinity is impossible to fully comprehend,
We might say it like this.
God is “1 what & 3 who’s.”
THIS CAN BE CONFUSING.
There’s a great video from a Lutheran satire YouTube channel that helps.
https://youtu.be/eBRpeq9dVe4?si=VstJFwlTe-8V02ak
SOME DESCRIBE IT AS GOD IN 3 DIFFERENT FORMS
· At times you’re a father, a husband, a son
· Water can be liquid, gas, solid
· God is described like that as God who just shows up in different forms
That’s called “MODALISM”
IT IS FALSE. We see all 3 at the same time, like at the Baptism of Jesus, where Jesus is baptized, the Spirit is descending, and the Father is speaking from heaven.
It is not God just showing up in different forms.
They are not the same, they are unique persons.
· The Father is not the Son, The Father is not the Spirit
· The Son is not the Father, The Son is not the Spirit
· The Spirit is not the Father, The Spirit is not the Son
OTHERS DESCRIBE GOD AS ONE WHO CREATED EXPRESSIONS OF HIMSELF
· The sun – produces light and heat.
· That Christ and the Spirit are produced by God, by not God Himself.
That’s called ARIANISM
IT IS FALSE: Jesus clearly claimed deity. Receiving worship, receiving prayer, referring to Himself as “I am”. Stating that He is one with the Father.
The Father, The Son, and The Spirit are all 3 God.
And they are all equal to one another.
OTHERS DESCRIBE IT LIKE EACH ARE 1/3 OF THE GODHEAD.
· Like a pie, that can be cut outwardly, but inside is all the same pie.
· Like a 3 leaf clover that has 3 petals, but one clover
That’s called PARTIALISM
It runs close to what is also called TRITHEISM
That they are 3 separate gods working together.
IT IS FALSE: The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not separate gods, nor 1/3 of one god.
They are all 3 distinct persons and they are all 3 fully God.
· The Father is not 1/3 of God
· The Son is not 1/3 of God
· The Spirit is not 1/3 of God.
SCRIPTURE TEACHES THAT
· God is one, existing in 3 persons
· They are all fully God.
· They are equally God.
He is “1 what & 3 who’s”
He is one God in 3 persons.
The Athanasian Creed says:
That we worship one God in trinity and the trinity in unity, neither blending their persons nor dividing their essence. For the person of the Father is a distinct person, the person of the Son is another, and that of the Holy Spirit still another. But the divinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one, their glory equal, their majesty coeternal.
https://www.crcna.org/welcome/beliefs/creeds/athanasian-creed
GOD IS ONE
But that is not all it means when He says that He is “one”
We also know that all three of those persons are totally unified in all things.
· There is no confusion in the Godhead.
· There is no tension in the Godhead.
· There is no disagreement in the Godhead.
· Jesus repeatedly stated that He and the Father are One.
John 10:30 “I and the Father are one.”
They are perfected in unity.
https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-is-the-doctrine-of-the-trinity
So when a Muslim tells you that you believe in 3 gods, not 1,
You can simply tell him that the reason he is mistaken is because
“He does not understand the scriptures nor the person of God.”
The Scriptures indicate that God is One God existing in Three persons.
So that’s just a little theology on an important doctrine.
NOW WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT HERE?
This scribe wanted to know “What commandment is the foremost of all?”
But Jesus DIDN’T start with the word “Love”,
He started with the word “One”
We are back to the authority issue.
Jesus is about to answer the question.
· Not as God’s representative…
· Not as God’s spokesman…
· Not as the foremost authority on God…
JESUS IS ABOUT TO ANSWER AS GOD.
Jesus is about to tell this scribe and everyone in the temple
And you and me
What He has declared to be the foremost commandment.
This is His Law.
This is His will.
This is His command.
And the other two members of the Godhead are in total unity with Him.
This is the revealed will of God regarding the foremost commandment.
· God is unified about this.
· God is unflinching about this.
· God is absolute about this.
HERE IT IS:
(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.”
What does God demand of His people more than any other thing?
That we “love” Him.
“love” here is (a-ga-PA-o)
It is defined as “to be fond of; to love dearly;
to be well-pleased, or contented with a thing.”
It is total delight and satisfaction in God.
It is total contentment in who God is.
But Jesus doesn’t simply stop with the command to love God,
He continues quoting Deuteronomy where that love is further explained.
“with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.”
“heart” – “soul” – “mind” - “strength”
In one sense you and I do good to simply read those as SYNONYMS.
They are all very close to one another as they speak of
The inner focus and motivation and desire of humanity.
Like if a coach tells an athlete to “give it his all; all his strength; all his might; all his passion; all his effort” etc.
All of those words certainly have unique definitions,
But they also in a sense mean the same thing.
And you can see that here.
In one sense we can sum up this statement as saying,
“Love God with everything you’ve got!”
However much you love God, strive to do it better.
· Evaluate your passion.
· Evaluate your treasure.
· Evaluate your time.
· Evaluate your focus.
1 Thessalonians 4:1 “Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.”
You’re doing great, now do better!
IT MIGHT EVEN HELP to consider the love which God has shown you.
John 13:1 “Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.”
John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.“
So you get the general point.
Do you love God with your all?
WELL, WE CAN ALSO GET SPECIFIC.
“HEART”
To the Jews the heart was the center of a person’s being.
· It encapsulated the physical, moral, spiritual, emotional, and intellectual.
· We think of it perhaps most accurately as the “inner man”.
· Who you are at your core.
And so when we are called to love God “with all the heart”
We are to love Him with all that is within us.
Psalms 86:11 “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name.”
· He wanted his entire inner man to be totally united and devoted to God.
· No weedy soil that seeks to entertain other idols.
· The heart is to be a field devoted to one crop.
· All my passions, emotions, desires, etc. are to be focused toward God.
“SOUL”
The soul literally speaks to the life of a person.
· When God created Adam from the dirt He breathed life into him and he became “a living soul”.
And that, by the way, is what you are.
You don’t have a soul, you are a soul.
You have a body.
And this means that the total reason for your existence
Is devoted to loving God.
Remember when Paul’s friends tried to convince him not to go to Jerusalem.
Acts 21:13-14 “Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” And since he would not be persuaded, we fell silent, remarking, “The will of the Lord be done!”
The same Paul who said:
Acts 20:24 “But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.”
And:
Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
I was created to love God.
I was given life to love God.
And my goal is to do that to the best of my ability.
“MIND”
Certainly has to do with our thoughts and our understanding.
· Is my mind focused on God?
Willie Nelson made the song famous in 1982, “You are always on my mind”
It is the idea behind Paul’s command to “pray without ceasing”
It is to set the mind on God continually,
Not on the things of this world.
Philippians 3:17-19 “Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.”
“STRENGTH”
Certainly this speaks of the effort involved.
· That we try diligently.
· We strive earnestly.
· We work harder.
· We give everything that we have.
If you want to know what God wants from you,
Take it from the very lips of Jesus.
God wants you to love Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
· There is no command bigger than that.
· There is no command higher than that.
· There is no command before that.
That is it.
Love God with all you’ve got.
Now obviously we’ve got a lot more to talk about tonight,
But we’ll close this hear simply reminding that this is the goal.
If you read all the commands and strive to follow them,
BUT MISS THAT, you are missing the whole point.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.”
Or the church at Ephesus:
Revelation 2:1-5 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this: ‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. ‘But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. ‘Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent.”
Nothing matters more than this.
That you and I love God.
This is the biggest.
We’ll talk about it more tonight.