The scribe’s response to Jesus’ answer about the Greatest Commandment reinforces the impression that the original question was not meant to be hostile or a trap, as was the case with previous encounters. It also lays the groundwork for further conflicts between Jews and Christians.
He agrees that what Jesus said is truth and repeats the answer in a manner that also interprets it, first insisting that there are no gods other than God (which, again, would have been appropriate for a Hellenized audience) and then insisting that this is far more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices made right there in the Temple where he works.
Now, it shouldn’t be assumed that Mark intended this an attack on Judaism or that he wanted his audience of Christian Jews to feel morally superior to Jews who performed sacrifices. The idea that burnt offerings might be an inferior way of honoring God, even though the law demands them, had long been discussed in Judaism and can even be found in Hosea:
- “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” (6:6)
The scribe’s comment here thus might not have been meant as anti-Jewish; on the other hand, it does come right after some very hostile encounters between Jesus and the Temple authorities. On the basis of that, more negative intentions cannot be entirely ruled out.
Even allowing for a very generous interpretation, however, the fact remains that later Christians lacked the background and experiences necessary to interpret the above without hostility. This passage was destined to become one of those used by anti-Semitic Christians to justify their feelings of superiority and their argument that Judaism have been superceded by Christianity — after all, a single Christian’s love of God is worth more than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices of the Jews.
Because of the scribe’s answer, Jesus tells him that he is “not far” from the Kingdom of Heaven. What exactly does he mean here? Is the scribe close to understanding the truth about Jesus? Is the scribe close to a physical Kingdom of God? What would he need to do or believe to get all the way?
