Mark 12:28

28 And one of the scribes, that had heard them disputing together, came nigh, and saw that Jesus had well-answered them, and asked him [+And one of the scribes, that had heard them seeking together, came nigh, and seeing that he had answered them well, asked him], which was the first commandment of all.

Mark 12:28 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 12:28

And one of the Scribes came
Matthew calls him a lawyer, ( Matthew 22:35 ) , an interpreter of the law, as a Scribe was:

and having heard them reasoning together;
being present at the dispute between Christ and the Sadducees, which he diligently attended to:

and perceiving that he had answered them well:
in a most beautiful manner. The Jews have adopted the very Greek word here used, and make use of it in the same sense as (Mwlaq hyl rma) ^F14, "he answered him well": or, as the gloss upon it, "praise worthily"; in a manner deserving praise; and is the same with (trmaq rypv) ^F15, "thou hast said well", or beautifully; and so the answer here was with great solidity, and judgment, and strength of argument, to their utter confusion and silence; whereby he understood he had considerable knowledge in the law, and yet was willing to try if he could not puzzle him with a question relating to it:

asked him, which is the first commandment of all?
of all the commandments in the law, moral and ceremonial.

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FOOTNOTES:

F14 T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 108. 1.
F15 Zohar in Lev. fol. 2. 3. & 15. 1.

Mark 12:28 In-Context

26 And of dead men, that they rise again, have ye not read in the book of Moses, on [upon] the bush, how God spake to him, and said [saying], I am God of Abraham, and God of Isaac, and God of Jacob?

27 He is not God of dead men, but [God] of living men; therefore ye err much.

28 And one of the scribes, that had heard them disputing together, came nigh, and saw that Jesus had well-answered them, and asked him [+And one of the scribes, that had heard them seeking together, came nigh, and seeing that he had answered them well, asked him], which was the first commandment of all.

29 And Jesus answered to him, That the first commandment of all is, Hear thou, Israel, thy Lord God is one God; [+Forsooth Jesus answered him, That the first of all commandments is, Hear, Israel, the Lord thy God is one God;]

30 and thou shalt love thy Lord God of all thine heart, and of all thy soul, and of all thy mind, and of all thy might [and thou shalt love the Lord thy God of all thine heart, and of all thy soul, and of all thy mind, and of all thy virtue, or strength]. This is the first commandment.