Bible Study Lessons

The #1 Thing According to Jesus

No Comments

Introduction

Steve was ambitious and driven in his career, but the decision he made one day showed his true success. One morning Steve and his wife Elsa had an argument about something. Breakfast ended and he started to leave for work without a resolution. When Elsa asked how he could just leave for work when they hadn't settled anything, Steve showed what was most important to him. Since he managed his own work schedule, he turned around, picked up his phone, and canceled all his appointments and meetings for the day. Then he gave his full attention to Elsa and the problem at hand. Years later, Elsa couldn't remember what the argument had been about, but she remembered very clearly that Steve had put them first and shown how much he loved her when he put their relationship ahead of his job. In Mark 12:28-34, Jesus tells us what is the most important thing in the whole world. Study the passage to learn what should be your first priority in life.

Observation

Pray

Ask the Lord to give you a deeper understanding of this part of His Word and commit to doing what it says.

Read Focus Verses

Read Mark 12:28-34 and look for a word repeated four times in the passage to find the central theme of these verses.

Repeated Word

A word repeated frequently in a passage often gives you a clue to its central theme. What word is repeated four times in these verses and summarizes the core message?

Keyword - Love

Marking a keyword helps it stand out to you both as you're studying and whenever you refer back to the passage in the future.

no image

Love

Love

Mark the word love each time it appears in Mark 12:28-34.

Keyword - Jesus

It is often important to know who said something because it changes how we must respond. In this case Jesus is not just the speaker, but also the main Character of the whole book of Mark.

no image

Jesus Christ

Jesus

Mark Jesus' Name and each reference to Him in Mark 12:28-34.

Who?

Who came and asked Jesus a question?

This Scribe

What does verse 28 tell us about this scribe?

Jesus' Answer

What is Jesus' answer in verses 29-31?

The Scribe's Response

How did the scribe respond to Jesus' answer?

Jesus' Observation

What does verse 34 tell us Jesus observed about the scribe's answer?

What Jesus Said

What did Jesus say to the scribe in verse 34?

The Result

What was the result of this exchange according to the end of verse 34?

Context

This concluding statement will make more sense if you read the context of today's passage in Mark 12:1-27.

Just Before

What had just been happening?

The Answers

Jesus' answers in these previous verses caught the attention of the scribe in today's passage. What about them do you think might have stood out to him?

Interpretation

More Information

The parallel account of this occasion in Matthew 22:34-40 tells us something more about the man who asked this question.

The Scribes

The scribes of Jesus' day were supposed to be experts in the Law of Moses. They copied the Old Testament and the traditions of the Jewish Elders (there weren't printers in those days…).

Click To Visit Website

An Expert in Moses' Law

What do you know about the man who asked Jesus the question?

Quote

For the first part of His answer, Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:4-5.

One God

Why does it matter that there is only one God if you are to love Him with all you are?

Heart

Look more closely at the word translated heart in verse 30.

Strong's G2588

Greek,kardia [kar-dee'-ah]

--Noun Feminine

Origin: prolonged from a primary kar (Latin, cor, "heart")

Definition:

  1. the heart
    1. that organ in the animal body which is the centre of the circulation of the blood, and hence was regarded as the seat of physical life
    2. denotes the centre of all physical and spiritual life
    3. the vigour and sense of physical life
    4. the centre and seat of spiritual life
      1. the soul or mind, as it is the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, endeavours
      2. of the understanding, the faculty and seat of the intelligence
      3. of the will and character
      4. of the soul so far as it is affected and stirred in a bad way or good, or of the soul as the seat of the sensibilities, affections, emotions, desires, appetites, passions
    5. of the middle or central or inmost part of anything, even though inanimate

All Your Heart

What are some of the things it would look like practically to love God with all of your heart?

Soul

A closer look at the word translated soul will help you better understand what Jesus means.

Strong's G5590

Greek,psuche [psoo-khay']

--Noun Feminine

Origin: from (5594)

Definition:

  1. breath
    1. the breath of life
      1. the vital force which animates the body and shows itself in breathing 1a
    2. of animals 1a
  2. of men
    1. life
    2. that in which there is life
      1. a living being, a living soul
  3. the soul
    1. the seat of the feelings, desires, affections, aversions (our heart, soul etc.)
    2. the (human) soul in so far as it is constituted that by the right use of the aids offered it by God it can attain its highest end and secure eternal blessedness, the soul regarded as a moral being designed for everlasting life
    3. the soul as an essence which differs from the body and is not dissolved by death (distinguished from other parts of the body)

All Your Soul

What are some of the things it would look like practically to love God with all of your soul?

Mind

Take a look at the word translated mind.

Strong's G1271

Greek,dianoia [dee-an'-oy-ah]

--Noun Feminine

Origin: from (1223) and (3563)

Definition:

  1. the mind as a faculty of understanding, feeling, desiring
  2. understanding
  3. mind, i.e. spirit, way of thinking and feeling
  4. thoughts, either good or bad

All Your Mind

What are some of the things it would look like practically to love God with all of your mind?

Strength

The last of the four words Jesus uses to tell us how we ought to love God is translated strength. Take a closer look at the word.

Strong's G2479

Greek,ischus [is-khoos']

--Noun Feminine

Origin: from a derivative of is (force, cf eschon, a form of (2192))

Definition:

  1. ability, force, strength, might

All Your Strength

What are some of the things it would look like practically to love God with all of your strength?

How Much?

How much of yourself and your life are you supposed to love God with?

Anything Left Out?

Are there any parts of yourself or your life left out that you aren't called to love God with?

Sometimes

Does a "sometimes" or "when I think of it" love fulfill the commandment Jesus highlights as most important of all?

Why Most Important

Think about it for a minute. Why is loving God with everything you are and do the most important thing of all?

Because of That

Notice what the next two verses in the passage Jesus quoted say by reading Deuteronomy 6:4-9.

Teach Your Children

How does knowing that loving God is the most important thing help us understand the instruction verse 7?

Always Think of Them

Verses 6 and 8-9 talk about making ways to always remember the Lord and His commands. Why is this so important based on the instruction to love Him with everything?

If You Love Me

In John 14:15 Jesus explains what loving Him looks like.

Showing Our Love

How do we show our love to the Lord?

Keep My Commandments

So, why does Deuteronomy instruct us to make sure we constantly think about God's commands right after it instructs us to love God?

For Christians

Christians are no longer under the Mosaic Law (even though it still teaches us a lot about God and how to please Him), but we still show our love to God by keeping the commands He gives us in His Word. Ephesians 4 summarizes many of them. If you have time, listen to or read this wonderfully practical chapter.

God's Commands

What are some of God's commands to Christians in Ephesians 4?

Second Part

For the second part of His answer, Jesus quotes Leviticus 19:18.

Specifics

What specific ways does Leviticus 19:18 instruct us to love our neighbor?

In Their Place

Note: Sometimes people get confused about what it means to love their neighbor as themselves. It doesn't mean to do to everyone what you want, but rather it means to do to them what you would want if you were in their place (i.e. what they want). Of course, this has to fall under loving God and so only includes doing things that are right, good, and truly kind.

Who Is My Neighbor?

In Luke 10:25-37 Jesus explains who our neighbor is.

Neighbor

Who counts as your neighbor when it comes to the second commandment?

Anyone

Is there anyone you don't have to love?

Are Both Possible?

How is it possible to love your neighbor as yourself if you are supposed to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength? (Hint: Remember that loving God means keeping His commands and this is one of His commands.)

Explanation

In the parallel account you read in Matthew, Jesus says that if you did these two things - loving God and loving your neighbor - you would keep the whole law. Romans 13:8-10 helps explain this.

How?

How does it fulfill the law to love your neighbor? (Hint: Would you steal from someone you loved?)

The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments are God's summary of the Law. Look at this rhymed summary of each of the Ten Commandments and consider how loving God and/or loving your neighbor would cause you to obey each. (You can read the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:1-17 if you'd like.)

Click To Visit Website

Something Missing

The scribe answered well, but there was something missing if he wanted to get into the kingdom of God. Jesus explains what that is in John 3:3.

Whoever

A few verses later in John 3:16 the Lord tells us more.

Born Again

What has to happen for a person to be able to enter the kingdom of God?

Believe in Jesus Christ

How, according to John 3:16, can a person be born again?

Once More

Read Mark 12:28-34 once more in light of what you've studied.

The Most Important Thing

What is the most important thing of all?

Application

Loving God

As you thought about each part of loving God, which stood out to you as a way you need to love Him more fully? What will that look like in your life?

If You Love Him

If you listened to or read Ephesians 4, what is one of God's commands in that chapter that you need to work on obeying because you love Him?

Your Neighbor

Is there a "neighbor" in your life that you need to ask God to help you love?

The Kingdom of God

Have you been born again? If not, won't you turn from your sin, believe in the Lord Jesus, and ask Him to save you so that you can enter the kingdom of God?

Wrapup

Closing

We hope this study plan has helped you better understand the most important thing of all and challenged you to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself.

Feedback

Please take a brief moment to provide us some feedback on this lesson. We're always striving to improve, and, with your help, we will.

Click To Visit Website

Support our Ministry

Please join us in our quest to help the world discover the beauty of the Bible. Consider making a generous donation today.

Click To Visit Website

Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.