Mark 12:28-34 Part 3 of 4

    One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"

    "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

    "Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."

    When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And from then on no one dared to ask him any more questions. 

    

"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him."

Deuteronomy 4:35

    You were shown these things so that you might know that the LORD is God; besides him there is no other. 

Deuteronomy 4:39  

    Acknowledge and take to heart this day that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth below. There is no other.  

(see Deuteronomy 4:32-40)

Isaiah 46:9  

"Remember the former things, those of long ago;

    I am God, and there is no other;

    I am God, and there is none like me."  (see all Isaiah 46)

Isaiah 45:21  

"Declare what is to be, present it--

    let them take counsel together.

Who foretold this long ago,

    who declared it from the distant past?

Was it not I, the LORD?

    And there is no God apart from me,

a righteous God and a Savior;

    there is none but me."  (see all Isaiah 45)

 

"To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."  

1 Samuel 1:22  

    But Samuel replied:

    "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices

        as much as in obeying the LORD?

    To obey is better than sacrifice,

        and to heed is better than the fat of rams."  

        (see all 1 Samuel 15)

Hosea 6:6  

"For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,

    and acknowledgement of God rather than burnt offerings."  

    (see Hosea 6:1-10)

Micah 6:6, 8  

With what shall I come before the LORD

    and bow down before the exalted God?

Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,

    with calves a year old?

...

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.

    And what does the LORD require of you:

To act justly and love mercy

    and to walk humbly with your God. 

 

 (parentheses are mine)

 

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Limited to 15 verses per post.