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Mark 12:33

in Mark 12

and to love Him with all your heart and with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, which is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is much more than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.

KJV

And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

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This verse in Mark 12

Commentary

12 notes on this verse

A commentator

Bede

Catena Aurea by Aquinas · Written before 735.

(ubi sup.) He shows when he says, this is greater than all sacrifices, that a grave question was often debated between the scribes and Pharisees, which was the first commandment, or the greatest of the Divine law; that is, some praised offerings and sacrifices, others preferred acts of faith and love, because many of the fathers before the law pleased God by that faith only, which works by love. This scribe shows that he was of the latter opinion.

This site's exposition

the scribe replied

on Mark 12:32-34

The scribe adds that such love is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices, echoing Hosea 6:6 and Samuel's word to Saul. Jesus saw that the man had answered wisely and told him he was not far from the kingdom of God.

This site's exposition

more important than all burnt offerings

Bede reports that the scribes argued over which commandment was most important, some placing burnt offerings and sacrifices first and others love. This scribe sides with love. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown see him grasping that God always commands love, while offerings bind only as long as God commands them.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers2 voices

A commentator

Callistus I of Rome

Commentary (church-history corpus) · Written before 223.

proposed

My brethren, shun not only the holding, but even the hearing, of the judgment that bans mercy; for better is mercy than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.

A commentator

Callistus I of Rome

THE SECOND EPISTLE TO ALL THE BISHOPS OF GAUL 6 · Written before 223.

proposed

My brothers, shun not only the holding, but even the hearing, of the judgment that bans mercy. For mercy is better than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.

The Medieval Church2 voices

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Mark · Written before 1107.

proposed

Matthew says that the scribe approached (Christ) "testing" (Matt. 22:35), while Mark notes of him that he "answered wisely." Do the evangelists contradict each other? No; at first he probably asked as one testing, but then he was enlightened by Christ's answer and responded wisely, …

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Catena Aurea by Aquinas · Written before 1107.

proposed

See how He has enumerated all the powers of the soul; for there is a living power in the soul, which He explains, when He says, With all thy soul, and to this belong anger and desire, all of which He will have us give to Divine love. There is also another power, which is called natural, to which belong nutriment and growth, and this also is all to be given to God, for which reason He says, With all thy heart. There is also another power, the rational, which He calls the mind, and that too is to be given whole to God. He says that it is like, because these two commandments are harmonious one with the other, and mutually contain the other. For he who loves God, loves also His creature; but the chief of His creatures is man, wherefore he who loves God ought to love all men. But he who loves his neighbour, who so often offends him, ought much more to love Him, who is ever giving him benefits. And therefore on account of the connection between these commandments, He adds, There is none other commandment greater than these. It goes on: And the Scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God, and there is none other but he: and to love him with all the heart, and with all the soul, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. By which He shows that he was not perfect, for He did not say, Thou art within the kingdom of heaven, but, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

And thus must we subscribe to Christ's sayings, must set to our seal that they are true. Christ had quoted that great doctrine, that the Lord our God is one Lord; and this he not only assented to, but added, " There is none other but he; and therefore we must have no other God besides." This excludes all rivals with him, and secures the throne in the heart entire for him.
4 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

And to love him with all the heart,....

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

These verses contain a conversation between our Lord Jesus Christ and "one of the Scribes." For the third time in one day we see our Lord tried by a hard question. Having put to silence the Pharisees and Sadducees, He is asked to decide a point on which much difference of opinion prevailed among the Jews — "Which is the first commandment of all?" We have reason to bless God that so many hard questions were propounded to our Lord. Without them the marvelous words of wisdom which His three answers contain, might never have been spoken at all.

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

And to love him with all the heart . . . and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices--more, that is, than all positive institutions; thereby showing insight into the essential difference between what is moral and in its own nature unchangeable, and what is obligatory only because enjoined, and only so long as enjoined.
These verses contain a conversation between our Lord Jesus Christ and "one of the Scribes." For the third time in one day we see our Lord tried by a hard question. Having put to silence the Pharisees and Sadducees, He is asked to decide a point on which much difference of opinion prevailed among the Jews — "Which is the first commandment of all?" We have reason to bless God that so many hard questions were propounded to our Lord. Without them the marvelous words of wisdom which His three answers contain, might never have been spoken at all. Here, as in many other cases, we see how God can bring good out of evil. He can make the most malicious assaults of His enemies work round to the good of His church, and redound to His own praise. He can make the enmity of Pharisees and Sadducees and Scribes minister instruction to His people. Little did the three questioners in this chapter think what benefit their crafty questions would confer on all Christendom. "Out of the eater came forth meat." (Judges 14:14.) Let us observe, in these verses, how high is our Lord Jesus Christ's standard of duty to God and man . The question that the Scribe propounded was a very wide one — "Which is the first commandment of all?" The answer he received was probably very unlike what he expected. At any rate, if he thought that our Lord would commend to him the observance of some outward form or ceremony, he was mistaken. He hears these solemn words — "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 — this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, you shall love your neighbor as yourself." How striking is our Lord's description of the FEELING with which we ought to regard both God and our neighbor! We are not merely to obey the one, or to abstain from injuring the other.

The words behind it

32 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

18 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

1 Samuel 15:22But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams.287 worksMatthew 22:37Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’80 worksDeuteronomy 6:5And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.51 worksPsalms 51:17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.27 worksProverbs 21:3To do righteousness and justice is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.19 worksHosea 6:6For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.15 works
The other 12 cross-references, with their words ▾
Micah 6:6–8With what shall I come before the LORD when I bow before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves?15 worksGalatians 5:14The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”12 worksMatthew 9:13But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”10 worksPsalms 116:1I love the LORD, for He has heard my voice— my appeal for mercy.10 worksMatthew 12:7If only you had known the meaning of ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.9 works1 Corinthians 13:1–3If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal.8 worksJeremiah 7:22For when I brought your fathers out of the land of Egypt, I did not merely command them about burnt offerings and sacrifices,8 worksJeremiah 7:21–23This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Add your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices and eat the meat yourselves!6 worksAmos 5:21–24“I hate, I despise your feasts! I cannot stand the stench of your solemn assemblies.6 worksHebrews 10:4because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.6 worksPsalms 50:8–15I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices, and your burnt offerings are ever before Me.5 worksIsaiah 1:11–17“What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.5 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    1 Samuel 15:22

    But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of…

    it leads to

    • Hosea 6:6

      For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

      Reached by 3 separate paths from here.

    • Matthew 9:13

      But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

      Reached by 3 separate paths from here.

    • Proverbs 21:3

      To do righteousness and justice is more desirable to the LORD than sacrifice.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Psalms 51:16–17

      For You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You take no pleasure in burnt offerings.

    • Amos 5:21–24

      “I hate, I despise your feasts! I cannot stand the stench of your solemn assemblies.

  • Through

    Matthew 9:13

    But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

    it leads to

    • Mark 2:17

      On hearing this, Jesus told them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

    • Matthew 12:7

      If only you had known the meaning of ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Luke 19:10

      For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Where this verse is studied

About Mark

Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, Rembrandt, 1633, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Public domain.
Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, Rembrandt, 1633, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Public domain.
Mark: the study guide →Read Mark 12 →
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture, Mark; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Callistus I of Rome, Commentary (church-history corpus); Callistus I of Rome, THE SECOND EPISTLE TO ALL THE BISHOPS OF GAUL 6; Charles Spurgeon, The Gospel of the Kingdom; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Mark and Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas.

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