Mark 12:34 Commentary and Bible Study

‘Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.’ When you realise that: salvation is not by works; it is by having a heart that loves God with all your strength and being, and is one hundred percent for God. Because when you think like that, you soon say, ‘I have not done this; I cannot do this’, and your ears hear the word of grace: ‘Repent and believe, and you will be freely forgiven, and freely brought into union with God.’ ‘When Jesus saw that he answered discreetly.’ That is just an unfortunate word in our translation – ‘discreetly.’ It gives the impression that he answered cunningly, he took an easy way out. But in the days of our translators, discreetly did not mean that, and the Greek simply means ‘with the mind’, and we could express it better this way. ‘When Jesus saw that he answered [with understanding].’ He had seen the point, that righteousness before God is what counts and when you have seen that point, it isn’t long before you see that Christ must be your righteousness, because we have none of our own. We need a Mediator, we need a Saviour, we need that Son of God, who came into the world, who is equal with the Father, who gave his life a ransom for many and suffered the penalty of sin for all who believe in him. ‘I cannot be accepted by God. I cannot sincerely love him and serve him and honour him. I do not deserve heaven but Christ has borne my punishment for me.’ What love! That realisation is wonderful, and this man is moving to this position.‘He said unto him,’ – these are wonderful words – ‘Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.’ He was seeking the Saviour; a transformation was underway and Paul says in his Epistle to the Philippians chapter 1, ‘He that hath begun a good work in you will perform it all the way to the day of Christ.’ A ‘good work’ had been begun in this man’s heart, but he still had to find the Lord. ‘Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.’ ‘No man after that durst ask him any question.’ The chief priests and scribes and elders had challenged his authority; the Pharisees and Herodians had come to catch him in his words, the Sadducees had come with their impossible to answer question; now this top lawyer had tested him and tried to engage him in debate, but all had failed. Christ had answered them with ease, and no one could catch him out. In his answers to them he taught them deep lessons. This lawyer has been the last to try before he is arrested and now they will not risk anymore public failures. What they do next will have to be done behind closed doors.