Psalm 119:1-8
Happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord. 2 Happy are those who keep his decrees, who seek him with their whole heart, 3 who also do no wrong but walk in his ways. 4 You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. 5 O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! 6 Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. 7 I will praise you with an upright heart when I learn your righteous ordinances. 8 I will observe your statutes; do not utterly forsake me.
Mark 12:28-34
One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; 30 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.’ 31 The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”32 Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that ‘he is one, and besides him, there is no other’;33 and ‘to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength’ and ‘to love one’s neighbor as oneself’—this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that, no one dared to ask him any question.
November 1 is known as "All Hallows Day" or "All Saints' Day." The Christian observance originates from the belief in a strong spiritual connection between those in heaven (the "Church Triumphant") and the living (the "Church Militant"). Rooted in Catholic theology, this day honors all individuals who have achieved the beatific vision in Heaven (or ultimate salvation). This event is recognized as a Christian Solemnity or one of the most significant feast days in the liturgical calendar. The celebration commences at sunset on October 31, or All Hallows Eve, aiming to honor the lives of those who have passed away with faith in Jesus Christ.
Most Reformed traditions use this day to remember those within their local congregations who have had their membership transferred into the Church Triumphant. This is often discussed and referenced in the context of the doctrine of the Communion of Saints. A belief that, as Christians, we may be physically separated from each other by the barrier of death, but we nonetheless remain united to each other in one Church and support each other in prayer. Our saints are more than Peter, Paul, and John. Every departed member who claimed devotion to Christ is a saint, and we believe that we will be united again when Jesus comes to judge the quick and the dead. It is through our understanding of the communion of saints’ doctrine that we also believe that as we live our lives to God, we follow Christ and endeavor to become sanctified. Thus, striving to live up to the greatest commandment: to love God and love our neighbor. It is fitting, then, that today’s lesson is a conversation about the greatest commandment because every saint will not only know this commandment but live it.
At this point in Mark’s gospel, Jesus has triumphantly entered Jerusalem and begun to have discourse with several interlocutors in the temple. He first cleansed the temple by overturning the money changer’s tables. (It's not the first time Jesus gets frustrated, but it’s definitely the first time we see him get physical.) We then see the Chief Priests, the Scribes, and the Elders in the temple question his authority. The Pharisees ask him about paying taxes, and the Sadducees question him about the resurrection. Finally, an unnamed Scribe approaches Jesus and asks him about the first or greatest commandment. This interaction and question are different than the previous ones in the temple. Although the Scribe does not approach Jesus with a title such as teacher, he does not seem to show any animosity toward Jesus either. He simply asks, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus then quotes Deuteronomy 6:4-5, “‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; 30 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.” Jesus then follows up with Leviticus 19:18, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Then, he concludes with a verbal exclamation, “There is no other commandment greater than these.” Jesus proved beyond any doubt that he could compete with the collective brain power of the temple and not only answer the questions but also prove his supernatural understanding of the Law. God’s righteous ordinance uttered by Jesus as the greatest of any commandment should shine like a beacon of hope for everyone who reads Mark’s gospel.
It is also Interesting to note that this civil exchange comes amid a series of rather hostile questions designed to stump Jesus. The Scribe and Jesus are cordial to one another, reminding us that all those who questioned Jesus worshiped the same God. Even though there may be differences in specific theological considerations, everyone can agree that God is God; we should love only God; we should love others for that exact reason. This is a truth that all Christians can get behind, no matter if you believe in the resurrection, don’t believe in taxes, or believe that all dogs go to heaven.
We have a similar stance in the PC(USA) when it comes to joining a church. There used to be a set of criteria for joining. But our book of order was changed to state that a “congregation shall welcome all persons who trust in God’s grace in Jesus Christ and desire to become part of the fellowship and ministry of his Church (F-1.0403). No person shall be denied membership for any reason not related to [their] profession of faith. The Gospel leads members to extend the fellowship of Christ to all persons. Failure to do so constitutes a rejection of Christ himself and causes a scandal to the Gospel.” (Book of Order G-1.0302) Our very policy of church membership is an extension of love thy neighbor without considering skin color, place of birth, station in society, or balance of their bank account. #allarewelcome
I love the expressions, “Be the change you wish to see” and “The injustice you walk past is the standard which you accept.” Do you think that if Jesus had just walked away from the money changers tables, he would have been allowing an injustice to continue? YES! They were notorious for being dishonest. Do you think that if he had agreed with the Sadducees about the resurrection or the Pharisees about the taxes just to be accepted, he would have been doing God’s will? NO! Would he have loved God with all his heart, soul, and mind in that situation? But at the same time, should he have shown the same courtesy the unnamed Scribe gave him? YES! Jesus was the change the world needed, and it was God who instituted that change.
The most significant takeaway about this lesson is concerning sanctification. We must learn, as Christians, that the one thing we all struggle with the most is discernment. The one thing that I think about most when I think about the saints who have gone before us, the saints we celebrate today, is that discernment is a crucial trait of every one of them. Discernment in hindsight is known as wisdom. We should have faith in Christ; that is the one proclamation we all agree on as Christians, as Presbyterians, and as members of this body. I pray that when you think of the communion of the saints, you smile, and you think of the saints from Douglas. I hope that you realize as sure as there is a sun, moon, and stars in the sky and that one day, we will be sanctified and reunited with them if we follow the greatest of all commandments found in Mark’s gospel.
In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. AMEN.
Works Cited
NRSVue. (2022). NRSVue Holy Bible with Deuterocanonical/Apocryphal Books of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan.
The Book of Order 2023-2025. (2023). Louisville, KY: The Office of the General Assembly.
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