Mark 12:28

Now one of the scribes had come up and heard their debate. Noticing how well Jesus had answered them, he asked Him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — A scribe approaches Jesus after listening to His debate with the Sadducees and asks which commandment is the most important.

The words — The text uses προσελθὼν (proselthōn), literally “having come up,” and ἀκούσας (akousas), literally “having heard,” to describe the scribe’s approach after listening to the debate.

The thread — This question parallels the lawyer’s inquiry in Luke 10:25, follows the Pharisees’ gathering in Matthew 22:34, and precedes the scribes’ agreement in Luke 20:39.

Why it lands — The verse requires a reader to identify the single greatest commandment and rank all other duties beneath it.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?

Cross-references

Matthew 22:34 And when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they themselves gathered together.
Luke 10:25 One day an expert in the law stood up to test Him. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Luke 20:39 Some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, You have spoken well!”
Matthew 5:19 So then, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do likewise will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever practices and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 19:18 “Which ones?” the man asked. Jesus answered, “‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness,
Matthew 23:23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay tithes of mint, dill, and cumin. But you have disregarded the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
Luke 11:42 Woe to you Pharisees! For you pay tithes of mint, rue, and every herb, but you disregard justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without neglecting the former.