Mar 12:28 | RWP | e4.org | Heard them questioning together ( ακουσας αυτων συνζητουντων ). The victory of Christ over the Sadducees pleased the Pharisees who now had come back with mixed emotions over the new turn of things ( ). represents one of the scribes as commending Jesus for his skilful reply to the Sadducees. Mark here puts this scribe in a favourable light, "knowing that he had answered them well" ( ειδως οτ καλως απεκριθη αυτοις ). "Them" here means the Sadducees. But says that this lawyer ( νομικος ) was "tempting" ( πειραζων ) by his question. "A few, among whom was the scribe, were constrained to admire, even if they were willing to criticize, the Rabbi who though not himself a Pharisee, surpassed the Pharisees as a champion of the truth." That is a just picture of this lawyer. The first of all ( πρωτη παντων ). First in rank and importance. has "great" ( μεγαλη ). See discussion there. Probably Jesus spoke in Aramaic. "First" and "great" in Greek do not differ essentially here. Mark quotes . as it stands in the LXX and also . adds the summary: "On these two commandments hangeth ( κρεματα ) the whole law and the prophets."

‏ Mark 12:28

Heard them questioning together ( ακουσας αυτων συνζητουντων ). The victory of Christ over the Sadducees pleased the Pharisees who now had come back with mixed emotions over the new turn of things (Mt 22:34). Lu 20:39 represents one of the scribes as commending Jesus for his skilful reply to the Sadducees. Mark here puts this scribe in a favourable light, "knowing that he had answered them well" ( ειδως οτ καλως απεκριθη αυτοις ). "Them" here means the Sadducees. But Mt 22:35 says that this lawyer ( νομικος ) was "tempting" ( πειραζων ) by his question. "A few, among whom was the scribe, were constrained to admire, even if they were willing to criticize, the Rabbi who though not himself a Pharisee, surpassed the Pharisees as a champion of the truth." That is a just picture of this lawyer.

The first of all ( πρωτη παντων ). First in rank and importance. Mt 22:36 has "great" ( μεγαλη ). See discussion there. Probably Jesus spoke in Aramaic. "First" and "great" in Greek do not differ essentially here. Mark quotes De 6:4f. as it stands in the LXX and also Le 19:18. Mt 22:40 adds the summary: "On these two commandments hangeth ( κρεματα ) the whole law and the prophets."