“You are not far from the kingdom of God”
The scribe in the Gospel reading is unlike the other scribes Jesus chastises. He comes with sincerity. We must remind ourselves to come to Christ with the same sincerity and genuine curiosity to find the answers we are searching.
Who was the scribe? We know very little of the man who comes up to Jesus and asks this question. We can assume “The doctor of the law who asks Jesus this question is obviously an upright man who is sincerely seeking the truth. He was impressed by Jesus’ earlier reply and he wants to learn more from him. His question is to the point and Jesus devotes time to instructing him, though he will soon castigate the scribes, of whom this man is one.” [1]
What does Jesus see in this man? “Jesus sees in this man not just a scribe but a person who is looking for the truth. And his teaching finds its way into the man’s heart: the scribe repeats what Jesus says, savouring it, and our Lord offers him an affectionate word which encourages his definitive conversion: ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ This encounter reminds us of his meeting with Nicodemus (cf. Jn. 3:1).” [2]
Why does Jesus choose those specific words from Deuteronomy? “This text was well known to the Jews who repeated it twice a day as a morning and evening prayer. The first word, ‘Hear’ – from which this prayer took its name – was an invitation to meditate upon the Lord’s commandment and to weigh one’s own life by it. In fact, to pray does not mean only to invoke God and to ask him for favors, it means, first of all, to hear him: to listen to his word, to meditate upon it, and to obey it. Jesus also insisted upon this full and vital concept of prayer: ‘Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven’.” [3]
What was the response of the scribe upon hearing Jesus’ answer? “The scribe was impressed by the Lord’s response to their questions. He was moved to inquire personally into the teaching of the Master.” [4]
Why does the man agree with Jesus? He agrees because at that time, there was a tradition of offerings and sacrifices that people put more love and affection towards than of the commandments and of their fellow man. “The scribe who had questioned him agreed and wisely concluded that to love God with all our strength and our neighbor as ourselves ‘is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices’. There re-echoes in these words, the voice of the prophets who had repeatedly denounced the emptiness of worship that was not inspired by love. God is to be honored by prayer and sacrifice, but they are not pleasing to him unless they come from hearts that sincerely love both him and, at the same time, their neighbor.” [5]
Why does Jesus pause to give him time to answer? “Jesus paused to give time to this apparently sincere individual, even though He had spoken so harshly of the scribes and the Pharisees in general.” [6] The scribe has no hidden agenda. He is not trying to trip up Jesus or persecute Him. “Jesus is always ready to spend time with souls who express an interest in him.” [7] Those who come to God with an open and genuine heart will find the answers. If we come to Christ with a closed heart and/or a cynical attitude towards Him, He will be silent towards us because He knows He cannot change our free will.
How can we learn from the man’s answer? Besides coming to Jesus with an open and honest question, we must show our understanding of what He is telling us. The scribe does not just listen to Jesus and then leave. He shows that He understands and approves of Jesus teaching by giving an example of the burnt offerings and sacrifices that were being done in the temple. When Jesus reveals answers to our questions, we must first show that we understand them and then resolve to live by them.
Where can we find answers to our questions? On the basis of basic catechesis and moral law, Jesus gave us the Church to help us and guide us in these questions. The Church helps us with understanding the answers of God have given us. However, some questions only have partial answers, and the rest remains unknown. God will only give us what we can handle and that means that at times God will withhold an answer because we cannot fully understand it.
How can we be “not far from the kingdom of God”? If we stay close to Him in the Church, we can grow in our understanding of Him. If we receive the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist, regularly we will not be far off from the kingdom of God. We should always search and ask questions that will help us to find answers and grow closer to the kingdom of God.
[1] Navarre Bible Gospel of Mark, pg. 157
[2] Navarre Bible Gospel of Mark, pg. 157
[3] Navarre Bible Gospel of Mark, pg. 157
[4] Fernandez, In Conversation with God, 5,65.1
[5] Divine Intimacy pg. 177
[6] Fernandez, In Conversation with God, 5,65.1
[7] Fernandez, In Conversation with God, 5,65.1