Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 12:33
And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love [his] neighbor as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
33. burnt offerings and sacrifices ] The Scribe gathers up in his reply some of the great utterances of the Prophets, which prove the superiority of love to God and man over all mere ceremonial observances. See 1Sa 15:22; Psalms 51; Hos 6:6; Mic 6:6-8.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
33. And to love him with all theheart . . . and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than allwhole burnt offerings and sacrificesmore, that is, than allpositive institutions; thereby showing insight into the essentialdifference between what is moral and in its own natureunchangeable, and what is obligatory only because enjoined,and only so long as enjoined.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And to love him with all the heart,…. That is, the one God, with a sincere hearty love and affection;
and with all the understanding; of his being, perfections, and works, which will serve to draw the affections to him: this clause answers to that, “with all thy mind”, in Mr 12:30;
and with all the soul; with all the powers and faculties of it;
and with all the strength; a man has, or is given him; with all the vehemency and fervency of soul he is master of:
and to love his neighbour as himself; which are the two great commandments of the law:
is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices; that is, more excellent in their nature, more acceptable to God, and more useful among men, than all the rituals of the ceremonial law, than any sacrifice whatever: for the two words here used, “burnt offerings and sacrifices”, include all offerings; as those which were wholly consumed upon the altar, and those of which part was given to the priests; and all sin offerings, meat offerings, and peace offerings, and whatever else. This man had now at least a different sense of things, from the rest of his brethren; who placed religion chiefly in the observance of the rituals of the law, and the traditions of the elders; and neglected the duties of the moral law, respecting God and their neighbour: things which are to be preferred and attended to, before any ceremonial institutions, and especially the inventions of men. This entirely agrees with the sense of the passage in Ho 6:6. “For I desired mercy and, not sacrifice”; that is, willed and required, that men should show mercy to one another; or that every one should love his neighbour as himself, and attend to this, rather than to the offering of any ceremonial sacrifice: this being more delightful and well-pleasing to God, than that: “and the knowledge of God”; of his unity, perfections, and glory: “more than burnt offerings”; which were entirely devoted to him: and it also agrees with the ancient sentiments of the people of God; so Samuel says to Saul, “Hath the Lord [as great] delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifices, [and] to hearken, than the fat of rams”, 1Sa 15:22. And yet it may be observed, that there is some likeness between these things, burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the love of God and love to our neighbour; though the latter are greatly preferable to the former; true love to God being no other than the offering up of the soul, as a whole burnt offering to God, in the flames of love to him; and love to the neighbour, or doing good and communicating to him, is a sacrifice well-pleasing to God.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Understanding [] . A different word from that in verse 30. From sunihmi, to send or bring together. Hence sunesiv is a union or bringing together of the mind with an object, and so used to denote the faculty of quick comprehension, intelligence, sagacity. Compare on sunetwn, the prudent, Mt 11:25
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And to love Him with all the heart,” (kai to agapan auton eks holes tes kardias) “And to love Him (God) with (out of) all the heart,” with all one’s affections, as mandated in the law, is to obey Him, Deu 6:4.
2) “And with all the understanding,” (kai eks holes tes suneseos) “And out of and from all one’s senses,” of understanding.
3) “And with all the soul,” the essence of one’s entire being.
4) “And with all the strength ” (kai eks holes tes ischous) “And out of and from all the strength,” that one has, expressed in the power of choice to obey Him, Joh 15:14; Joh 14:15; Joh 1:11-12.
5) “And to love his neighbor as himself,” (kai to agapan ton plesion has heauton) “And to love one’s neighbor even as himself,” as also prescribed in the law, Lev 19:18.
6) “Is more than all,” (perissoteron estin panton) “Exists as more than all,” all else, such as the entire Levitical ritual that could not take away or remit sin, Heb 10:4.
7) “Whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.” (ton holokartomaton kai thurion) “The burnt offerings and sacrifices,” that only acknowledge sin, and point to the true sacrifice which takes away sin, See also 1Sa 15:22; Hos 6:5; Mic 6:6-8.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
33. Is better than all burnt-offerings and sacrifices. But it appears to be incongruous that sacrifices, which are a part of divine worship, and belong to the first table of the Law, should be reckoned of less importance than charity towards men. The reply is, Though the worship of God is greatly preferable, and is more valuable than all the duties of a holy life, yet its outward exercises ought not to be estimated so highly as to swallow up brotherly kindness. For we know that brotherly kindness, in itself and simply, is pleasing to God, though sacrifices are not regarded by him with delight or approbation, except with a view to another object. Besides, it is naked and empty sacrifices that are here spoken of; for our Lord contrasts a hypocritical appearance of piety with true and sincere uprightness. The same doctrine is to be found very frequently in the prophets, that hypocrites may know that sacrifices are of no value, unless spiritual truth be joined to them, and that God is not appeased by offerings of beasts, where brotherly kindness is neglected.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(33) Is more than all whole burnt offerings . . .There is a fervour in the eloquence of the scribes answer which indicates the earnestness, almost the enthusiasm, of conviction. Such teaching as that of 1Sa. 15:22, Ps. 1. 8-14, Mic. 6:6, had not been in vain for him.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Mar 12:33. Is more than all whole burnt-offerings That is, “is more acceptable to God, and important to mankind.” See Hos 6:6.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
[112]Septuagint.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
understanding = intelligence. Greek. sunesis = a putting together. Not the same word as in Mar 12:30, which is dianoia = mind, the thinking faculty.
more, &c. Compare 1Sa 15:22.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mar 12:33. , whole burnt-offerings) The most noble species of sacrifices.-, victims in sacrifice) of which very many commandments treat.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
is more: 1Sa 15:22, Psa 50:8-15, Psa 50:23, Pro 21:3, Isa 1:11-17, Isa 58:5-7, Jer 7:21-23, Hos 6:6, Amo 5:21-24, Mic 6:6-8, Mat 9:13, Mat 12:7, 1Co 13:1-3
Reciprocal: Exo 29:18 – a burnt offering Deu 6:5 – thou shalt Psa 51:17 – sacrifices Psa 116:1 – love Jer 7:22 – nor Mat 22:37 – General Mar 12:29 – Hear Luk 10:27 – Thou Gal 5:14 – Thou Heb 10:4 – not
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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The scribe summed up in this verse what constitutes the entire Decalogue, in that he cites the two commandments on which all the law and prophets hung (Mat 22:40). The reason he assigned for his conclusion was that it was better than burnt offerings. A man might offer whole droves of animals for the outward show, but not actually be moved by genuine love for God or man.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mar 12:33. With all the understanding. The scribe substitutes understanding for mind, which seems to express the same thought less abstractly. Mark preserves the answer in full.
Is much more than. Better, more acceptable to God, and more useful to the worshipper.
All whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. Burnt offerings, i.e., those commanded in the law. Such things took up the whole attention of legalists. It was a bold saying in those times and in that place. Christs atoning sacrifice is the centre of the gospel, but he who has a correct theory on this subject, without being led to the love here spoken of, is but a Pharisee at heart, below the standard of this man.