Not Far

The distance to some destinations may make us anxious, such as the distance from our thirteenth birthday to being “on our own.” Jesus spoke of another distance that evidently was intended to instill focus and determination in the man receiving it. When the man, a scribe, commented favorably on Jesus’ answer to his question about the greatest commandment, Mark says that Jesus perceived that he had answered “discreetly” [“intelligently” (NASB)] (Mark 12:34a). That is when Jesus set the man’s sights on the goal, saying, “Thou art not far from the kingdom of God” (v. 34b). In order to appreciate more fully the assessment Jesus gave of this scribe, consider the hostile environment in which his “discreet” answer is found. He told Jesus, “Well, Master, thou hast said the truth…” (v. 32). The chief priests, scribes and elders had demanded that He prove His authority (Mark 11:27). The Pharisees and Herodians…