Quotes & Notes on:     Mark 12:34   

• John Wesley's Notes:
  Thou art not far from the kingdom of God-Reader, art not thou? then go on: be a real Christian: else it had been better for thee to have been afar off.
   

• Reginald Fuller's Preaching the Lectionary:

   To be posted.
   

• Massey H. Shepherd, Jr., Interpreter's Commentary:

   To be posted.
  
   

• Donald Guthrie, The New Bible Commentary (Revised 1970):

   To be posted.
   

• David Guzik, Study Guide for Mark:
  To be posted.
   

• Catechism of the Catholic Church:
  To be posted.
   

• The Fourfold Gospel:

    Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. Prejudice is the great obstacle to entering the kingdom. In proportion as we overcome it we draw near to God.
  
  And no man after that durst ask him any question. They found it expedient to keep silence when their questions only exposed their own shallowness, and made more conspicuous the supreme wisdom of Jesus.
  
   

• Treasury of Scripture Knowledge:

  * Thou. Mt 12:20; Ro 3:20; 7:9; Ga 2:19
  * And no. Job 32:15,16; Mt 22:46; Lu 20:40; Ro 3:19; Col 4:6; Tit 1:9-11
   

• Robertson's Word Pictures:
  Discreetly (nounechôs). From nous (intellect) and echô, to have. Using the mind to good effect is what the adverb means. He had his wits about him, as we say. Here only in the N.T. In Aristotle and Polybius. Nounechontôs would be the more regular form, adverb from a participle. Not far (ou makran). Adverb, not adjective, feminine accusative, a long way (hodon understood). The critical attitude of the lawyer had melted before the reply of Jesus into genuine enthusiasm that showed him to be near the kingdom of God. No man after that (oudeis ouketi). Double negative. The debate was closed (etolma, imperfect tense, dared). Jesus was complete victor on every side.
   

• William Burkitt's Notes:

  (No comment on this verse).
   

• Family Bible Notes:

   Discreetly; like one who had right views of religion. Not far from the kingdom of God; because he rightly apprehended its spiritual nature, and what the service of God required of him. Some persons are much nearer the kingdom of God than others. Correct views of his character and requirements, with a just estimate of internal rectitude and purity, compared with external observances, tend to prepare the mind for the reception of Christ, and for the devotion of heart and life to his service.
   

• 1599 Geneva Bible Notes:
  (No comment on this verse).
   

• People's New Testament Commentary:

  Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. This commendation, not given by Matthew, is given because the scribe had declared that outward obedience amounted to nothing unless the heart was right. Pharisaism consisted of forms and paid little attention to love, mercy, and purity of heart. Alford says: "This man had hold of that principle in which law and gospel are one. He stood, as it were, at the door of the kingdom of God. He only wanted (but the want was indeed a serious one) repentance and faith to be within it. The Lord shows us here, that even outside his flock, those who can answer discreetly, who have knowledge of the spirit of the great command of law and gospel, are nearer to being of his flock than the formalists; but then, as Bengel adds, 'If thou art not far off, enter; otherwise it were better than thou wert far off.'"
   

• Albert Barnes' Commentary:

   (No comment on this verse).
   

• Jamieson-Faussett Brown:

  And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly--rather, "intelligently," or "sensibly"; not only in a good spirit, but with a promising measure of insight into spiritual things.
  
  he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God--for he had but to follow out a little further what he seemed sincerely to own, to find his way into the kingdom. He needed only the experience of another eminent scribe who at a later period said, "We know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin": who exclaimed, "O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me?" but who added, "I thank God through Jesus Christ!" (Ro 7:14,24,25). Perhaps among the "great company of the priests" and other Jewish ecclesiastics who "were obedient to the faith," almost immediately after the day of Pentecost (Ac 6:7), this upright lawyer was one. But for all his nearness to the Kingdom of God, it may be he never entered it.
  
  And no man after that durst ask any question--all feeling that they were no match for Him, and that it was vain to enter the lists with Him.
   

• Spurgeon Devotional Commentary:

   (No comment on this verse).
   

• Adam Clarke's Commentary:

  Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.] This scribe appears to have been a prudent, sensible, and pious man; almost a Christian-so near the kingdom of God that he might have easily stepped in. It is very probable that he did at last believe in and confess Jesus.
   

• Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary:

   (No comment on this verse).