And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said unto him,
You are not far from the kingdom of God.
And no man after that dared ask him any question.
All Commentaries on Mark 12:34 Go To Mark 12
Theophylact of Ochrid
AD 1107
See how He has enumerated allthe powers of the soul; for there is a living power in the soul, which He explains, when He says, “With all thy soul,” and to this belong anger and desire, all of which He will have us give to Divine love. There is also another power, which is called natural, to which belong nutriment and growth, and this also is all tobe given to God, for which reason He says, “With all thy heart. "There is also another power, the rational, which He calls the mind, and that too is to be given whole to God.
He says that it is like, because these two commandments are harmonious one with the other, and mutually contain the other. For he who loves God, loves also His creature; but the chief of His creatures is man, wherefore he who loves God ought to love all men. Buthe who loves his neighbor, who so often offends him, ought much more to love Him, who is ever giving him benefits. And therefore on account of the connection between these commandments, He adds, “There is none other commandment greater than these.”.
By which He shows that he wasnot perfect, for He did not say, Thou art within the kingdom of heaven, but, “Thouart not far from the kingdom of God.”
