Not all the Pharisees and Scribes were hostile to Jesus. Here today we have a scribe who approaches Jesus with a hostile motive. He comes to ask a question which was much debated among scholars. There were more than 600 commandments in the Jewish Law, and it was often asked which of these had priority over the others.

In answering the question, Jesus significantly does not give just one commandment but two: 'Love your God with your whole heart and soul' and 'Love your neighbour as yourself'. Jesus gives two commandments which, in his view, are quite inseparable: we cannot say we love God and then refuse to love our neighbour.

However, as we read through the New Testament and especially the words of Jesus in the Gospel, we know that Jesus gives his own emphasis to these two commandments and pushes them even further.

The scribe is very pleased with the answer that Jesus gives and expresses full agreement. "In that case," Jesus replies, "you are not far from the reign of God." In other words, the scribe is very close to having the spirit of the Gospel and to the following of Jesus.

He still has to make the crucial step of committing himself to follow Jesus and become actively involved in the work of the Kingdom. Whether he took that step or not, we will never know. However, we can make our choice to start today or renew our commitment to keep-ing this double commandment.