Mark 12

“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength … ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (v30,31). Jesus’ parables brought urgent clarity to these commandments, which devout Jews already agreed were important. He spoke of God (the vineyard owner) deserving our love, obedience, and worship. Jesus condemned cold hypocrisy, such as religious leaders who prayed and gave so that people admired them (v38), but he honored the quiet sacrifice of the humble (v44).  

Jesus reminded people that this King – the One who deserves our love, the One who sees our hearts and calls us to love one another- is returning (v9).