"You Are Not Far From The Kingdom Of God"

As we read the gospel accounts regarding the rising sentiment of animosity toward Jesus among the so-called “religious” leaders of His day, we see that this hostility was not unanimous. For example, we see Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council, coming to Jesus to inquire of Him sincerely (John 3:1-21).

On a later occasion, Nicodemus would defend Christ to his colleagues among the Pharisees (John 7:47-52). On another occasion, Jesus encountered an insightful scribe among the Jewish leadership in Mark 12:28-34. The Lord had just finished putting the skeptical Sadducees in their place (Mark 12:18-27), when one of the scribes, “perceiving that He had answered them well” (Mark 12:28), asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?”

To which Jesus replied:

See here.

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets