Page 264 - The MacArthur Daily Bible

TN_03_MacArthur_Bible_March.qxd 8/8/03 14:44 Page 245

MARCH 12
that I speak to you, that you shall speak.” So Mark 12:28–44
Balaam went with the princes of Balak. 28 Then one of the scribes came, and having
36 Now when Balak heard that Balaam was
coming, he went out to meet him at the city of heard them reasoning together, perceiving
that He had answered them well, asked Him,
Moab, which is on the border at the Arnon, the “Which is the first commandment of all?”
boundary of the territory. Then Balak said to
37
Balaam, “Did I not earnestly send to you, call-
ing for you? Why did you not come to me? Am
I not able to honor you?”
38 And Balaam said to Balak, “Look, I have 12:28 Which is the first commandment...?
come to you! Now, have I any power at all to The rabbis had determined that there were
say anything? The word that God puts in my 613 commandments contained in the
Pentateuch, one for each letter of the Ten
39
mouth, that I must speak.” So Balaam went Commandments. Of the 613 commandments,
with Balak, and they came to Kirjath Huzoth.
40 Then Balak offered oxen and sheep, and he 248 were seen as affirmative and 365 as nega-
tive. Those laws were also divided into heavy
sent some to Balaam and to the princes who and light categories,with the heavy laws being
were with him. more binding than the light ones. The scribes
41 So it was, the next day, that Balak took and rabbis,however,had been unable to agree
Balaam and brought him up to the high places on which were heavy and which were light.
of Baal, that from there he might observe the This orientation to the law led the Pharisees to
extent of the people. think Jesus had devised His own theory.So the
Pharisees asked this particular question to get
Psalm 33:10–17
Jesus to incriminate Himself by revealing His
10 The LORD brings the counsel of the unorthodox and unilateral beliefs.
nations to nothing;
He makes the plans of the peoples of 29 Jesus answered him, “The first of all the
no effect.
11 The counsel of the LORD stands commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD
our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love
30
forever, the LORD your God with all your heart, with all
The plans of His heart to all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your
generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the strength.’ This is the first commandment.
And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love
31
LORD, your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other
The people He has chosen as His own commandment greater than these.”
inheritance. 32 So the scribe said to Him, “Well said,
13 The LORD looks from heaven; Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there
33
He sees all the sons of men. is one God, and there is no other but He. And
14 From the place of His dwelling He looks to love Him with all the heart, with all the
On all the inhabitants of the earth; understanding, with all the soul, and with all
15 He fashions their hearts individually; the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as
He considers all their works. oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offer-
ings and sacrifices.”
16 No king is saved by the multitude of an 34 Now when Jesus saw that he answered
army; wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from
A mighty man is not delivered by great the kingdom of God.”
strength.
17 A horse is a vain hope for safety; But after that no one dared question Him.
Then Jesus answered and said, while He
35
Neither shall it deliver any by its great taught in the temple, “How is it that the
strength.
scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?
36 For David himself said by the Holy Spirit:
Proverbs 11:25–26
25
The generous soul will be made rich, ‘The LORD said to my Lord,
And he who waters will also be “Sit at My right hand,
watered himself. Till I make Your enemies Your
26 The people will curse him who footstool.” ’
withholds grain,
But blessing will be on the head of him 37 Therefore David himself calls Him ‘Lord’;
who sells it. how is He then his Son?”
245