New American Standard Bible 1995

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Mark

Note Journal Prayer

12

:

28

“

One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, "What commandment is the foremost of all?"

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Greek: Transliteration:
One one Adj-NMS H1520 εἷς eis
Analysis:

One: God

Refers to HaShem (God), Who is One. This number can also refer to unity. The first place the number "one" occurs is in Genesis 1:5. There one reads, "And there was an evening and there was a morning— one day". Later on in this same book of Genesis, it is stated concerning the man and his wife, "And they became one flesh" (Genesis 2:24). It is very significant that in both of these examples there was a multiplicity for the subject. In the first example, the evening and the morning became one day and in the second example, it was Adam and Eve who became one flesh.

One of the most famous passages in the Torah concerning HaShem is Deuteronomy 6:4 which states, "Hear O Israel the Lord your God the Lord is One." The question that a person must ask himself is what is the connection between the use of the Hebrew word אחד "one" which identifies a multiplicity being one and the fact that the Lord God of Israel is One? The answer is that the Hebrew word אחד can relate to the concept for one as in "unification". There is another Hebrew word that would have been possible to be used if the author wanted to refer to an absolute oneness or singleness. This is the Hebrew word יחיד. In fact, there is a well-known prayer in Judaism which states, "אחד ואין יחיד כיחודו". This phrase should be translated as, "(God is) One and there is no singularity as His singularity." The idea that is being expressed in this prayer is that the Lord God of Israel is One; but not an absolute One; rather there is a uniqueness and a complexity to His Oneness.

The number one is frequently employed to express in the Scriptures one object, such as one man or one tabernacle. This usage would be the simple or common purpose that the number one or for that matter any number, would appear in a Biblical text. Often the appearance of a number does not contain any of the significance that Hebrew numerology might offer. Therefore, the reader must always consider when coming across a verse which contains a number, that the number only expresses an amount and no additional significance. 

Because the number one is often associated with God, there is a unique phenomenon in the Scriptures concerning this number. Sometimes the number one is employed to express a unique relationship that the object has to HaShem. For example,

"And it will be one day, it will be known to HaShem..." Zechariah 14:7

In the text above, Zechariah could have stated simply, "And it will be a day…" The fact that the prophet said "one day" is to convey that this day is uniquely related to God. Similarly, it is stated by the prophet Ezekiel in chapter 37, "one King", "one nation" and "one Shepherd" (see Ezekiel 37:22, 24). Each of these objects—King, nation and Shepherd—has a connection to HaShem. The King and Shepherd is Messiah Yeshua, the Son of God and the one nation is Israel, the people of God.

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016
of the scribes a writer, scribe N-GMP H1122 γραμματέων grammateōn
came to approach, to draw near V-APA-NMS H4334 προσελθὼν proselthōn
and heard to hear, listen V-APA-NMS H191 ἀκούσας akousas
them arguing, to examine together, hence to dispute V-PPA-GMP H4802 συζητούντων suzētountōn
and recognizing to see, perceive, attend to V-APA-NMS H3708 εἰδὼς eidōs
that He had answered to answer V-AIP-3S H611 ἀπεκριθή apekrithē
them well, well Adv H2573 καλῶς kalōs
asked to inquire of V-AIA-3S H1905 ἐπηρώτησεν epērōtēsen
Him, "What of what sort? IPro-NFS H4169 ποία poia
commandment an injunction, order, command N-NFS H1785 ἐντολὴ entolē
is the foremost first, chief Adj-NFS H4413 πρώτη prōtē
of all?" all, every Adj-GNP H3956 πάντων pantōn

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
New American Standard Bible 1995 One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, "What commandment is the foremost of all?"
King James Bible One And one of the scribes came came, and having heard them arguing, reasoning together, and recognizing perceiving that He he had answered them well, asked Him, "What him, Which is the first commandment is the foremost of all?"all?
Berean Bible One And one of the scribes came and having come up, having heard them arguing, and recognizing reasoning together, having seen that He had answered them well, asked questioned Him, "What “Which commandment is the foremost first of all?"all?”
Hebrew Greek English One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, "What commandment is the foremost of all?"