Mark 12:28-34 One of the scribes came up to Jesus

The Scribe, Painted by Ludwig Deutsch (Austrian, 1855-1930), Painted in 1894, Oil on panel © Sotheby's London, 11 June 2020, lot 118

Gospel Reading

One of the scribes came up to Jesus and put a question to him, ‘Which is the first of all the commandments?’ Jesus replied, ‘This is the first: Listen, Israel, the Lord our God is the one Lord, and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: You must love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.’ The scribe said to him, ‘Well spoken, Master; what you have said is true: that he is one and there is no other. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself, this is far more important than any holocaust or sacrifice.’ Jesus, seeing how wisely he had spoken, said, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ And after that no one dared to question him any more.

Reflection on the painting

Our painting from 1894 by Ludwig Deutsch depicts a scribe in Cairo, seen meditating on a marble ledge outside what appears to be the entrance to a mosque or palace. Deutsch captures the scribe's concentrated expression, the striped silk gown and yellow tasseled shawl he wears, the silk cushion cover beside him, his Syrian bone-and-ivory-inlaid desk, ink well and stylus, and silvered nargileh. All are framed by two striking vertical and geometric Mamluk pietra dura bands in the wall behind. One of the traditional professions in the Middle East, public scribes earned a living by both reading and writing. They were respected, educated individuals in a culture that placed a high value on literacy and the subtleties of elegant calligraphy. In painting "The Scribe," Deutsch may have been thinking of the many depictions of scribes in Ancient Egyptian art as well as their role in contemporary society. One example, dating from circa 2600-2350 BC and known as the "Seated Scribe," was discovered in Saqqara in 1850 and entered the collection of the Louvre. Scribes also fulfilled a crucial role in society during Jesus' time. We tend to think that scribes always raised issues and disputed what Jesus was teaching. However, today's reading shows that their conversations were not always confrontational. The Jerusalem scribe in our reading was in full agreement with Jesus, that loving God and loving our neighbour are top of our priorities. By loving our neighbour, we carry out the mission of human dignity that God is calling us to.

by Father Patrick van der Vorst