I love patterns.  More specifically, I love finding inconsistencies in them.  And then the question I always love to ask is:  why?  Why was that left out?  Why did that get added?  Why did something change?  The answer, if I find one, is always different.  The legitimacy of the change is sometimes questionable, but it's always interesting to find.

Here's an example from Scripture.

Mark 12:1-34 is a rather diverse portion of Scripture that we have most likely heard preached in bits and pieces.  Verses 1-12 is the story of the evil farmers.  Verses 13-17 is about giving taxes to Caesar.  18-27 is the Sadducees asking Jesus about the resurrection and the widow with the seven husbands.  28-34 is the scribe asking what the most important commandment is.

Of course, to make a comparison, we need another point of reference.

Luke 20:9-40 will be our other point of reference.  Verses 9-19 is the same story about the farmers.  Verses 20-26 is the same event about the taxes for Caesar. Finally, verses 27-40 describe the same time with the Sadducees about the widow and the resurrection.

Now, what is the difference?

I'm glad you asked.  And even if you didn't, I'm going to write this part anyways.

The teaching about the most important commandment that appears in Mark (referenced above) does not exist in the Luke account.

Where was Luke?

Both accounts end saying that no one dared to ask Jesus any more questions, but the placement of this statement is very different.

Did he need to pee?

Somehow, Luke did not find the question and answer to what the most important commandment relevant enough to put into his writing.  Why?  I have no idea.  There's not even a clue.

Maybe he left early.

Maybe he got distracted.

Maybe he just couldn't hear it.

Or, possibly, he forgot it happened.

I realize this is a translation and not the original greek, but one would think something involving the most important commandment would strike them as being somewhat critical to make record of.

Now, let me state this:  I am not faulting Luke here.

But I am praising Mark.

We, as a church, would be having fits over what the most important thing in our respective walks with God would be if this was not recorded.  Mark gives us a very clear picture of what that is.

Different perspectives are vital to our success as a people, as a church, and as the body of Christ.  We need them or we would all be doing the same thing the same way which means we would have the same issues and no solutions.

That is not a good thing.

So thank God Mark wrote this down.  Thank God that Luke didn't.

What makes us different is what makes us God's creation.  What makes God's creation great is that He made it.

So love God.  Love others.

Even when they seem to miss something very very important.