Love Love Love

Jesus' answer to the scribe's question gives us the fundamental insight that
Christianity is not so much a religion as it is a relationship. A loving relationship
with God, not rules, is at its core. Flowing inseparably from that relationship are
our relationships with others.
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When commending Jesus for his answer the scribe states (Mark 12:33) that loving God and
neighbor "is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."
When he speaks in this way he is confirming the fact that in true religion,
relationships (with God and with others) are more important than rituals. It is also
likely that Mark includes this transaction as a prophecy that the temple and its
worship were about to be discarded. The rituals of OT religion were about to be
superseded because of Christ's work of establishing a new people of God apart
from those activities. (Remember that this theme of judgment on Old Israel and
the establishment of new Israel has come up in a number of previous lessons).
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--Redeemer Study Guide