Thou art not far from the kingdom of God - This scribe appears to have been a prudent, sensible, and pious man; almost a Christian - so near the kingdom of God that he might have easily stepped in. It is very probable that he did at last believe in and confess Jesus.

Thou.

Matthew 12:20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment to victory.

Romans 3:20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Romans 7:9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.

Galatians 2:19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live to God.

And no.

Job 32:15,16 They were amazed, they answered no more: they left off speaking...

Matthew 22:46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither dared any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.

Luke 20:40 And after that they dared not ask him any question at all.

Romans 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law said, it said to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped...

Colossians 4:6 Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man.

Titus 1:9-11 Holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the disputers...

The Marvels of Holy Scripture, --Moral and Physical. --Jael's Deed Defended. --Miracles vindicated.
Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the Scriptures, neither the power of God. ON a certain occasion, the Son of Man was asked what was thought a hard question by those who, in His day, professed "the negative Theology [588] ." There was a moral and there was physical marvel to be solved. Both difficulties were met by a single sentence. The Sadducean judgment had gone astray from the Truth, (planasthe our Saviour said,) from a twofold cause: (1) The men did not understand those very Scriptures …
John William Burgon—Inspiration and Interpretation

A Serious Persuasive to Such a Method of Spending Our Days as is Represented in the Former Chapter.
1, 2. Christians fix their views too low, and indulge too indolent a disposition, which makes it more necessary to urge such a life as that under consideration.--3. It is therefore enforced, from its being apparently reasonable, considering ourselves as the creatures of God, and as redeemed by the blond of Christ.--4. From its evident tendency to conduce to our comfort in life.--5. From the influence it will have to promote our usefulness to others.--6. From its efficacy to make afflictions lighter.--7. …
Philip Doddridge—The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul

The Cross as a Social Principle
Social Redemption is Wrought by Vicarious Suffering DAILY READINGS First Day: The Prophetic Succession And he began to speak unto them in parables. A man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a pit for the winepress, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruits of the vineyard. And they took him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. …
Walter Rauschenbusch—The Social Principles of Jesus