Hello everyone. Welcome back to logical Bible
study. I hope you're enjoying learning
new things about the gospel of Mark, and we're continuing in
the gospel of Mark today. So we'll look at the text of
chapter. 12, verses 38 to 44, So if you have your Bible, grab it
out and let's take a look at the text and then we'll have a go at
pulling the text apart and seeing what it means in its
original context, what might the literal sense be?
So, Mark chapter 12 verses 38 to 44.
In his teaching, Jesus said, Beware of the scribes who like
to walk about in Long robes to be greeted obses curiously in
the market squares, to take the front seats in the synagogues
and the places of honor at Banquets, these are the men who
swallow the property of widows while making a show of lengthy
prayers. The more severe will be the
sentence they receive. He sat down opposite the
treasury and watched the people putting money into the treasury
and many of the rich put in a great deal.
Oh, poor Widow came and put in two, small coins, the equivalent
of a penny, then he called his disciples and said to them, I
tell you solemnly, this poor Widow has put in more than all
who have contributed to the treasury.
For they have all put in money. They had over but she from the
little she had has put in everything she possessed all she
had to live on. So what's been happening?
Just prior to this. So Jesus has been in the temple.
It's the last week of his life. He's been arguing with the
Pharisees and the Sadducees and the scribes and they've all been
trying to trap him. There's a big crowd of people
watching and his just taught them about the relationship
between the Messiah and David. And now, we get here to verse
38. It says, in his teaching.
So we're talking about in the temple here, this probably on
the same day, and Jesus is now directing his comments.
To the crowd, he says, Beware of the scribes.
So, scribes were like the professional law theologians,
they understood the law very well and their job was to teach
people the law particularly in Jerusalem, there was a lot of
scribes. They were some of the most
highest ranking people in Jewish Society.
Their word was considered to have very weighty or authority,
whatever the scribes said. Basically people trust him Now
Matthews version of this scene is a little longer.
So if you look at Matthew chapter 23, it tells us that
Jesus is not just talking about the scribes.
He actually is talking about the Pharisees as well.
Now, why would Marc leave that out?
Will possibly because already in Mark earlier, Jesus has already
told the apostles to be aware of the Pharisees.
We see that in 8:15, so maybe Mark felt that he wanted to give
the Pharisees a break maybe and just make the focus.
Of this particular part describes, although it would
appear that in, if we add in Matthew's gospel as well, the
comments are about both the Pharisees and the scribes.
Now, as we go, it's important to note that Jesus does not want
people to just avoid the scribes as in.
Don't talk to them. Don't listen to them because
he's praised them. In verse 24 earlier here, he
actually praised one of them. But rather, what he's saying
here is that he wants a Jewish crowd to avoid their conduct to
not be like them. And here's what they do wrong.
He says, they like to walk about in Long robes.
So Matthews version says it's he's talking about tassels
specifically. Our testicles will consider to
be the religious part of Jewish clothing and they, particularly
represented the Jewish responsibility to keep the
Commandments. If you look at Numbers chapter
15 verses 38 to 39, the Commandment to wear long tassels
is associated with being exceptionally religious, and the
Pharisees and the scribes had their clothes specially designed
to have long tassels. So, to emphasize that they are
quite religious people. Jesus goes on, they like to be
greeted of secular SLI in the marketplaces.
It's an interesting translation, but it basically means to be
saluted or to have sell you tations in the marketplace.
They expected everyone to give them a special greeting in the
marketplace because of their status.
And we know from history that people were expected to actually
stand up whenever they ascribe passed by.
That was the level of respect. There was expected to be shown
of the scribes. Verse 39, they like to take the
front seats in the synagogues. So the scribes were deliberately
go out of their way to sit at the front of the synagogues in
various towns. So that the Jewish people there
would know how important they are.
And also the front seats were directly in front of the arc
which contains the sacred Scrolls, so they're like to show
themselves as religious by sitting close to the arc.
And they take the places of honor at Banquets.
And certainly the presence of a distinguished scribe or scholar
would be considered to be an ornament to the feast and they
like to play that up. Basically, the scribes liked
people to give them attention and homage they're more
interested in being served rather than serving the Jewish
people which is not good as leaders.
And that's why Jesus spends quite a bit of time.
In the gospels, telling the apostles that when they end up
being the leaders of his church, he doesn't want them to be Like
the Pharisees and the scribes who lorded over the people, but
rather serve people, he wants servant leadership, which is the
opposite of what the scribes and the Pharisees were doing.
Verse 40, he continues. These are them who swallow the
property of widows. So scribes were forbidden to
receive payment for teaching. They couldn't get people to pay
them for their services. That was forbidden.
So they're basically had to rely on private donations and they
framed it in such a way where they encourage people to donate
to them. And because it was considered to
be a meritorious Act of piety to support ascribe.
The had all sorts of other ways. If charging excessive legal fees
to people who consulted them for their legal services and that
certainly would reflect Jesus view of the temple as had
becoming a den of Thieves. By the time he gets there in
chapter 11. Why does it mention widows here?
They swallow the property of widows.
Well, we do is were quite poor in that culture, and it's
possible that widows would fall for the crafty words of the
scribes, and they would end up giving a lot of their money to
the scribes because they thought that they were doing, In a
religious thing, and they didn't have a whole lot of money, so
they ended up giving pretty much all that they had to these
scribes. So that's what Jesus means
about. They swallow the property of
widows or Devour the property. Interestingly, just after this
were about to see an example of a real Widow coming to do
something with her money. So, Mark, probably deliberately
mentions the widow part of Jesus speech here because we're about
to see a widow. Jesus continues.
He says they make a show of lengthy prayers so by publicly
making long prayers the scribes could make themselves appear
more. Holy the problem is not the
length of their prayers Jesus isn't condemning long prayers
here. He's condemning the selfish
intent of the scribes when they do their prayers.
He then says this, which is interesting.
The more severe will be the sentence they receive.
This is probably a reference to Eternal punishment about what's
going to happen to them on Judgment Day.
We know that a teaching of Jesus is that those in positions of
responsibility will have greater accountability for their actions
on Judgment Day. Since the scribes were in a
position of responsibility to look after and teach God's
people and in fact instead they have been selfish and they have
abused their position. Then Jesus says they're going to
receive a harsh condemnation on Judgment Day that warning should
apply to all religious teachers today in the church as well.
If you're in a position of leadership of teaching and
looking after people god holds those people to a have a high
level of accountability. Notice what this verse teachers
are teachers that some will receive more punishment than
others on Judgment Day. And that's interesting.
Jesus sternness words are kept for those who abuse religion for
personal gain or human praise. And to, cause the weak who are
trying to seek God to stumble. That's the group that Jesus has
the biggest problem with those who should be leading people to
God, but are instead leading people away from God.
Now, in Matthews version of this in Matthew 23, Jesus goes on to
give a longer speech, where he talks about is talking to his
disciples, you however, must not allow yourself to be called
Rabbi and he goes on from there. Mark's version shortens it a bit
though. So verse 41, it now says he sat
down and that's the position of teaching.
And in this case he appears to just be sitting and watching the
temple, he watches the people put the money into the treasury.
Now, this is kind of like a voluntary donation box for the
temple. That's what people could
voluntarily contribute their money.
As far as we know, there were 13 trumpet-shaped collection boxes
in the court of women where people could put in these
donations. The money from these donations,
was used to help support the priests and their work, as well
as other special projects that the temple might be working on
Jews were expected to put money into the treasury was not
required because they already had taxes to pay, but they were
Expected to do these additional donations to support the work of
the temple. Jesus sits here.
And he notices that many of the rich put in a great deal.
All of the money back then was copper coins.
So, when a person put in a large amount, they will literally
pouring out a whole lot of copper coins in there.
So it would have made a lot of noise, it would have drawn.
A lot of attention to the person, putting the money in
verse 42, then a poor Widow comes along.
We do is, were poor in that culture because their husband
has died. And usually, the husband would
be the one that financially supports the wife, but their
husband is dead. So they no longer have much
money in that culture. They actually had no legal
rights, and they had to rely on their children or other
relatives to support them. They were considered to be very
low on the social ladder and they weren't treated very well.
That's why the Bible both the Old Testament and the New
Testament spends a lot of time talking about how God expects
People to look after the widows in particular because they are
the most vulnerable. In fact, later in the Book of
James James will say that true religion is this to take care of
widows. So what she puts in to the
donation, box is two small coins.
So that will be two, copper coins in Jewish currency, that
would be two leptons and Mark, he tells us the equivalent of,
that is one penny. So one Roman coin was equivalent
to, to lepton, to Jewish coins. So these lepton 128 of them make
up a day's wage. So the normal wage would be you
get about 130 of them a day. Jesus, he says this woman put
into and that's all she has. She only has two Now the texture
says she put in 2 rather than 1 so she did not spare even what
she could justifiably have kept for herself.
So justifiably she could have kept one that would be fair but
instead she puts in everything she has financially verse 43, he
called his disciples to him. So notice his now he has been
teaching the crowds but now he's going to look at his disciples
in particular and teach them this particular teaching.
So, He says, I says, I tell you solemnly.
So we're about to hear an important instruction.
This poor Widow has put in more than all who have contributed to
the treasury. For they have all put in money.
They had over, but she from the little she had has put in
everything she possessed all she had to live on.
Sometimes you'll hear this translated as they have given
out of their abundance. And she has given out of her
poverty. The key message here and this is
pretty well understood by most people, I think is that God is
pleased with sacrifice. He's not as pleased when people
put in a tiny proportion of what they could actually give his
more pleased when people make big sacrifices for him.
So although the rich were putting in more money
numerically, it doesn't really mean much to them, it doesn't
hurt them to be giving what they're giving it apparently.
And so it's not really making a sacrifice.
Whereas the Widow has given a large proportion of what she
has. And it truly is a sacrifice for
her that she is making to God. So really what Jesus is teaching
his disciples here. Why does he feel the need to
mention it? He's encouraging them to not see
with the eyes of the world, because sometimes that can be
deceiving his saying that God sees things differently than the
world does, particularly in terms of people's internal
motivations. In contrast with the greed and
the hypocrisy of the scribes Jesus holds this woman up as an
example of true, generosity and piety indeed.
She is truly relying on God to provide the next meal.
Let's finish today, by looking at some passages from the
catechism, paragraph, six, seven, eight is about Judgment
Day it says, following in the steps of the prophets and John
the Baptist Jesus announced the Judgment of the last day in his
preaching. Then will the conduct of each
one? And the secrets of Hearts be
brought to light, then will the culpable unbelief that?
Countered, the offer of God's grace as nothing be condemned.
Our attitude to our neighbor will disclose acceptance or
refusal of Grace and divine love on the last day.
Jesus will say, truly, I say to you, as you did it, to one of
the least of these, my brethren, you did it to me.
So there are talks about how Jesus as well as other people in
the Bible. Do reference Judgement Day and
certainly Jesus, does that here when he condemns the scribes
paragraph 2444, this is in the section about love for the poor.
And it references here, the Widow as an example of the poor,
the churches love for the poor is a part of her constant
tradition. This love is inspired by the
gospel of the Beatitudes of the poverty of Jesus and of his
concern for the poor love for the poor is even one of the
motives for the duty of working. So as to be able to give to
those in need So that is the end of today's episode.
I hope you have learned something new.
If you have, please tell others about this ministry and
hopefully we'll see you again tomorrow.
Hi everyone. Just a special message that I
wanted to tack on to the end of today's episode.
If you've been listening to this particular passage today as part
of the weekday cycle of readings.
So if you're listening to this on Saturday of week, nine in
ordinary time, this is the last passage, you will hear from the
gospel of Mark. There is more to the gospel of
Mark. It goes up to chapter 16, but
you don't hear that. As part of the weekday cycle,
you'll hear part of chapter 13 to 16.
Teen on some of the Sundays in year.
Be and at the start of chapter 13, which is the very next
passage. If you were to go on reading,
Mark, you would see Jesus for telling the destruction of the
temple, that particular passage the start of math, Mark, chapter
13 is never covered in the lectionary.
So if you want to dive into this, really fascinating passage
where Jesus predicts, the destruction of the temple.
And also what people have interpreted to be, Jesus
prediction about the end of the world, it's really quite
fascinating. We will look at that as a bonus
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If you're listening as part of the week day, cycle on Monday of
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Matthew. So this might be a really good
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Matthew a bit better by going through systematically verse by
verse as we do in this podcast. So please consider telling
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Once again, thank you so much for your support of this
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Thanks once again, and hopefully you'll tune in for our Series in
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