38 And he said unto them in his
doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go
in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, 39 And the chief
seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: 40 Which devour
widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive
greater damnation. 41 And Jesus sat over against the
treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that
were rich cast in much. 42 And there came a certain poor
widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. 43 And he called unto him his
disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto
you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into
the treasury: 44 For all they did
cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had,
even all her living. (Mark
12:38-44)
Today's text continues a pointed approach of our Lord to the "root of all
evil." That root is not money itself, but the "LOVE" of money
above all else. That was the one shortcoming of the rich young ruler who came
to Jesus seeking what he might 'DO' to obtain eternal life. In the end, his
wealth was his god which he could not forsake. After cleansing the Temple and
turning over the tables of the money-changers, the Jewish rulers saw a clear
and present threat to their luxurious lifestyle; so they undertook to find some
means of destroying Jesus. The Jewish scoundrels attempt to catch Jesus
off-guard by using tribute to Caesar as a snare - one which encompassed their
own neck and not that of Jesus.
Now Jesus addresses the luxuriant attire of the religious leaders who dress in
opulent apparel. The Lord presents, in the most concise and meaningful manner,
great principles on proper clerical attire, and the improper: presumptuousness,
love of filthy lucre, and giving out of our need and resources. The fewer words
employed in covering a topic completely is the characteristic of a great
Author, and Christ is the greatest of Authors as the Living Word Itself! The
Master of the Word weaves profound principles into a tiny space and makes their
beauty so stark that even secular writers and speakers employ His artistic Word
Art in their public and private expressions – does the widow’s mite ring a
bell? This phrase is heard from the neighborhood pawnshop to the front benches
of Wall Street, and often used by men who have no idea of the original Author
of it.
38 And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing,
and love salutations in the marketplaces. His doctrine is unadulterated Truth, and He speaks only
Truth. Christ issues an important warning to us – BEWARE! Who are the
Scribes? The Mishnah presents them as pre-rabbinic teachers with authority, as
well as copyists and teachers. They were also considered to be lawyers since
they were so familiar with the Law of Moses (having copied and transcribed it
from start to finish). But they misapplied the Word, having grown prideful of
their station, and even turned the meaning of the Word of God upon its head in
order to achieve their own agendas. This is why Jesus issues this stark warning
to us today! Today, the scribes are those who would
re-interpret Holy Scripture, adding here a different meaning, and taking away
there, the very Words of God in their delusional pride. We find this fact
vividly demonstrated in the rendering of new Bible versions that contain SOME
of the Word of God, but add poison to parts so that the whole is unwholesome.
The long garments to which Christ refers are not the simple vestments of the
Temple or of those of the biblical priest – they are garments of
gold-embroidered and costly fabric, loud and elaborate in design, and made to
attract attention to their high station.
The so-called miters and elaborately decorated peacock robes of the Roman
tradition in Anglican churches today reflect, I believe, the very robes to
which Christ refers. Such men desire the acclaim and adulation of the people
and do not, in the least sense, consider themselves to be the servant ministers
of the people. See the counsel of Christ on prayer: And when thou prayest, thou
shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the
synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men.
Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou
prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy
Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward
thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen
do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be
not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have
need of, before ye ask him.
(Matt 6:5-8)
39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at
feasts."
How often do we witness today the best tables and china at church fellowships
being reserved for the pastor and other clerics? High honor is the goal, but
would it not be far wiser and sincere to accept the lowly station that Christ
took at His Supper? Have we forgotten that we are servants and not masters?
40
Which devour widows' houses, and for pretense
make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation".
It is not coincidental that Christ mentions this characteristic of the Scribes.
He is about to impart a noteworthy principle on the law of giving. As He
speaks, He is aware that a widow is fighting her way through the crowd to the
treasury where she will deposit her fortune in the horn of the Temple. The
timing of Christ is always perfect! Who today devours widows’ houses? Have you
tuned in to Benny Hinn, Steve Crouch, Joel Ostten, or other notorious money
grubbers lately on TV? What of churches that impose allocation on families in
order to support the dreams of the pastor and others to make their church into
a Taj Mahal?
The modern church characterizes the character of the Scribes of Jesus’ day more
than the humble Church of Smyrna to which Christ refers in Revelation 2:8-10 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These
things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; I know
thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the
blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue
of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the
devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall
have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a
crown of life.
41 And
Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into
the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. You will observe Christ not
only observed HOW MUCH the people were giving, but more importantly in the
MANNER & SPIRIT they gave. It is the condition of the heart in
giving that makes all the difference! We all are rich in some way or another.
We may be blessed with a successful profession or business, or we may be poor
but have an abundance of time on our hands that could be devoted to helping
some poor, fainting sinner. Our time is definitely a resource from which we
should tithe and offer! What is a gold coin to a man who has millions? It may
be far more than the yearly earnings of a poor widow, but to the rich man, it
is a mere gesture of giving. He will suffer no less opulence at his evening
meal, nor be harried by creditors to repay outstanding debts. But what of the
poor widow who toils at humble Labors day in, and day out, to provide a simple
and humble meal for herself at the day’s end. She may find it difficult to earn
enough to pay her rent, or her heating bill, yet she gives to God – not a tenth
– but ALL that she has in treasure.
42 And
there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a
farthing. The widow arrives
just at the moment of the Lord’s expectation. His previous remarks have paved
the way for her debut. The Lord is watching the wealthy as well as the poor
widow. He is watching to see how you and I share out of our blessings as well.
He takes an interest in how we are stewards of His blessings that He has given
to us. What are two mites compared to the large gold coins cast into the horn
by the wealthy? Some may even have been ashamed to cast in so little after
hearing the ringing sound of the large and valuable offerings of the wealthy.
But this widow is not giving to attract attention to her generosity – she is
giving out of her penury and need. She is unashamed for she has no reason to be
ashamed – she has given ALL! Though it is not truly relevant to what the widow
actually gave, I found an illustration that is interesting: “It is estimated
that if the widow’s mite had been deposited at the “First National Bank,
Jerusalem” to draw four percent interest semi-annually, the fund today would
total $4,800,000,000,000,000,000,000. If a bank on earth could multiply the
widow’s mite to such an astronomical figure, think what treasures this
dedicated woman will have in heaven where “moth and rust doth not corrupt.”
(Bibleteachingnotes.com)
Interesting to note that this sum amount to more monetary cash than in
circulation throughout the world today. It is Heaven's ransom.
The fact is, the AMOUNT
is not the essential thing – it is the HEART of the widow in giving that
is important here.
43 And
he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily
I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which
have cast into the treasury. Had the others cast in mansions and wagons of golden
talents, it would not have risen to the level of this poor widow for she gave
all. Are we not called to give our ALL for Christ? Should not our finances
reflect our strong commitment to Him? The important thing is not what we give
in the church offering while all eyes are watching, but that which is given
unseen and unsung. The Word of God is the best measure of counsel we can have.
See how Christ frames the issue of giving:
Take heed that ye do not your alms before men,
to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in
heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before
thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may
have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou
doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That
thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall
reward thee openly. (Matt 6:1-4)
