Reading: Mark 12:38-44.
This chapter closes with two warnings from the Lord:
• A warning against the pride of the teachers of the law or Scribes (Mark 12:38-40)
• And a warning against the pride of the rich (vv. 41-44).
Quote C.S. Lewis:
“A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and of course, as long as you’re looking down, you can’t see something that’s above you”.
• The teachers of the law or Scribes, whichever name you prefer to call them,
• Where a very, very proud religious group of people.
ill:
Raynald III was a fourteenth-century duke of what is now Belgium.
• He was grossly overweight and called Crassus, the Latin for fat.
• One day in battle, Edward, his younger brother, Captured him and put him in the Nieuwkerk castle.
• The room was not a cell but a room with a normal door and windows.
• None of them was locked. But Raynald was too fat to get through the door.
• Knowing his weakness, each day his brother sent Raynald;
• A variety of delicious and fattening foods.
• Instead of dieting so he could get out, he got fatter and fatter.
• He was a prisoner of his own appetite.
The teachers of the law were prisoners of there own appetite ‘Pride’:
• Quote: “There is no room for God in him who is full of himself”
• They were always looking down on things and people; and of course,
• As long as they were looking down, they had lost the reality of the God above.
Two warnings:
• A warning against the pride of the teachers of the law (Mark 12:38-40)
• And a warning against the pride of the rich (vv. 41-44).
Ill:
Three small boys were bragging about their dads:
• The first boy said, "All my dad has to do is write a few short lines on paper, calls it a poem, sends it away, and gets ten pounds for it."
• The second boy said, "All my dad has to do is make dots on paper, calls it a song, sends it away, and gets twenty-five pounds for it."
• "That's nothing," declared the third boy. "My father the minister, all he does is say a few words, i.e. pray, and it takes four men to bring in all the money!"
Quote:
“You can blot out the sun if you hold a coin close to your enough to your eye”.
(spiritual parallel there as well).
So this chapter closes with two warnings from the Lord:
• A warning against the pride of the teachers of the law (Mark 12:38-40)
• And against the pride of the rich (vv. 41-44).
The teachers of the Law or scribes (word is interchangeable):
• Were experts in the religious law.
• They were in the time of Jesus the public teachers of the people.
They originated the synagogue services:
• They claimed their oral traditions (i.e. legal decisions),
• To be more important than the written law (5 books of Moses)
• They were also lawyers for the Sanhedrin, hence the name; ‘the teachers of the law’.
• Which was the highest Jewish religious Council which met in Jerusalem.
• They were distinct from,
• Yet mostly belonged to the Pharisee’s party,
(1). A warning against pride (Mark 12:38-40)
Pride:
• Is an overemphasis on yourself or your position or your achievements.
• A feeling of superiority.
“As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces, 39and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely.”
In these verses 38-40:
• Jesus makes a series of charges against the teachers of the teachers of the law or Scribes,
• Six ways in which they abused their position.
Ill:
Mask:
• Hides the real you and presents a false image,
• These teachers of the law were pretending to be spiritual.
• They were pretending to be representatives of godliness,
• When in fact they were actors, everything was an outward show.
Ill:
Whitewashed tombs (Matthew 23 verse 27).
• They were pure and white on the outside,
• But full of corruption, dead men’s bones on the inside.
Six ways in which they were guilty of pride & hypocrisy:
(a). Clothing.
Ill:
On a week day, if you saw Penny & myself down town:
• Penny was wearing an evening dress and I wore a tuxedo.
• You would know instantly, that we were not going to work.
• Our clothing would be a giveaway.
The teachers of the law wore:
• A long robe which swept the ground, that was the sign of importance & wealth.
• You couldn’t hurry anywhere in it, or you would trip up.
• The teachers of the law also wore a white linen robe, impractical for working in.
• So it was the dress of a leisured man of honour.
(b). Greeted.
The scribes loved to be greeted with honour and respect:
• The very title ‘Rabbi’;
• Means: ‘My great one’.
Ill:
Many people strive after a knighthood, a title.
• They want to be somebody in the eyes of the world.
• So they donate money to political parties or do work for charity.
• But there main motivation is that knighthood, that recognition.
The teachers of the law loved other people:
• To notice them and look up to them,
• To give them a prominence, a public recognition, as being special, privileged.
(c). Best seats in synagogues.
• The sacred scrolls, the ‘Torah’ were kept at the front of the synagogue,
• Facing the congregation.
• Also the prayer leader & scripture reader stood at the front as well.
• So those nearest the front could hear and see everything clearly.
Also anyone who sat there was in full view of the congregation.
• They could see and be seen.
• They couldn’t be missed, this is where the scribes, the teachers of the law sat.
(d). Most important places at banquets.
• When you went to a banquet the seating arrangements was already fixed.
• Ill: Wedding (bride 7 groom, parents, family, friends etc.
The most important place was on the right side of the host,
• The second on the left of the host, and so on,
• Alternating right and left around the table.
As soon as you entered the room:
• You could spot the important guests, and the less important
• The teachers of the law always got the key positions.
(5). They devour widows houses.
It was common for widows to support rabbis financially:
• There was nothing wrong with that practice,
• In fact Jesus probably received some support himself from this source.
• Apparently some of the teachers of the law or Scribes,
• Were presuming on this support or as we would say; ‘milking it’.
Some commentators have suggested that the teachers of the law:
• Offered to help in settling estates that fell to widows.
• But took more than was reasonably expected for doing so.
Quote Jewish historian Josephus (who was himself a Pharisee) says:
“The Pharisees valued themselves highly upon their exact skill in the law of their fathers, and made men believe that they (Pharisees) were highly favoured by God” and that “they inveigled” (enticed or tempted) certain women into their schemes and plottings.
Ill:
Widows and the vulnerable are open to being ripped off and conned by dodgy salesmen or rogue builders.
Ill: (£235 & another £25 plus the part).
• Jesus is warning his disciples against the practice of the Pharisees,
• Which was extortion practiced on widows.
(6). Long prayers.
Quote:
“The prayers of the Pharisees were offered not to God but to men”.
Ill:
• The Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18).
• The Pharisee just prayed about himself, how good he was.
Ill:
Oak Hall Trip “Are you the professional prayer?”
The Pharisees were the professional prayers of their day:
• They prayed at least three times a day; 9am, 12 noon and 3pm.
• They prayed with hands outstretched, palms upwards and head bowed.
It didn’t matter where they were they prayed,
• Often these Scribes just happened to be in public places, i.e. ‘street corners’
• So people could observe how spiritual they were.
• Their prayers were lengthy;
• Quote Rabbi Levi said: “Whoever is long in prayer is heard”.
One recorded Jewish prayer starts with 16 different adjectives:
Ill:
“Blessed, praised, and glorified, exalted, extolled and honoured, magnified and lauded be the name of the Holy One, the almighty one, the creator of……….etc, etc.”
The Pharisees had fallen into the trap:
• Of outward show,
• They wanted to be seen by men and impress other men with their piety and devotion.
• True religion, true faith, isn’t outward to impress men.
• It is inward directed to God.
• Inward qualities i.e. a persons character (what we are like).
• Is more important than an outward show (your opinion of me).
Ill:
When you meet someone for the first time, often we ask them; “And what do you do?”
• We tend to treat a brain surgeon, or a doctor,
• With more respect that a window cleaner or a car park attendant.
When we do that we fall into the trap of the Pharisees!
• If a person is “important” only because of the uniform he wears,
• The title he bears, or the office he holds, then his/her “importance” is artificial.
It is character that makes a person valuable:
• And nobody can give you character,
• You must develop it yourself as you walk with God.
Quote:
“Character is like the foundations of a house, unseen yet essential”.
4 points to ponder:
(1). Jesus warns against pride, wanting to be someone in other peoples eyes.
• We all want to be accepted and liked by other people. Nothing wrong with that.
• The danger is, to achieve this we often wear the mask, a false charictiture.
• The only one we should be trying to win the approval of is God,
• He takes us as we are, loves us to much to leave us that way.
Ill:
Baptism of Jesus, God said: “I am well pleased with you”.
(2). He rebukes all sham in religion.
• When we go through the motions, lose the reality of why we are doing it.
• When what we do is merely habit and tradition.
• We need to reexamine the why and what of what we do.
• We are called not to play at Christianity, but to live it.
• We need the life giving Holy Spirit,
• To give us realism,, freshness, spontaneity and a deeper love for the Lord.
(3). He condemns using religion for gain.
• Every Christian is called to give, there are no get out clauses.
• Passages like 2 Corinthians chapter 8 & 9 explain why.
• God provides through his people, the Church, i.e. Christians.
• To achieve his ends, to do his work.
But Evangelists, Pastors, Ministers, organizations or Christian ministries:
• Must not abuse their position or con their fellow brothers and sisters.
• Religion, Christianity should not be used primarily for financial gain.
(4). Leaders are judged more strictly than non leaders (vs 40b - James 3:1).
• The teaching office, whether in Judaism or the Christian Church,
• Brings great responsibility with it and is not to be taken lightly.
Ill:
Policeman is treated more severely when they break the law than a member of the public.
Because they are expected to be models of behaviour and to know better.
• Leaders should always bear in mind, that they are answerable to God for their actions.
• And leaders are chosen for their character not just because there is a vacancy.
By way of Contrast:
• The teachers of law thought they were some bodies.
• The widow was a nobody (we don’t even know her name)
• The teachers of law were people full of pride,
• The widow is full of humility.
• The teachers of law were hypocrites,
• The widow is sincere, pure, genuine in her actions.
• The teachers of law are motivated by dead religious tradition and formula.
• The widow by a genuine act of love and devotion.
Verse 41:
“Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts”.
After his encounter with the Pharisees:
• Jesus seems to have gone to the Court of the women,
• This may well have been a quiet place to rest,
Ill:
• The Court of the women was not a female only area,
• But it was as far as women were allowed to go in the Temple.
In the Court of the Women:
• There were thirteen trumpet shaped boxes around the walls,
• Each box had a special purpose; connected to the upkeep of the temple.
Ill:
Building fund, evangelistic fund, Missionary fund etc
Each box met a specific need of the temple:
• And here the people dropped in their offerings,
• Some of the rich made a big production out of their giving,
Ill: Toll bridge.
• Remember they were trumpet shaped boxes.
• So throwing down a large amount of coins into the box to make a loud noise,
• Some rich people even to announce what they were putting in.
• Matthew chapter 6 verse 4:
Jesus said (to paraphrase): “The moment the coins hit the box and people hear the loud noise and think wow, what a generous person, at that moment they get their reward in full”.
(verse 46): we are introduced to The widow / cheerful giver:
“But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny”.
(a). She was noticed by Jesus..
Apart from Jesus:
• I wonder how many other people there would have actually noticed this woman,
• She no doubt blended into the background and was overlooked by everyone.
• That is everyone but Jesus,
• Aren’t you encouraged that He sees in us, what no one else can see?
Be encouraged this morning:
• That work that seemed to go unappreciated by others,
• That act of kindness, that no-one else knows about.
• That letter you wrote or phone call you made,
• Those needed words of encouragement to somebody,
• That financial gift or that prayerful or practical support,
• Is seen by Jesus!!!
Once more there is a Contrast here:
• The teachers of the law misused widows,
• Jesus in contrast is about to honour a widow.
(b). Jesus noticed her generosity.
This widow only had two mites:
• A mite was the smallest coin available,
• It was called a ‘lepton’, meaning ‘a thin one’.
• To most of us if we saw it we would even bend down to pick it up.
• But as far as Jesus was concerned she could have dropped in two diamonds.
Ill:
To a starving man a piece of bread is more valuable than a bar of gold.
Once again Be encouraged this morning:
• What real difference does my giving, or my praying or my contribution,
• Make to the work of God or the world in which we live.
• It makes a great difference because God sees our act but also our desires and motives,
• And it matters to him.
Ill:
• There was a man who was walking along the beach,
• When he noticed that the high tide had washed hundreds of starfish upon the shore.
• He realized that they would soon die being out of their natural habitat.
• He began to pick up one at a time and throw it back into the ocean.
Two unruly young men came up to him and began to taunt him:
"Why are you doing this," they heckled, "there are hundreds, maybe thousands of them.
Do you really think you can make a difference?"
• The man picked up a starfish, threw it into the ocean and replied,
• "Made a difference to that one, didn't I?"
• Jesus notices our actions and our generosity.
• You, too, can make a difference today!
(c). Jesus saw her act of faith.
Verse 44b:
“4They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
• With her last coin gone, until she could earn or receive some more money,
• She would have to depend entirely on God for the supply of her needs.
Quote Jim Elliot:
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain that which he cannot lose”.
• This widow was truly laying up treasure in heaven.
• As the old saying goes, you cannot out give God.
• 2 Corinthians chapter 9 verses 7-8:
• He doesn’t promise financial blessing but “All grace”.
“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work”.
4 points to ponder.
(a). It is not the amount of the gift, but the heart of the giver.
• 2 Corinthians chapter 9 verses 7:
• “Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give”.
• Because she loved much,
• She gave much
Question: How much am I giving to God?
• Of myself, my time, my money,
• My…………. You can fill in the blanks.
• Jesus told parable in Luke 7 verses 41-50: The two debtors.
• “Whoever has been forgiven little loves little”, Whoever has been much loves much”,
(b). God has a special concern for widows.
Deuteronomy 10 verse 18:
“He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing”
Psalm 68 verse 5:
“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.”
Psalm 146 verse 9:
“The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow”.
And in the New Testament:
• We have examples (Acts 6) and instructions (1 Timothy chapter 5 verses 3-8)
• That are given concerning widows.
• It is not regular sermon materiel,
• But it is there and as we work through the scriptures we need to head what it says.
(c). Giving is everyones responsibility.
That is a clear teaching in the New Testament:
• It is a whole sermon in itself,
• 2 Corinthians chapter 8 and 9 is a good place to start reading.
The problem in this incident:
• Regarding the rich people who gave, was motive not amount,
• They gave for outward show, rather than wanting to please and obey God.
• The rich gave out of their abundance, but the poor widow gave all that she had.
• But for the widow, she gave all, her gift was a true picture of her whole life.
Ill:
Newspapers & magazines often publish a list of the worlds richest people.
• In Jesus list of top givers the winner was a widow who gave a gift of half a farthing.
• Jesus seems to get exited about her act of generosity,
• He stands up and calls his disciples over and recounts the story to them.
Her giving was sacrificial.
• She could have made a fifty per cent offering,
• And kept one coin for herself, but she didn’t!
Question: Am I prepared to be out done by a nameless widow?
• She knew nothing of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.
• She had never sang words like;
“When I survey”.
“I surrender all”.
“All I once held dear”.
Question: This morning what is your ‘might’ your coin?
Valueless to God but he might be asking you to sacrifice it this morning?
• Pride, Reputation, Money, Time,
• Cheerful giver says; “Give it all, he’s worth it!”
Ill:
Long ago when a king converted to Christianity and ordered his knights to be baptised:
• Many of them held their right arms out of the water.
• As they were submerged in the waters, every part of them was baptised,
• Except the hand in which they held their weapon.
When the crisis came, they could kill without having to feel constrained by Christian morality:
• Is there an equivalent today?
• What are we holding out of the water?
In the context of financial giving:
• Paul wrote these words.
• 2 Corinthians chapter 8 verse 9.
9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
May we be like ‘Cheerful giver’:
• Those who give to God out of love.
• May we give sacrificially, rather than merely obligation.
