Mark 12:38-44
Introduction
In this passage, we have a vivid contrast between the scribes and the widow. The contrast is between those who serve God with hypocrisy and those who serve Him with true devotion.
Bear this in mind as we examine the passage.
Verses 38 to 40
In Verse 38 Jesus gives a serious warning. He warns the crowd and the disciples to beware of the scribes. He starts the warning with the word ‘beware’. Beware means to be on alert and be careful. And what they are told to beware of are the scribes.
The scribes were the theologians, the academics and the professors of the Bible at that time. Jesus was warning the disciples about those who had been appointed as teachers. Bible teachers have enormous power to mislead and to misfeed God’s people. They can destroy a flock, a church. This is still true today and as the church age comes to a close it is becoming a bigger and bigger problem.
After He has warned the disciples, Jesus describes the bad behaviours of the scribes. When Jesus says that the scribes like to walk around in long robes, He is talking about the prayer shawls that were worn by Jewish men, especially when praying. The scribes had specially made prayer shawls that were longer than normal. They touched the ground and they had ornate tassels on them. These special shawls were used as a status symbol by the scribes.
Do we have status symbols, titles and special garments to set leaders apart in the church today? Because Jesus criticised the scribes for this kind of behaviour, we should not have such things in the church.
What is Jesus talking about when He says that the scribes like respectful greetings in the market place? In those days the scribes expected people to stop what they were doing and stand up and show their respect as they passed by in public.
Do we have anything like this in the church today? Yes, especially in traditional churches and especially with respect to bishops. In some churches, for instance, people are expected to kiss the ring of the bishop. Once again, because Jesus criticised the scribes for this kind of behaviour, we should not have such practices in the church.
In Verse 39 Jesus tells us that the scribes liked to sit in the places of honour in the synagogues and at banquets. In the synagogues, the scribes would sit on benches whilst the common people sat on the floor. And at banquets, the scribes would always sit at the top table. This kind of behaviour should not happen in the church.
In Verse 40 Jesus goes on to say that the scribes devour widows’ houses. The scribes were in the habit of taking advantage of vulnerable widows by cheating them out of their money or savings.
And the final bad behaviour that Jesus speaks about is the way that the scribes, for appearance’s sake, offer long prayers. This was an attention seeking act that was performed in public. They wanted people to think that they were ever so holy. Does this kind of thing happen in the church today?
Notice at the end of Verse 40 how Jesus pronounces judgement on the scribes for their bad behaviour. Let this be a lesson to us; do not be like the scribes.
Verses 41 to 42
Now we see the contrast between what Jesus says about the scribes with what He says about a poor widow. After criticising the scribes, Jesus now goes and sits opposite the treasury. It was the temple treasury. The temple treasury was located in the court of the women. It was located there because both men and women could enter the court of the women. In the court of the women there were 13 receptacles in which people could donate money to pay for the functions of the temple such as the sacrifices. However, far more money was donated to the temple than was actually needed. Therefore, the treasury became more like the central bank of Israel and was a major part of the religious system, second only to the Sanhedrin.
In Verse 41 we are told that Jesus observed how much money people were donating to the treasury. The first observation that Jesus made was that many rich people were putting in large sums. And the second observation that Jesus made in Verse 42 was that a poor widow put two mites into the treasury. In terms of a day’s wage, two mites were worth one thirty-second of a day’s wage for a labourer.
Verses 43 to 44
In Verse 43, Jesus turns to the disciples and says something remarkable about what He had seen at the treasury. He says, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury.” What is remarkable about what Jesus said? That the poor widow, who only put two mites in the treasury, put in more than all the contributors to the treasury, including the rich people. Surely this can’t be right can it. How can two mites be more than all of the of the money that the rich people had put into the treasury? What is Jesus is actually saying? The answer is found in Verse 44. The other people had given their spare change but the poor widow had given everything she had to live on. To Jesus it is not the amount given that counts but the cost of the giving to the giver. So, by that measure, Jesus is able to say that the poor widow gave more than all the others.
What lesson can we learn from the example of the poor widow in terms of giving? And I’m not just talking about money here. In serving the Lord we should give everything we have. We are to give sacrificially. We should offer our whole selves as a living sacrifice to God.
And Finally
Do as the poor widow did and not as the scribes did.