A Warning and a Widow's Gift

You can tell a lot about the magnitude of an event, perceived or otherwise, by the people who choose to attend it. For instance, the president of the US doesn’t go to every NFL football game, but he typically finds himself at the Super Bowl. Why? It’s the grandest game on the greatest stage.

Oftentimes events, and it seems to have been this way at least since Jesus’ day, are judged by the guest list, the inevitable “Who’s who” of society.

If that’s the case, if the significance of the event is determine by who’s watching, then there may be no greater scene than the one that unfolds in Mark 12:38-44, particularly vv.41-44. Jesus Himself pulls up a seat and weighs in on the scene, and as a result, we get quite the encouragement concerning our walk with Christ. Join me this morning as we read and pray.

The Scribes: A Lesson in Pride

As we finish up chapter 12 this morning, we look at two interactions that serve as a bit of contrast at the end of Jesus’ day in Jerusalem. On one had, Mark shows the religious leaders, the scribes in particular, wrapped up in all of their pretense and pride, and then Mark shows this widow that displays just this beautiful humble faith and trust in God. Mark invites us to consider this gift, that was really an insignificant amount of money, in comparison to the responses the religious leaders have made. So far, the teachings and authority of the Jewish leaders have been brought in to question, and here Jesus condemns their practice as well. Then there’s the widow who, true enough, makes a response to God, made in the Temple, and the religious leaders have made their response directly to Jesus, but the account serves a a great reminder of the fact that God really is worthy of our complete surrender.

Mark 12:38–40 CSB

He also said in his teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes and who want greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and say long prayers just for show. These will receive harsher judgment.”

Let’s key in on the first couple of verses here. They really tell us a lot about the motivation of the scribes:

First, they want to go around in long robes. Now, these robes, probably a full-length prayer shawl called a tallith, and it would have had tassels on the corners, probably pretty drab as far as color was concerned, they were typically only used in religious service, but the scribes began making it a habit to wear them in public. These robes distinguished rabbis and scholars as men of wealth and influence in society, a society that was in fact very religious. Religious leaders were actually pillars and foundations of the culture itself and Jerusalem was far from a “secular” city. The aim of the scribes was to draw attention to themselves. They’re in it for the looks, so to say.

Now, Mark Twain once said, “Clothes make the man; naked people have little or no influence on society.” Oscar Wilde said, “You can never be overdressed or overeducated.” And Marc Jacobs, one-time creative director for Louis Vuitton, said, “To me, clothing is a form of self-expression — there are hints about who you are in what you wear.” But Warren Wiersbe gives us the best reminder when he says, “If a person is important only because of the ‘uniform’ he wears, the title he bears, or the office he holds, then his ‘importance’ is artificial.” When the pastor is too obsessed with his title, when the scholar is too obsessed with the number of letters after his name, and when the scribe is too obsessed with his long flowing robes, there is a heart issue at play.

The scribes wanted to be recognized. Their long flowing robes pointed out to the public, “religious leader,” and there was a nice greeting reserved only for them in the market place. These greetings were meant to show respect, and it was always initiated by the “lesser” party. So, in this case, the lowly lay person had to greet the scribe, the master of the Torah, with a title like “Master” or “Father” or “Rabbi” to point out which one had a greater knowledge of Scripture. This is actually something that the Talmud of Jerusalem, the oral tradition and teaching, required! These greetings were meant to be a show of respect and submission to the religious authorities. But the scribes desire for recognition didn’t end there. They also want:

Mark 12:39 CSB

the best seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at banquets.

Or, as some translations say for our Kansas City fans, “They wanted the CHIEF SEATS.” It’s another example of how the religious leaders loved to draw attention to themselves and drum up their own importance. They had an underlying propensity, it was their habit in life, to seek honor and parade their position and piety before the parishioners. The best seats in the synagogue would’ve been right up front, right in front of the sacred scrolls. They would’ve been visible to everyone. Indeed, there were no back-row baptists among the scribes. Akin says, “They loved to sit up front looking down on the commoners in the congregation.

Finally, they loved the places of honor at banquets. Think back a few weeks ago when Bro. Joe preached through Luke’s parable about the man who threw the great feast. Remember how feasts were considered THE event of the year and everyone wanted to out-do everyone because it reflected on you. So, the event itself is big, but the scribes want to be the ones in the best seat. The place of honor at banquets would’ve been reserved for the honored guests, the VIP’s. But, and here’s the bonus, the seat next to the host would often come with additional perks, the best food, and sometimes even a different menu! Talk about living high on the…well, they didn’t eat hog, but you get the point!

Finally, a last word of disdain for the scribes’ practices. And, BTW, He’s not condemning all scribes, but the actions of a great number of them. Jesus says:

Mark 12:40 CSB

They devour widows’ houses and say long prayers just for show. These will receive harsher judgment.”

God’s heart for the widow is clear. Isaiah, Amos, and Micah all condemn taking advantage of widows, and James reminds NT believers that pure and undefiled religion is to care for the orphan and widow. Suffice it to say, God’s concerned about the helpless and defenseless in society. Honestly, their actions have moved from pride to outright rebellion.

Now, Jesus doesn’t tell us exactly how this is taking place…that is, He doesn’t clue specifically which action by the scribes He’s referring to. Truth is, they were guilty of more than one.

Oftentimes widows would place their finances in the scribes control, trusting them with their inheritance — particularly their father’s dowry. It was not uncommon for the religious leaders to use it for personal gain instead of on the Temple.

Scribes relied on wealthy benefactors as a rule, and they would take advantage of their position and abuse the generosity of others. They not only expected but exploited their position, many times using religion as both a means and justification for their harm.

It’s not at all unlike modern-day health and wealth preachers who promise a return “a hundred fold” if you’ll only “sow a little money seed of faith.”

In addition to this…straight-up greed, their religious life is for show. This is one of the reasons that Jesus commends private prayer the way He does, because no one fakes it in the prayer closet. The prayers of these scribes, they were only meant to make people marvel at how holy they were. As one scholar has noted, “Better a few fumbling words from a humble heart than a marvelous oration from a proud” one.

Here’s the thing about these scribes: their actions were completely different from the lone seeking scribe. It is impossible to really and genuinely love others when you are constantly trying to put yourself in a position above them. And their mantra was, “There’s money to be made in ministry!”

For us as believers, we can be susceptible to the same temptations. We can become drunk on pride and preoccupied with our positions. Reading the Bible, praying in public, teaching Sunday school, church attendance…all of it can be phony if our motivation is to be noticed or honored. We must resist the temptation to serve simply for show or recognition. Our actions need to be consistent with our beliefs, we must guard even our motivations, and our commitment to Christ must go beyond just what people see.

The Widow: A Lesson in Humble Commitment

Mark 12:41–44 CSB

Sitting across from the temple treasury, he watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury. Many rich people were putting in large sums. Then a poor widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little. Summoning his disciples, he said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. For they all gave out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had—all she had to live on.”

Jesus has moved out of the Temple complex proper, still in Jerusalem, but He’s observing and watching the worshipers of the day. He notes something so amazing that He calls the disciples around to point it out. Never one to miss a teachable moment, Jesus contrasts the scribes with the sincere faith of a humble widow.

In the world’s value system, those rich folks giving large sums of money typically hold the place of honor. Even today, in pastoral ministry, you hear the stories of the struggles of so many pastors wrestling with so-and-so maybe leaving and “we’ve got to keep ‘em happy” because they’re significant tithers. And I want to be careful about what Jesus doesn’t say — He does NOT say large gifts are unwelcome or sinful or without value. That’s not His point. He wants to draw attention to the faith of the humble widow.

Scripture says this woman brought “two tiny coins” and scholars tell us that this was a coin known as the lepton or lepta. It was the smallest coin in circulation at the time. It was worth only about 1/64 of a denarius, which was about one day’s wage. Thinking about that in today’s pay-rates, given current average pay-rates in Florida, you’re talking a coin that’s worth a dollar sixty, $1.75 maybe. She’s putting in less than four bucks, barely enough to eat off the dollar menu at McDonald’s.

Again, Jesus calls His disciples around to make a point:

Mark 12:43–44 CSB

Summoning his disciples, he said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. For they all gave out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had—all she had to live on.”

Was that wise? I don’t know. Certainly some would question it, because Jesus says she “put in everything she had.” Literally, she’s trusting God with everything. She’s willing to sacrifice! Unlike the wealthy worshippers who gave out of their surplus, this one widow gave until it hurt. Whether it was literally everything left to her name or not? I’m not sure. Jesus certainly knows much more than we do. One scholar notes that there seems to be a distinction in the Greek that points to the fact that she gives out of the resources that she lives on. This was money that literally would’ve been used to put food on the table.

If the scribes in verses 38-40 are a glaring example of failing to love their neighbor, this widow is a prime example someone who DOES love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. And while I DO NOT think Jesus is commanding us to give EVERYTHING we have, our hearts should be none-the-less as generous and we should be more than willing to give until it hurts.

Just think about this:

Who does comfortable giving honor, even if the amount is large? Scripture notes that Jesus saw the gift of the wealthy as well, and that they gave from their surplus, a gift that was easy and convenient. Jesus only drew attention to them to give a contrast to what the woman gave.

How much more is Christ honored by our willingness to give sacrificially, trusting that God’s care will be enough? Though her amount was small, her sacrifice and faith were GREAT! Are we willing to give and serve — to use our time, talents, and treasures — to the point that it no longer feels safe and convenient for us?

I’m reminded of a Matt Papa song, and I’ve shared the lyrics before, a song called “Stay Away From Jesus.” Papa says, “You won’t ever hear this song on Christian radio, Cause the Jesus that I serve is not safe. He’ll say take Your cross and die, so if you want a comfy life, stay away from Jesus. He says be either hot or cold, you can’t serve God and gold, indifference is the road that leads to hell. So if you’re happy with your stuff, and if 10%’s enough, stay away from Jesus.

All of this points to a deeper issue. It’s not the money that’s the point. Should we give? Yes, faithfully and sacrificially. But what lies at the heart of the matter is our God. The scribes practiced their religious for the sake of the prestige. Their god was their ego. But the widow? She practiced her faith from a place of surrender. The question for us to wrestle with today is not, “What can I afford to put in the coffer?” The question is, “How much have I not surrendered to Christ?”

Let us pray.

Call to Action:

Beware of “Outside Only” Christianity

This was the heart of the scribes religion, and we must realize the same temptation exists today.

We may be tempted to treat our faith as a Sunday/Wednesday obligation that has no bearing on the rest of our lives.

We may try to pray and use words that sound theological in order to impress others, while we neglect an honest attempt to express our desires to God.

Maybe we give a tenth, but don’t ask for a penny more.

But even deeper than that, maybe we are sold out for Jesus because life is difficult and we need Him to get us through. Or, because life is on easy-street and “we can’t thank Him enough.” But when it takes a turn in the opposite direction, we abandon all commitments to Christ.

Embrace “Sacrificial Surrender” Christianity

You may be thinking this morning, “Bro. Eli, you ALWAYS talk about surrendering to Jesus…die daily…get right or get left, sanctified or Kentucky fried! Well, maybe not the last part, but yes, I do always talk about surrendering our lives to Christ.

That’s what the Bible calls us to: living for Jesus, not for self.

But here’s what I want to say about that today: this widow was committed to Christ, she was who she claimed to be, even when she though no one was looking. Her life truly belonged to God. What about us? Does Jesus own our thoughts, attitudes and actions, even when we think no one else is watching? If not, may we be repenters today.