The last two sections in
Chapter 12 are separate yet have an important connection. In verses 38-40,
Jesus denounces the religion scholars; in verses 41-44, he points out the
significance of the widow's offering.
"Beware
of the scribes" is the focus
in Part 1.
Did Jesus' warning apply
to all scribes? The words that followed "beware of the scribes" were
"who like to" which provided some breathing room. All scribes weren't
lump-summed into a category of being hypocritical, greedy or exploitative. Nonetheless
there were Torah-teachers not living up to their higher calling.
"Beware of the
scribes who like to walk around in long robes." What was the issue
here? Was it specifically about wearing long robes? Although wearing long robes
was a signal of status, the emphasis was more on "It's Showtime!"
"Notice me!!!"
"Beware of the
scribes who like to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces." It's
one thing to be humble and gracious in the presence of those who wish to show
you respect. It's another however when they put themselves above God, "preening
in the radiance of public flattery." [i]
Did You
Know…?
Another facet of the "long
robes" and "respect in the marketplaces" was a custom between the scribes and the Jewish people. "The
teachers of the law received no pay, so they depended on the hospitality
extended by devout Jews." [ii]
In the guise of using the
custom of hospitality, these religious pretenders would line their own pockets
for self-righteous purposes. Out-and-out exploitation. The common people believed by gifting the scribes that they would in turn be blessed by God. The scribes were their connection to God.
Something else to add,... among
those making purchases in the marketplace were widows. For those in positions
of power, widows were easy pickings.
"Beware of the
scribes who like to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of
honor at banquets!" Is it wrong to be recognized for a job well done? Is it
wrong to be seated next to the host at a meal?
There's actually something
special in each of those moments which can be gratifying; nevertheless, the
bigger question is "what does one do with…?" What does one do with
the recognition? What does one do with that opportunity to have a great seat?
Is it an "all about me"
mentality that comes into play? Is it making the moment about "me" to
instigate or cause envy and jealousy? Or is it one of humility for the
recognition or of sincere gratitude for the best seat? What does
the person do in and with that
moment?
"Beware of these types
of scribes. They devour widows' houses." "Scribes often served as
estate planners, which gave them the opportunity to convince distraught widows
they would be serving God by supporting the temple or the scribe's own holy
work." [iii]
Is it wrong to leave money
to the church in one's estate plan? Absolutely not. Thoughtful planning should
be done when considering a will, trust or estate plan. But it's an entirely
different situation when being taken advantage -- to be taken advantage in a
vulnerable, emotional state -- by someone trusted, in a position of power.
"Beware of these types
of scribes. For the sake of appearance they say long prayers." Here we
go again with putting on a show! The longer the prayer, the more money to line the
pocket of the scribe. The longer the prayer, the more people consider the
scribe to be "holier than thou."
Yet to whom were these
prayers being offered? How were these prayers being offered? Where were these
prayers being offered?
These ostentatious, disingenuous
"long prayers" were not being offered to God. They were being offered
to the people. By doing so, the scribes had become reliant upon the people
instead of God. The Torah-teachers didn't trust God; yet, they deceitfully told the people
to do so.
Similar words of warning (like those stated by Jesus) were made by the ancient prophets: Isaiah
10:1-2, Zechariah
7:10 and Malachi
3:5.
Ultimately…
Actions = Beliefs
We should be who we are
when no one is around,… when one person is around,… when 20,000 people are
around.
Are we living up to a higher calling?
NEXT
The widow's offering
No comments:
Post a Comment