As he taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues
and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the Treasury. Many rich people put in large sums.

A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more
than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed
out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had,
all she had to live on.”

How do we and the churches reconcile this scripture with the high degree of prestige, reverence, authority accorded priests and higher in the religious hierarchies?

Comparing the synoptics for these verses, Luke and Mark have verses 38-40 with similar language. Matthew combines the Markan charges in with the longer set of Q woes.
Luke places his version of the Q woes before the entry into Jerusalem.

It is also difficult to understand the reason that Matthew would omit verse 40. My assumption is that verse 40 was not in the early version of proto Mark that Matthew had available.

WRT verse 40.

I wonder what act is the specific reference is for devouring widow's houses. Perhaps some perceived deficiency in the treatment and care of widows by the opposing religious community.

The complaint about lengthy prayers for appearance sake is also curious. Has such a charge served to reduce the length of prayers in the modern church?

What sort of community might find encouragement from the arguments in verses 38 and 40?

What sort of community might be the target of such arguments?

Verses 41-44 are in Luke, with very similar language. Matthew excludes these verses. My assumption is, once again, that the version of Proto-Mark that Matthew had, did not include these verses.

Mark and Luke had a source version that included these verses.

My further assumption is that Luke's version is closer to the original, and that Mark added detail. This as opposed to the explanation that Luke shortened Mark's longer and repetitive Greek.

Mark adds to the ProtoMark version the details about "opposite the treasury," "the crowd putting money into the treasury," the explanation of the Palestinean coinage, the repetition for emphasis of "all she had."

One interesting language difference is that Mark uses the plain word for "poor" in 42 and 43. Luke uses a more descriptive word in first verse that has something of a sense of working poor.

Message edited by its author, Nov 7, 2009, 4:27pm.

Beware the scribes. And what are we to watch for:
1. walking in long robes
2. being greeted in the streets
3. being seated first in the synagogues
4. being seated first at meals
5. long prayers

The list is not impressive sounding to me. Maybe petty, jealous, whiney, sour grapes?

The thing about devouring widow's houses would be a significant behavior deserving of condemnation from Christs, but there are no specifics. I am not sure what is the reference.

Surely not a scribe finding a widow and stealing the deed. I think the reference is to a general lack of caring for the widows in the congregation, but that is pure assumption.

At any rate the other 5 crimes seem rather small, at least to me.

Message edited by its author, Nov 8, 2009, 7:01am.

I believe these verses refer to preening, caring more about appearances than a relationship with God.

1. long pretty robes, grand, regal appearance.
2. being greeted, everyone knowing who you are, fame and popularity.
3. seated first, putting yourself before others, not worrying about others getting what they need, being more important than others.
4. seated first at meals, same as #3
5. long prayers, appearances being more important than content, talking just to hear own voice, empty words without meaning.

This is the heart of the "I" focus. All the above is referring to vanity and self importance.

devouring widow's houses- a general lack of caring for the needy. Putting their own wants before others needs.

What sort of community might be the target of such arguments?

The prosperity gospel maybe?

What sort of community might find encouragement from the arguments in verses 38 and 40?

Any church or group that puts God above appearances?

The complaint about lengthy prayers for appearance sake is also curious. Has such a charge served to reduce the length of prayers in the modern church?

I do not know, but that verse in discussion indicates that content and praying from the heart are what counts. Seeking to look good is not what God wants from us.

dinamo,

My approach is to consider that Mark wrote to a small persecuted community, one perhaps that did not hold such high status in the larger community. These verses might encourage such a community.

I hate that we seem to pick on the prosperity gospel. It is such an easy target, and probably one that would benefit by critical review.

I agree with your comments. The charges though still seem small.

What should be made with the "devouring widows' houses" verse then interpretted with the "put in all she had" verse. Do they interpret each other? Is Jesus suggesting that it is good or bad that the widow put in all she had? Does the earlier verse suggest that he might not have been supportive of her putting in all she had? Is that not akin to devouring, to honor the poor putting in all they have?

A similar thought might be carried through to Blind Bartimaeus, who leaves a cloak (all he had?) to follow Jesus.

interesting, I tend to think that His reference to the widow putting in all that she had is to draw a direction correlation with the pharisee's opposite approach in taking all that they want. Why should the poor have to give to the rich? If the temple (church) is rich, shouldn't it in fact be helping the poor? I honestly think Jesus is pointing out the stark contrast between the good and the bad.

The least will be the most in His kingdom, the lowest will be the highest. They see the widow as a poor, worthless person, who has nothing to give. Jesus sees the widow differently, and could very well be pointing out that she may be more in His kingdom then they would be.

"The charges though still seem small"
Have you read through Ecclesiasties lately, it's all to often the small subtle things that give the enemy the biggest foothold in our lives.