Introduction
One of the characteristics that makes our country great, as seen in the recent tragedy, is the pleasure people take in giving to worthy causes. People like contributing to something that makes a positive difference. Good fundraisers know this; that is why most of them feel good about what they do. They are the links that funnel giving to worthwhile causes and projects, and that feels good.
As in all professions, there are bad fundraisers. Bad, not in the sense they can’t raise money, but they either raise money for unworthy causes or they manipulate donors to give either more than they should or draw the donors away from other causes more meaningful for them.
Good or bad, all effective fundraisers would agree – don’t hire Jesus to be a fundraiser or a money manager. As we shall see, he just doesn’t seem to have good money sense.
Text
38 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law...”
We need to review who the teachers of the law are. “Scribe” is the more literal rendering of the Greek term used, and is used in other translations, but it does not convey the role of such a person as well as “teacher of the law.” The term means “writer,” and initially scribes were clerks who wrote up legal documents, as well as copied documents and manuscripts. Over time scribes became more than secretaries; they became the interpreters of the documents as well, lawyers and advisors. They certainly played an increasingly important role in Israel as the preservers and interpreters of the Scriptures.
Ezra, a contemporary of Nehemiah, is the “father and model of scribes.” A priest, he lived in Babylonia, evidently in service to King Artaxerxes. He was sent by Artaxerxes to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God, which is in your hand (Ezra 7:14). He visited then, the Jews, who had returned from exile to their homeland. He was appalled at the lax regard that the priests and people showed for the Law of God. On several occasions he organized public readings and teachings of the Law, which led to mass repentance and revival. As David was the exemplar for all future kings, so Ezra was exemplar for all future scribes. The description given of him became the description of honor that all who followed in his steps desired: 10 For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel (Ezra 7:10).
Thus the scribes evolved from mere clerks to highly respected teachers. In Jesus’ day, they were the rabbis who taught the people and the scholars devoted to studying the Scriptures. Truly, theirs is an honorable and holy calling. I think so, anyhow, because I am one of them. Their task is mine: to devote myself to the study and observance of God’s Word and to teach its full message in the church. They are my people. That is why I cringe when I read Jesus’ harsh words. But he said them, and I have to teach them.
What does Jesus bring up about them? Basically that they have fallen prey to pride. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.
These “flowing robes” were long mantels of white linen with wide fringes at the bottom that distinguished distinctive persons. They visually set the teachers apart from the ordinary ass. It would be common for a teacher to walk through the marketplace in his flowing robe, and the retailers and others stop what they are doing to give a respectful greeting, just as if a high official or famous star walked through the mall where we are shopping and we give them notice. In the synagogue, the teacher was invited to sit in the chair in front of the chest containing the Torah. Regarding “places of honor at banquets,” William Lane notes: “When the important men of Jerusalem gave a feast they considered it an ornament to the feast to have a distinguished scribe and his pupils there. The highest places were assigned to them, and the scribe was given precedence in honor over the aged, and even over parents.”
And the teachers loved every bit of it! I would. It is gratifying to be recognized as someone important, to have people give respectful attention. It is satisfying to the ego to attend a gathering put on by wealthy and “important” people and then be especially recognized by the host.
But, as Jesus points out, it is silly and sinful pride to desire such attention, especially consider that all the fanfare is nothing more than a superficial game. Lane is right calling the teachers ornaments at the banquets. The respect given to these men is often nothing more than role playing, just as it is today. Even so, the teachers love their part. As Jesus points out, they for a show make lengthy prayers. Aren’t long prayers the sign of being holy? Not only would the prayers be long, but be assured that they were elaborate and eloquent, designed to impress the hearers. And of course, they are given many opportunities. Who else to ask the blessing at a banquet than the honored rabbi? Who better to pray at the synagogue? When it comes to praying at a social gathering, ministers are considered as indispensable as doctors should someone become ill. “Is there a minister in the house who can bless the food?”
All this seems rather humorous. After all, we are just talking about silly pride. But Jesus isn’t being humorous. Indeed, he warns the people to “watch out”! How dangerous can a pompous teacher of the law be? Apparently enough to devour widows’ houses. Up to this time, what Jesus describes is mostly embarrassing behavior. We can imagine the people grinning and elbowing each other as Jesus describes the teachers’ pretentious behavior, but this comment is a serious accusation. Jesus depicts the respected teachers of the law of devouring – eating up – the money and possessions of widows.
We are offended when we hear about scams committed against widows, but considered how even more offensive so an accusation would be in the ears of the teachers of the law.
22 “Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan. 23 If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry. 24 My anger will be aroused, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives will become widows and your children fatherless (Exodus 22:22-24).
17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes. 18 He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow… (Deuteronomy 10:17,18).
You get the idea. The Law of God makes very clear how God feels about taking advantage of widows. Jesus accuses the very men who teach the Law of that exact crime. How do they do so? They don’t run widows out of their houses and sell their property. What are they doing then?
Well, we need to understand how they earned a living. Technically, they didn’t. Rabbis were forbidden to charge for their teaching. (This may explain, by the way, why Paul has to take time to teach Christians that they ought to pay their preachers. Twice (1 Corinthians 9:7-12; 1 Timothy 5:17,18) he quotes Deuteronomy 25:4 to prove his position. Jewish believers would have been asking, “You mean we should actually pay this guy to preach?”) They were dependent upon the good graces of others to provide them support. And it was considered an act of piety to contribute to the needs of teachers of the law.
No doubt you can see how the opportunity for abuse comes, the same manner as it does today. Surely, godly widows would desire to support the ministry of men of God, which is good to do. But it would not be difficult to take advantage of their good intention, especially by a skilled speaker. “God will bless you, dear. The more you give, the more you know that God is pleased with you. Yes, yes, it is a great sacrifice you are making, but surely you trust God to provide.” And as the widows scrape to get by, the teachers wear their flowing robes to be ornaments at the banquets. No wonder Jesus’ verdict: Such men will be punished most severely.
Mark then masterfully takes us to a scene where Jesus observes a widow.
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. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.
Mark takes us to the Court of Women on the temple mount where 13 trumpet shaped receptacles were placed against a wall for people to make donations towards the temple treasury. During the Passover there undoubtedly is a continuous stream of people making their contributions. Wealthy people put in large contributions; poorer people put in smaller contributions. Then there is the poorest of them all; a widow, who most likely has no stable means of income, contributes two small coins that do not even equal the value of a penny. Jesus uses the opportunity to teach a lesson.
43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
Like so many of Jesus’ sayings, this one appears simple and obvious. But on further consideration, the words chosen don’t quite fit into what we assume Jesus means. And the way that Mark has put the two stories together, even makes Jesus’ response appear dubious.
I tell you the truth. This is how Jesus prepares his hearers for a profound statement. Note what he says: this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. He doesn’t say what we would expect, that she has made a greater sacrifice. Certainly that is his point when he notes that she gave out of her poverty. And yet, again, he states that she has actually put more into the treasury than all the wealthy.
Isn’t Jesus going a bit far? Yes, the widow should be commended for her generous heart, and a good fundraiser recognizes that. A good fundraiser would want to get a testimonial from the widow and include a picture of her in the next fundraising letter. But, a good fundraiser is not going to promise to name any buildings after her. That is reserved for people with the big bucks. After all, though they may not be making a sacrifice, they are, nevertheless, giving more money, the kind of amounts that make a real difference. The temple buildings cannot be maintained with pennies.
But consider Jesus’ perspective. Giving to the temple treasury is in essence giving to God. Does God need money? Is he worried about maintaining his budget? Does he calculate the expense of maintaining the universe and running his kingdom? Of course not! What he is interested in is not the amount of money, but the amount of heart given to him. That said, the widow put in more than all the wealthy combined, precisely because one cannot combine amounts of heart. One half hearted gift plus another half hearted gift equals one half hearted gift. God does not add them up until he is pleased with a certain number. Indeed, the more half hearted gifts he receives, the greater his displeasure.
I understand Jesus’ lesson, but still there is something that troubles me. Listen again, to what he says about the widow: but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on. Put that with the complaint he makes about the teachers of the law: They devour widows’ houses. At one moment he complains of the way that the teachers have no qualms about getting all they can out of widows’ resources, and at the next he commends a widow for giving away all she had.
What am I to say to a widow who comes to me and says that she would like to give all of her pension to the church? Do I counsel her that she ought to hold back enough reserve to ensure her livelihood, or do I accept the contribution, assuring her that God is pleased and will provide for her? What is the lesson that I am to pass on to all of you? Should I be exhorting you to give all that you have to live on to the church?
There is no easy answer. The counsel I would give to the generous widow would be for her to keep her reserves. It is good, when God has provided us with resources, to use them wisely so as not to become a burden on others. We do not serve the kingdom well by unnecessarily requiring others to provide for us. I know of one marriage broken one reason being that the husband could not make wise decisions when to give and when to reserve money for the provision of his family. And yet, having said that, Jesus commends this woman’s giving, not merely her willingness to give, but her giving.
This is what discomforts me about Jesus. He is so often unreasonable. If someone slaps you on the cheek, turn the other to be slapped. If someone wants your jacket, throw in your coat with it. Hate your father and mother if you want to love Jesus, and, by the way, don’t bother hanging around to bury your father, if you intend to follow after Jesus. And also, don’t worry about tomorrow. Don’t worry when you get sick or you lose your job. Just seek the kingdom of God and everything will be okay. Oh, and are you angry with someone? Well, then, you’ve murdered him. And the list goes on.
Jesus, be reasonable! But then, what can we expect from someone:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:6-8)
Jesus himself did not act reasonably. What I learn from this passage and many like it, is that I should be careful of being too reasonable in the eyes of the world. Our neighbors outside of God’s kingdom should be gossiping about us. “They are nice people, but sometimes you have to wonder where they are coming from with the way they use their money and their time.” The teachers of the law acted very reasonably to get ahead in life; the widow, well, in her foolishness she contributed more to God’s kingdom than all the reasonable folks could do in their reasonable giving.
