People watching
There are some people who have a hobby of “people watching.” It’s not necessarily creepy or stalking, just observing.
My dad is one of those people. Whether going to a mall or an amusement park, before the advent of cell phones, he would just sit and watch people while the rest of us went into stores or rode rides. When we returned to him, we’d all head to the next spot and he would sit and wait, watching what was happening around.
There is a lot you can learn about people, just by observing.
Posture and gait - reveal a bit about physical abilities
How people interact with others can leave some hints about their relationships and even a bit of what they think about the people they are with (delight, enjoyment, contentment, contempt).
What people wear - style, neatness, comfort - I always found it interesting to go to Kings Dominion and see “couples” dressed in identical outfits.
We can learn a lot from observation, and Jesus gives us a little example of that in the passage we’re considering this week.
Turn in your bibles to Luke 20:45. P. 838
Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve observed…
Jesus in the Temple
drove out sellers
confronted by varying groups of religious leaders.
Yet they became silenced because they couldn’t get at Jesus through His teaching. As much as they hated him, they couldn’t refute him.
So, Jesus, still surrounded by his listeners, seems to be observing people - He’s people watching and draws out some conclusions and applications for His listeners and for us.
Luke 20:45–21:4 ESV
And in the hearing of all the people he said to his disciples, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
Jesus, in His observations, points out some contrasts. As we think through these for us today, it seems like there are three pairs of contrasts that we should consider:
Responsibility over Recognition
Sacrifice over Surplus
Humility over Honorifics
Let’s begin by considering the contrast of…
Responsibility over Recognition
Jesus observes the scribes. Now, they have been one portion of the groups of people that have been confronting Jesus.
But who are these scribes?
Scribes were priests who were also experts in the law, in Scripture. They were highly educated. Like lawyers in our day, they were periodically engaged to help people understand how the law should be applied and would also be called upon to adjudicate some matters of estates. They were essentially called upon to (NBD):
Preserve the law - they did this a by carefully copying the texts in order to preserve them.
gather students to teach the Torah
entrusted with administrating the law
But, I think there is another element to all of this that we need to consider, that is that the culture of Jesus’ day and that of the OT was predominantly an oral culture. In other words, most people could not read, so in order to learn the Word of God, people had to hear it. This was very much a communal act as people gathered together regularly hear the Word of God and hear it explained. We see this some in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah as Ezra, who was also a scribe, was called upon to read and teach the word of God. Scribes had an important job, especially since most people did not have access to God’s word. They had a great responsibility. In some ways, that responsibility came with some recognition.
Unfortunately, in Jesus’ observations, He noticed that they seemed to love the blessings that came from the recognition they received. He said that they “like” to wear long robes. We might think of these robes as being similar in formality as those we would see at a graduation or those that a judge or justice might wear in a courtroom. In our day, the black robes, various colors, stoles, head coverings, and bands on the arms are accompanied by different levels of recognition.
In this desire to garner recognition, that included sitting in the seats of honor and being praised for their long, ornate prayers - which may have become a show of their education or command of language.
They made the show about themselves rather than the Word of God.
Now, frankly, as I think through this for us, I think that we need to consider where are we more enamored with titles, or recognition, or show than we are with the responsibilities that our roles give us? Do we feel like we deserve the blessings we have or are we grateful for them?
As parents, can we tolerate a modicum of dishonor in order to help our kids grow in their knowledge of God?
As professionals, are we hung up on the recognition of certain titles or the inclusion of our certifications?
Where the scribes had been entrusted with a specific responsibility, teaching and explaining the Word of God, what are the responsibilities that God has entrusted to you and to me? Are we being faithful to fulfill what God has called us to? Are we doing the next right or biblical or just thing?
I was reminded this week of Harriet Tubman. Here was a woman who had little-to-no formal responsibilities and yet fought against the injustices of slavery and walked away to freedom. Yet, her freedom was not enough. She wanted to help others gain their freedom as well. She ultimately freed about 70 slaves. She could not read. She had a physical disability beyond that. She was abandoned by her husband and yet she persisted - more concerned with the responsibility to go and free more people than she was with whatever recognition her freedom might attain.
So, as He’s making observations, Jesus turns his attention to the offering boxes and the people who were putting money in the boxes. His point of application seems to be that He values…
Sacrifice over Surplus
As you know, we have a simple offering box in the back of the sanctuary. Rather than passing plates during the course of the worship service, for those who feel led to contribute with cash or checks or coins, it can be put in the box. I know most of us use things like the QR code in the bulletin or make our gifts as a systematic offering - automatically deducted.
For these first century Jews, as they entered the courtyard of the temple, they would see several offering boxes scattered around the area. Sometimes these were boxes with slots in them. Other times they were topped with rams horns. They did not have check or electronic options like we do. Most of their money was coins. Coins can be noisy. Coins can be heavy.
Luke understates what Jesus observes, but the parallel passages in Matthew and Mark’s gospels give some indication that there were people who were making a big show of their offerings.
Here in Luke’s gospel, Jesus doesn’t seem to condemn the wealthy. How does he know they are wealthy? I think He can tell by their wardrobe. I think He can tell by the sounds of their gifts - clattering around in the box or swirling it’s way down the horn. Again, He doesn’t condemn them, He simply comments about the difference between the sacrificial, all-in offering of the widow and the large gifts which represent the surpluses of the privileged.
He doesn’t comment about the wisdom or prudence of this woman giving her last two coins, but rather the sacrificial act of worship that she presents to the Lord.
We live in a very prosperous country. We may not always feel like we have surplus to give as an act of worship to the Lord or to be able to give as a blessing to others, but it seems like there is a value of giving in our nation.
According to givingusa.org - in 2024, Americans gave $592B which was up 6.3% from the year before. Now some of that came from corporation, bequests, and foundations, but the majority of those gifts came from individuals - $392B! We live in a generous nation! At the same time, we are a blessed nation! We have the largest GDP in the world! Which means that what we give is roughly 2% of what we produce. Are we still generous? It would be easy to pat our nation on its proverbial back for the number of zeroes behind our gifts, but when we consider the percentage, it’s not as generous as we might think - especially when we might consider what else surpasses 2% in our nation.
Now, I don’t want to bash our nation’s generosity. Frankly, as individual entities, we give considerably more than individuals in other nations. It’s really not a comparison game - for us or for Jesus.
Jesus’ comment seems to be one of perspective. The wealthy give out of their abundance, this widow gave everything.
I’ve heard stories of very wealthy Christians intentionally deciding to live on 10% of their income and giving away the other 90%. 10% of a Billion dollars ($100M) of income provides for a wonderful lifestyle. But 10% of a hundred thousand dollars would be extremely difficult to live on today.
The OT standard was a tithe to give (10%) and a generosity on top of that. The NT standard is less rigid but more generous.
I guess the question becomes, are we giving to the Lord sacrificially or are we giving to Him from our leftovers?
Whether we give with lots of zeroes or with no zeroes, I think His encouragement is that we have been entrusted with much from the Lord so that we can be a blessing to the Lord and to others with what he has given to us. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus even urged that our right hand should not know what our left hand is doing. It’s all as unto the Lord.
So, as Jesus is observing the happenings in the temple, He seems to be encouraging responsibility over recognition and sacrifice over surplus. I think there is one final point that we should consider - because it encapsulates both of these point, echoes what Jesus taught elsewhere, and summarizes how Jesus lived - that is...
Humility over Honorifics
For Jesus, it seems like His instruction for the Scribes is that they should teach the Word of God and any honors they received as a result were blessings and not expectations. I think He viewed Scribes as servants and not Masters. Frankly, I think He views pastors that same way! The best seats, the best greetings, the best titles, the best clothes are not the goals of scribes or pastors or priests or ....
Jesus modeled this life of humility for us. He modeled a life of responsibility to God, God’s word, God’s people and the world at large as He taught and loved and lived and cared for others.
Think about this - how many kings or presidents or senators or commissioners or actors or CEOs or pastors like to go around virtually incognito? How many would simply prefer to BE who God called them to be rather than receive the honors that accompanied the roles that God called them to play? It seems like in our day importantly people want attention.
And yet Jesus, the second person of the trinity (as if we can truly understand that) was born in a barn, lived with humility and taught with authenticity. He told people not to talk about what He did when he healed them. He pushed the attention away from Himself. The only One of all the humans that ever walked the face of the earth who deserved honors did not want it. He pushed it away. As Paul writes:
Philippians 2:6–11 (NLT)
Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Friend, if you don’t consider yourself a Christian yet or a follower of Christ, understand that this is the person we follow. This is the person we worship. This is the person we serve. Paul urged that people should follow him as he follows Christ (1 Cor. 11:1). I hope that this is the aim of every Christian - that we would be worthy of imitation - because of the One that we are imitating. I know I will fall short. However this is something we all should strive for. Where I honor Christ, imitate me. Where I don’t, I hope that you’ll give me grace and still follow Christ. Where others follow Christ - imitate them. Look to Jesus - He is the originator and the perfecter of our faith (Heb. 12:2). The rest of us will fall short, but we are striving to live with the same humility that He did and shun the same honorifics that He did!
Beloved, brothers and sisters in Christ, pride is an allure that we all must shun. As the Westminster catechism notes - we are called to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. As John Piper has noted in his book Desiring God, “God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him.” Our lives are about Him - not about us. May we serve Him responsibly in the roles He has called us to play. May we sacrifice for Him joyfully with the blessings that He has gifted to us. May we walk through life with humility - recognizing that “it’s not about me, it’s not about you, it’s all about Him!” (Bob Schmidt)
Let’s pray.
Benediction
2 Thes. 3:18 “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.”
Questions for reflection and discussion
Read: Luke 20:45-21:4
1. What importance do the people with whom you work place on status and power?
2. What are people willing to do to gain recognition and respect?
3. What are some of the trappings of high status?
4. What did the teachers of the law seek? (20:45–46)
5. What point was Jesus trying to make about such religious behavior? (20:46–47)
6. Why is pride such a dangerous sin?
7. How can you prevent yourself from doing things for show?
8. What did Jesus notice? (21:1)
9. What were the rich people doing? (21:1)
10. How did Luke describe the woman Jesus saw? (21:2)
11. How did the woman “put in more than all the others” when her gift was much smaller than the gifts of the rich? (21:3)
12. What principle of giving did Jesus communicate? (21:4)
Sources:
Anyabwile, Thabiti. Exalting Jesus in Luke. Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary. Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2018.
Bock, Darrell L. Luke 9:51-24:53. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999.
Feinberg, C. L. “Scribes.” In New Bible Dictionary, edited by D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard, J. I. Packer, and D. J. Wiseman. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996.
Liefeld, Walter L. “Luke.” In The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke, edited by Frank E. Gaebelein, Vol. 8. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984.
Martin, John A. “Luke.” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, edited by J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985.
McKinley, Mike. Luke 12-24 for You. Edited by Carl Laferton. God’s Word for You. The Good Book Company, 2016.
Stein, Robert H. Luke. Vol. 24. The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992.
Taylor, J. B. “Cornerstone.” In New Bible Dictionary, edited by D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard, J. I. Packer, and D. J. Wiseman. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996.
The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible. Biblical Studies Press, 2005. Print.
Wiseman, D. J. “Scribe.” In New Bible Dictionary, edited by D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard, and J. I. Packer. Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996.
Wilcock, Michael. The Savior of the World: The Message of Luke’s Gospel. The Bible Speaks Today. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1979.
https://givingusa.org/giving-usa-2025-u-s-charitable-giving-grew-to-592-50-billion-in-2024-lifted-by-stock-market-gains/
