Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation

 And He said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?  Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms:

'The Lord said to my Lord,
"Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool." '

Therefore David calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"

Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."

And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."

- Luke 20:41-21:4

In our readings, Jesus is currently in Jerusalem, teaching daily in the temple.  Yesterday, we read that some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, saying:  "Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.  Now there were seven brothers.  And the first took a wife, and died without children.  And the second took her as wife, and he died childless.  Then the third took her as wife, and he died childless.  Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children, and died.  Last of all the woman died also.  Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become?  For all seven had her as wife."  Jesus answered and said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.  But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.  But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'  For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him."  Then some of the scribes answered and said, "Teacher, You have spoken well."  But after that they dared not question Him anymore.

 And He said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?  Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms:  'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool." '  Therefore David calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"  Jesus poses a question to the experts who have questioned Him as to His authority, such as the scribes.  If they are experts in the Scriptures, how do they explain this passage?   My study bible tells us that the first reference to the Lord applies to God the Father, while the term my Lord refers to Christ.  The question is answered in that Christ is the Son of David in His humanity and David's Lord in His divinity.   It's a riddle directed at the experts in Scripture, a "hidden" way (to them) of answering their questions regarding His authority.   It's also a way of expressing His identity as the stone that becomes the chief cornerstone.

Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."  Here's a direct hit at the scribes, who as experts in Scripture fail to see the answers to His questions about Scripture that reveal His identity in a way that is completely hidden to them.  Their emphasis is on their positions, their honor from "men" rather than the honor that comes from God.  He hits at their hypocrisy resulting from what they truly care about.  The idea hidden here is the emphasis on the heart, the deeper things at the center of identity and love of God, which go hand in hand.    It is a kind of hard-heartedness that keeps them from opening their awareness to Christ's presence, identity and authority.

And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."  Here is what One sees without pretense and hypocrisy, without an emphasis on the "praise of men," but rather the "praise of God."   My study bible says that according to Church Fathers, the Lord accounts the value of a gift not by how much is given, but by how much is kept back.  Thus, the poor widow is counted to have given a great gift, having kept nothing for herself.    It's a gift of tremendous generosity, and full-heartedness.

Jesus' praise of the poor widow stands in sharp contrast to His criticism of the scribes, those who love their places in the temple and before the people.  It's an important expression of how God sees us, how God judges -- in other words, it's the true judgment we should all strive to see correctly.  In John's Gospel (12:43), there is an important statement about those who did believe in Christ, but were afraid of losing their places in the synagogue, "for they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God."   It's a very important thing to think about because it defines the way that we see life and the importance and weight of our choices.  It defines what we think is most essential.  Jesus' criticism of the scribes comes under this sort of discernment, about what is important to them.  If we try to notice Jesus' consistency, we remember His answer to the question about what the greatest commandment was.  He actually gave two in response, the first being about our total commitment in our love of God, and the second was like it, but about loving neighbor as we love ourselves.  Each is at work here, in the heart of the widow (and each is lacking in the things which the scribes put an emphasis of importance on) and also in how Jesus sees this widow and encourages each one of us to see her.  He's calling His disciples -- and so each one of us -- to a kind of sight that doesn't depend upon what's glorified by the world, what looks glamorous, but rather an insight of  the heart, the real center of each person.  I don't think there could be a more dramatic emphasis to us about what's really important, and Jesus' love of the poor and the humble is very closely tied to all of it.   The outsiders (the truly "poor and humble" regarding whatever "currency" one believes in) are always emphasized by Christ as they call us toward a deeper way of seeing than the sort of glory that comes from worldly praise.  Sometimes God strips us in our own lives of the things we think are important just in order to get to this place where we're forced to focus in on what's of real importance to us, and who we really are internally, in the heart.  When we get to that place, we just might find that it's His two greatest commandments that are the real things that matter most deeply:  love of God (Who is love and life itself), and right-relatedness to neighbor as we're taught by God the source of love.  These things become a bedrock for everything else.  They are the rock and the foundation what's real, and what's true, what we can count on when everything else disappears.  In today's reading He calls us to truly see what is what.  It is the scribes -- even though they are experts -- who can't really see; they are blinded by the glory that is worldly, even though cloaked in the framework of the institution of the temple.  The reality of God's life is right there in the center of everything, but we get trapped by our own choices and desires for what's important to us.  He shows us what is true, and invites us to share in His good judgment.  For that we need to open our hearts to something far more than meets the eye!

She out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood

 Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?  For David himself said by the Holy Spirit:

'The LORD said to my Lord,
"Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool." '

Therefore David himself calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"  And the common people heard Him gladly.

Then He said to them in His teaching, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."

Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury.  And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans.  So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury, for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."

- Mark 12:35-44

In this week's readings, Jesus is in Jerusalem and it is Holy Week.  He has been having disputes in the temple after His Triumphal Entry and the cleansing of the temple.   He's been challenged by the leadership as to His authority, and questioned by groups of Pharisees, Herodians and Sadducees.  In yesterday's reading,  one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?"  Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.  And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.'  This is the first commandment.  And the second, like it, is this:  'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'  There is no other commandment greater than these."  So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher.  You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is not other but He.  And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."  Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."  But after that no one dared question Him.

  Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?  For David himself said by the Holy Spirit:  'The LORD said to my Lord,  "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool." '  Therefore David himself calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"  And the common people heard Him gladly.  My study bible tells us:  "The tables are turned:  Jesus' interrogators are interrogated by Him.  In the presence of the common people Jesus questions the scribes, and they are unable to answer (Matt. 22:46).  The answer, of course, is that David calls Him 'Lord' in His divinity, yet Jesus is also David's Son in His humanity."  For the references in Jesus' question, see 2 Samuel 23:2 and Psalm 110:1.

Then He said to them in His teaching, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."  My study bible says, "Jesus exposes His opponents publicly, warning, Beware of the scribes.  By now they hate Him.  Their plans have gone awry.  Though expert in the Law, they have failed to answer Jesus' questions.  Mark reports only briefly on Jesus' extended critique of the Jewish leaders."

Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury.  And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans.  So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury, for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."  A note in my study bible says, "As Jesus observes the temple treasury, a poor widow donates two mites, the least valuable coins.  Jesus' deity is again manifest as He knows she put in all that she had.  It is not the amount that counts with God, but the degree or sacrifice out of what a person possesses.  Many who give the least give the most; some who give the most, give the least in proportion to their abundance.  God takes note of our giving (Acts 10:4)."

It's interesting to look at today's reading in light of yesterday's.  Jesus told the scribe in yesterday's reading, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."  In today's question put before what is apparently a group of scribes, He takes them further into the kingdom of God, and the question of the Son of God.  It is a riddle that stumps them, and a profound reply to the question of authority which began this series of interrogations.  By what authority did Jesus cleanse the temple?  The answer is in the riddle, and the riddle is the answer to the identity and authority of the Person who stands before them in the flesh.  But how are they to perceive this?  And the hint is taken further, into the words that the scribe is "not far from the kingdom of God," because indeed, the kingdom is right before him.  But what's more essential to Jesus' teachings are again His words against hypocrisy, because, as we said in yesterday's reading and commentary, Jesus' choice is always to emphasize the matters of the heart, wherein we grasp the true reality of a person, just who they are.  Yesterday Jesus spoke of the greatest commandment, and the second one like it -- both involve love; the first the love of God with all the heart and mind and soul and strength, and the second the extension and sharing of that love with neighbor, the righteousness found in a proper love of God.  Here in today's reading, He preaches against hypocrisy, a central tenet of His teaching.  When He speaks of the "pretense" of the long prayers, He's speaking of "making a show" just for appearance's sake.  This is the root of hypocrisy (a word which in its origin means "actor" in the Greek).   In every teaching, Jesus' stress is on the condition of the heart, as contrasted with outward acts and appearance.  Finally, we get to the story of the poor widow, who in contrast to the small amount of donation, gave with all her "heart and soul and mind and strength."  She is truly the "least of these" in the temple, and so is her donation.  Let us remember that in our own lives we'll see lots of hypocrisy, many "shows."  But the true judgment of a person is in the heart, and there is our true measure and picture.  Christ comes to Jerusalem, and engages in open confrontation with the leadership on the issues He teaches to all of us.  He opens the Scriptures, and delves into the affairs of our own hearts.  All of this, in Mark's Gospel, is by way of liberation, to unbind us from the things that oppress us, from the "strong man" of this world.  Let us remember that He will give His life as a ransom for many.  These teachings of the heart are the ones that liberate each one of us, if we would be free via His truth.  In today's reading, He teaches us to focus on who we truly are, while He reveals Himself as well.