scribes

Christ’s Power Over Every Need The Gospel of Mark Sermon Series “Five Characteristics of Religious People” Mark 2:1-3:6

Christ’s Power Over Every Need

The Gospel of Mark Sermon Series

Five Characteristics of Religious People

Mark 2:1-3:6

Introduction

Mark now moves from five stories about Jesus beginning his preaching ministry (calling disciples, astonishing teaching, casting out a demon, healing many, healing a leper) to now five more stories that deal with Jesus and how the religious leaders react to Him. So, Mark’s gospel is not chronological but put together in concepts. So, let’s define who Jesus is going to be arguing with.

Scribes – In pre-exile days of the nation of Israel, scribes were responsible for the care and storage of documents, and eventual copying of documents, including legal findings, laws, and deeds of purchase, etc. Over time they became known as “doctors of the law.” Because they were so familiar with the actual biblical documents and the commentaries of other teachers about the books of the Bible. By the time of Jesus, “The main business of the scribes was teaching and interpreting the law.”[1] They were essentially religious lawyers.

Spiritual Blindness (vv. 2:1-12)

And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

(v. 1) “it was reported that he was at home” – word gets out that Jesus was back home, so people began to flood to see and hear Him. Many gathered so that there was a great crowd, “And he was preaching the word to them.” Jesus left the previous town because (even though there were great crowds) they would not receive his preaching – but here the focus of the evening was preaching and not healing.

The men bring their paralyzed friend but can’t get through the crowd. They go up to the roof, tear away the tiles (unroof the roof) and lower the man down in front of Jesus. “when Jesus saw their faith” – the four men showed faith in Jesus’ ability to heal their friend by going to great effort to get their friend close to Jesus. They believed that Jesus had the capability to heal their friend.

The scribes are mentioned in Mark 1:21 “And they were astonished at his [Jesus’] teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.” So, word had spread of Jesus returning to Capernaum, so the scribes go and see what his teaching was like (for themselves).

Jesus is expected to heal the man, but Jesus once again focuses on teaching and preaching. He is making a point, “that all suffering is rooted in man’s separation from God. For this reason, Jesus must call attention here to man’s deepest need; otherwise the testimony of this healing would be nothing more than the story of a remarkable miracle.”[2]

(v. 7) ““Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Blasphemy is irreverent, profane, impious speech about God; and its penalty in the Old Testament was death (Lev. 24:16).

The scribes are right – Jesus was claiming to be able to forgive sin, and only God can forgive sin (Isa. 43:25); Therefore, Jesus has to be God in order to forgive sin. “Their fatal error was in not recognizing who Jesus really was – the Son of God who has the authority to forgive sons.”[3] They “were not looking with open minds and hearts at a work of amazing mercy and power. They could see nothing but a departure from their tradition.”[4]

(v. 10) “But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” Jesus preached and taught the Word of God, Then He presented a situation where there can be no question as to His claim to be God, and then proves His claim by healing the man.

“Here appears for the first of fourteen times in Mark the term, “Son of Man.”[5] It was Jesus’s favorite way to refer to himself. It was ambiguous in that it could refer to a supernatural being; It could mean humanity or divinity. “By using the term, Jesus forced people to make up their minds as to what kind of person he was.”[6] The term “Son of Man” was also a reference to His destiny. The one who is truly human must suffer and die. But this same person is more than a man, and he must also be raised from the dead and return to glory.

(v. 12) ““We never saw anything like this!” – Here is a clear distinction between the Jewish religion and Christianity.

Earn Your Spot (vv. 2:13-17)

13 He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him. 15 And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

(v. 13) “as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” With the fishermen who were called to be disciples, there was a connection to John the Baptist, and a seeking for the Savior. Here, with Matthew, there seems to be no relationship other than Matthew hearing the Word preached “by the sea.” If you were religious, and were following Jesus’ ministry the absolute last person expected to be called a disciple by a teacher would be a hated tax collector. This was not acceptable conduct by a Jewish teacher.

“Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.” – the call of Christ upon your life is one of action. Matthew got up, and began walking with Jesus. A disciple of Jesus is moving – not sitting around waiting for the world to come to him; he is moving with Jesus.

The question of the scribes of the Pharisees causes us to ask the question, “How long does it take for a person to no longer be considered a “sinner?”

Jesus is being criticized for associating with undesirable people, sinners. Mark is wanting to show how Jesus’ presence in their lives changed them. He is reenforcing the idea that Jesus can forgive sin, “for there were many who followed him,” Many who? There were people who the religious scribes saw as sinners, but as they circle around Jesus, he has forgiven their sin.

Jesus’ message begins in Mark 1:15 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” There were people who repented and believed the gospel, yet would still be called “sinners” by the scribes. Jesus is not saying remain in your sin – no He is preaching repent (turn from) of your sin.

He is not saying that robbing people, or prostituting your body, or in any way sinning is ok to continue doing – but if you desire to be forgiven of that sin, to turn from it, Jesus, as the Son of God, would forgive you – and these people were circling around Jesus. It was the scribes who continued to call them “sinners.”

This is the difference between the Jewish and Christian concept to the forgiveness of sin, “No jew would have denied that God forgave people of their sin. It was the assertion ‘that God loves and saves them as sinners without waiting for them to become righteous an deserving of salvation . . . repentance to them would have meant evidence of change and the adherence to the Law’s regulations.’”[7] Why would Jesus sit at a table and eat with people who had not shown themselves to be righteous?

(v. 17) “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” – I think this is Jesus using sarcasm. “You are righteous (in your mind), you don’t want to have anything to do sinners, I’ll focus on them, and you guys do you.”

“Jesus’ call is to salvation, and in order to share it, there must be a recognition of need. A self-righteous man is incapable of recognizing that need, but a sinner can.”[8] No Jew would deny that the Messiah would save them from sin, but they would need to assert that God loves them and saves them as sinners.

The law was given by God and for mankind (before Jesus) was to be followed. But over time, religious leaders and teachers added to the law rules that they felt would keep people breaking the law – a wall in front of the law. So, between the law and the wall was a grey area. Jesus made the religious leaders angry because He kept jumping over the wall, and running around in that grey area.

Doing Things That Don’t Make Sense (vv. 2:18-22)

18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 19 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. 21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. 22 And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”

In the Old Testament law the only required fast is on the Day of Atonement.[9] However, over time, more and more annual feasts were added by the religious leaders, so that by the time of Jesus, truly religious and pious people were fasting twice a week.

How do the people know that John’s disciples and the Pharisees are fasting? How do they know that Jesus’ disciples are not fasting? So the people have been observing religious people, and Jesus and His disciples are claiming to be religious (teaching and preaching in synagogues and along the sea, etc.) Because that’s what religious/pious people do.

In response to the people’s question, Jesus gives a series of three illustrations (a wedding, a piece of cloth, and wineskin). Explain. Why would you fast at a feast? Why sew unshrunk cloth to a shrunk cloth? Why put new wine in an old wineskin? Jesus says, “these things don’t make sense.”

Also, in each example that Jesus gives, there is something old being connected to something new. Singles now wedded (married people can’t act single), old cloth connected to new cloth, old leather coming into contact with new wine.

There is a constant tension between the old and the new. Damage is done by trying to keep the two at the same time. Jesus’ new cannot be contained by the old traditions of the religious leaders. We must not try to limit what God is doing now, because it doesn’t fit into what we have experienced in the past. Remember these old practices are keeping people from the forgiveness of sin – they are keeping people away from God.

Tradition First, People Second (vv. 2:23-28)

23 One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” 27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

“Much more significant to Judaism than fasting was the observance of the sabbath. The sacredness of the day was traced back to God’s creative work (Gen. 2:1-3), and the charge to keep the sabbath day holy is one of the ten commandments (Ex. 20:8-11).”[10]

“The main point at issue was not the act of harvesting the heads of grain (v. 23). Such activity as Jesus and his disciples were involved in was explicitly allowed in the law: “If you enter your neighbor’s grain field, you may pick kernels with your hands, but you must not put a sickle to his standing grain” (Duet. 23:25). What the Pharisees objected to (v. 24) was doing this (regarded as reaping) on the Sabbath.”[11]

Jesus responds to their accusation by asking them a question from 1 Samuel 21:1-6, where David and the men with him were hungry and they ate consecrated bread, “twelve loaves baked of fine flour, arranged in two rows or piles on the table in the Holy Place. Fresh bread was brought into the sanctuary each Sabbath to replace the old ones that were then eaten by the priests.[12]

Jesus is not saying that the Sabbath law has not been technically broken but that such violations under certain conditions are warranted. Human need is higher than religious ritualism.

Hardness of Heart (3:1-6)

3 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. 2 And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” 4 And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5 And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

By the time we get to Mark’s fifth story of Jesus’ encounters with the religious leaders, we see that instead of accepting him as the Son of God, or Messiah, or Son of Man they are intentionally looking “so that they might accuse him,” and “how to destroy him.” They were there not to worship God, but to catch Jesus.

Notice that they fully believed that Jesus had the ability to heal, “And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath.” So, the issue was not could He heal, but would He heal “on the Sabbath.” Think about their reasoning; it is better for a man to suffer another 24 hours, than to be healed.

Why were they so angry with Jesus? Jesus refuses to submit to the adding on of man’s traditions. He didn’t recognize the Jewish leader’s skewed interpretation of the law (which He is the author). Even in the fact of healing proof, they held to the traditions of men.

Why is Jesus so angry with the religious leaders? Because he was “grieved at their hardness of heart.”[13] They are accusing Jesus of breaking the sabbath, while at the same time plotting to kill him. They don’t see the hypocrisy in their own hearts. It is more important for these religious leaders to hold on to an old way, even if it is keeping sinners away from God.

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[1] This consisted mainly in the transmission of traditional legal judgements, known as HALACHAH, and distinguished from HAGGADAH, or edifying religious discourse. The scribes’ real interest – and this applied especially to the Pharisaic scribes – was less in the plain meaning of the text than in the preservation of the legal system built upon it. . . . It was to their faithful transmission of the religion of Israel in the Greek and Roman periods that we owe the preservation of our OT scriptures, together with the foundations in Judaism of the Christian religion.” George Arthur Buttrick, Dictionary Editor, The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, R-Z (Nashville, Tennessee; Abingdon Press, 1962) 248.

[2] Frank E. Gaebelein, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 8 (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Publishing, 1984) 632.

[3] Geabelein, 633.

[4] Buttrick, 671.

[5] James A. Brook, The New American Commentary, Volume 23, Mark (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1991) 59.

[6] Brooks, 59.

[7] Clifton Allen, The Broadman Bible Commentary, Volume 8 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1969) 281.

[8] Geabelein, 635.

[9] Lev. 16:29, 31; 23:27-32; Num. 29:7

[10] Allen, 284.

[11] Geabelein, 637.

[12] Exod. 25:30; 35:13; 39:36; Lev. 24:5-9.

[13] “According to the passage in Romans 1:18-32, the wrath (or anger) of God followed this pattern: (1) men who knew God nevertheless did not honor him but followed their own willful thoughts: (2) this resulted in futile thinking: “their senseless minds were darkened” (v. 21); (3) God gave them up to themselves, their own choices, their own baseness; (4) they received in their own persons the due penalty for their error” (v. 27); and (5) they came finally, no matter what they may have understood earlier to be right, blindly approve of evil (v. 32). This description of the workings of God’s wrath is also a description of hardness of heart.” Allen, 287.

Generous Sermon Series “The Heart of Giving” Luke 20:45-21:4

Generous Sermon Series

“The Heart of Giving”

Luke 20:45-21:4

Introduction

In today’s passage Jesus is continuing his preaching ministry in the temple, and after a long and trying day Jesus wants his disciples to observe something. He is going to compare scribes who are looked at by society as being examples and persons to be looked up to (well-dressed, positions of power, respected when they enter into an area), against a widow (poor, low position in society, and for the most part invisible). But Jesus saw her. This is a story about being seen. Jesus is saying, “I know typically you pay attention and watch these guys, but today, I want you to see this person – watch her.”

Giving to Get Something (20:45-47)[1]

45 And in the hearing of all the people he said to his disciples, 46 “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, 47 who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”[2]

Earlier in the day while Jesus was teaching in the temple, scribes and the Saducees on separate occasions asked Him questions. In vv. 41-44 Jesus is pointing out that they do not interpret the Scriptures correctly, and here they are no responding to Scripture correctly (v. 45) tells us that once He had answered their questions, he warns the people about their pride. He makes comments about the scribes that where “in the hearing of all the people.”

Jesus is not saying all scribes are bad or wrong, but that they should “beware” of the scribes who have certain character flaws. When these flaws become too apparent, we must beware.

The scribes Jesus mentions are men who “like” . . . They coveted these marks of distinction.

1) “walk around in long robes” – this was the distinctive dress of the Jewish scholar. Ostentatious. “One could always recognize a scribe because he wore a white linen robe with a long fringe that reached to his feet.”[3] The robes also marked them as people who did not do physical labor, “his living would not be cumbered with such clothing.”[4]

These men made their living with their minds, and they wanted everyone to know it. Only those involved in physical labor when they passed didn’t have to stop what they were doing and recognize them.

2) “love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts” – People were to call them Rabbi, invite them to their social parties, giving them the place of honor at the left or right of the host. In the temple, there was a semicircular bench in front of the ark and faced the congregation. They sat with their back to the Torah.

Jesus even specifically warned about assuming the seat of honor, and how we should not do that in Luke 14:10-11 “But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

3) who devour widows’ houses – as part of their responsibility to oversee the affairs of widow’s estates, they would collect an exaggerated administrative fee.[5] As a leader there were a dozen ways they could devour a widows resources, “the widows saw themselves impoverished while their guardians grew fat.”[6]

For the most powerful to devour the most vulnerable was heinous to Jesus. They used their positions to improve their estate at the cost of those they were supposed to be helping and ministering to.

4) “for a pretense make long prayers” – When you combine excessive pride, with unrelenting greed, you cover that with as Hamlet said, “thou protest too much.” Their public prayers had to show they deserved to wear the robes, and cover the guilt of their conscience.[7]

“Such behavior represents the hypocrisy of the religious elite who were concerned only with external appearance and sought to look good in the eyes of others.”[8] James even warns those who desire to teach and lead in the church, James 3:1 “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” “Increased responsibility means increased accountability.”[9] Some people just want the position because of how other people will see them, the church must beware.

Jesus wanted the disciples to look at the giving of the scribes (even though they had power, riches, and fame), they took advantage of their position to take from (the widows) even though it was their job to help them.

Hosea 6:6 “For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.” This passage tells us that our hearts is more important than the rituals of worship. The scribes and the Pharisees gave to get something (prestige, power, flattery, etc.)

Giving to Honor Someone (21:1-4)

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. 3 And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. 4 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

Where are the scribes and Pharisees, now? They have left the scene having been blasted by Jesus’ comments about them.

“Contributions for running the temple were placed in trumpet-shaped receptacles, thirteen of which were located on the court of women.” The chests had specific offerings that the contents of the chest were to go towards (doves, coins, etc.) Some were for required offerings by the worshippers, some were voluntary gifts.

“According to the Misnah, each of the chests bore inscriptions designating what the offerings were for: “New Shekel dues, old shekel dues, bird offerings, young birds for the whole offering, wood, frankincense, gold for the mercy seat, and on six of them ‘free-will offerings.’”[10]

When Mary went to the Temple after Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:22,24) this is where she would have gone to present her offering, and where she would have met Simeon.[11]

“An officer oversaw the collection and often counted what had been given. The coins the widow gave were the smallest ones made – each worth 1/100 of a denarious (about five-minutes of labor at minimum wage).”[12] The coins were called lepta, literally “peeled” or “fine.” The two lepta represented barely anything.

Bock says, “We tend to appreciate the amount of the gift, not necessarily the sacrifice that went into the giving.”[13]

How did Jesus know she was a widow? Just like the scribes wore their white robes, widows also wore distinctive mourning clothes. Hers were probably worn and tattered.

(v. 4) “For they all contributed out of their abundance” – Jesus is referencing everyone there in the temple.[14] Jesus is not saying that those who gave made a big deal of it, or that they did not give in such a way that was wrong. The contribution from abundance means that it will not be missed. Giving it to God, did not really cost them anything.[15]

But, only the widow gave in sacrificially. Luke (the author) uses a rare and archaic word for poor, “he saw a poor (penichra) widow”; it suggests one who has to labor hard with toil for a living (penurious). Luke’s word choice is telling us that this poor woman has to labor hard for whatever she has. While the scribes were devouring and taking, this woman has to labor hard.[16]

For the scribes and the rich it was their wealth that got in the way of their giving.[17] They had everything to lose, the widow had nothing to lose, so she gave it all. This is a mindset that we have to watch out for – the wealthier we become, the more likely we are to stop depending on God, and seeing our possessions as our own – everything has always and will always belong to Him, whether you have two pennies or two billion pennies.

Her loss, was used by God to bring honor to her. God does not waste our tears. In Psalm 42:7 “Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me.”

The giving that Jesus praises is the one where a person gave everything they had. So, is this teaching saying that Jesus wants me to give everything to God? Yes. Our hand should be open to God. God knows we have to have a place to sleep, a way to move around in our environment, we need to eat and drink, and we need clothing. Our kids need school supplies, and medicine when they get sick.

All of this comes out of our pockets – along with our expenses is our giving to the Lord at church. We are not a compartmentalized person; we should not have closed fists with God – we are always and completely a worshipper of God (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, etc.) All of our possessions are to be used for the glory of God (the couch, our car, our home, and giving to the Lord). Our gifts, skills, talents are used throughout the entire week for the glory of God – We are a whole person.

If this widow had decided to keep her two widow’s mites – it would not have been missed. Her offering would not have changed the temple worship very much – but she would have lost her participation in the life of the temple. We are able to participate on the life of the church when we give. God doesn’t count the coins, He weighs the heart. Just like Jesus saw the widow, God sees us, in our entirety (a loves us anyway).

Two leptas was the smallest amount that could be given by law.[18] God allowed this woman to have something to give, so that she could participate in the time of worship. She could not give less, and she could not give more (it was the perfect amount for her) – it was all she had. It was enough to worship, but not enough to draw any kind of attention.

She was saying to God, “I love you. Here’s my heart, my life, I trust you with it all. It’s not much, but it’s all I have.” It is also a question of security. The rich people had kept and used a vast majority of their money – their giving to God did not really cost them anything in the future. Therefore, they didn’t really need God in the future. Their security was in themselves and their riches. For the widow, her security comes from God alone.

Giving is a way that God uses to teach us about ourselves, our desires, what we are willing to live without, our hearts, our relationship to Him, how we put God’s priorities first or our own, where does our security come from?

Whereas, the poor widow gave all she had now – and had to trust the Lord for her future.[19] Marshall says, “what matters is not the amount that one gives, but the amount that one keeps for oneself.”

There are some things we can hold on to from this passage:

The condition of our heart matters to God when we give. If I have credit card debt, the credit card doesn’t care about the condition of my heart, I need to pay my bill. That’s all they care about, give them the money owed. This is not true with God; He cares about the motive and the condition of our relationship with Him as we are giving.

The giving that pleases God will cost you something. We must give in such a way that we go without something we would like to hang on to. 2 Samuel 24:24 “But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing.”

God is the one who grows His church – He takes what we give Him and He can do great things with tiny offerings given with the right heart. Hughes says, “If there is love in the sacrifice on the part of the giver, there will be spiritual power in the gift.”[20]

Once Jesus left the temple that day, he would never return. At this point He is destined toward the cross and crucifixion for the salvation of mankind. In that ultimate offering, He held nothing back. He gave it all.

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[1] Mark 12:37ff.

[2] “Matthew 23:1-39 has a very full and rich description of this last phase of the debate in the temple where Jesus drew a full-length portrait of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and scribes in their presence. It was the last solemn climax to this last public appearance of Christ in the temple when Jesus poured out the vials of his indignation as he had done before (Matt. 6:12; Luke 11:12; 15-18).” A. T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament, Volume 2 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Publishing, 1930) 255.

[3] R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word, Luke (Wheaton, Illinois; Crossway, 2015) 715.

[4] Leon Morris, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, Luke (Grand Rapids, Michigan; W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1990) 321.

[5] George Arthur Buttrick, General Editor, The Interpreter’s Bible, Volume 8 (Nashville, Tennessee; Abingdon Press, 1952) 359.

[6] W. N. Clarke, Commentary on the Gospel of Mark (Valley Forge, Pennsylvania; Judson Press, 1881) 298.

[7] See also, Jeremias, Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus.

[8] David Dockery, General Editor, The New American Commentary, Volume 24 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1992) 508.

[9] Hughes, 720.

[10] Hughes, 724.

[11] Alfred Edersheim, The Temple Its Ministry and Services (Peaboy, Massachusetts; Hendrickson Publishing, 2002) 25.

[12] Darrel L. Bock, The NIV Application Commentary, Luke (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Publishing House, 1996) 526.

[13] Bock, 527.

[14] Robertson, 256. Constative second aorist active indicative, “covering the whole crowd, except for the widow.”

[15] Buttrick, 359.

[16] Ibid.

[17] E. J. Tinsley, The Cambridge Bible Commentary, The Gospel According to Luke (New York New York; Cambridge Press, 1965) 182.

[18] Herschel H. Hobbs, An Exposition of the Gospel of Luke (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Baker Book House, 1972) 290. “Schottgen on Mark 12:42, cites a Rabbinic rule that a single mite should not be given to the eleemosynart chest, from which he infers that the widow’s gift was the very smallest that was allowed.” (Clarke, 299).

[19] Clifton Allen, The Broadman Bible Commentary, Volume 9 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Publishing, 1970) 158.

[20] Hughes, 727.