Jesus Teaches In The Temple

JESUS TEACHES IN THE TEMPLE

Mark 12:35-44

In this passage we find Jesus doing what Jesus did most often and that is teaching.

In spite of those who wanted to kill Him…in spite of those who rejected Him….and who tried to publicly embarrass Him…and who carefully scrutinized every word He said in order to accuse Him.
In spite of the ill-will and danger…Jesus continues to teach.

And the reason He continues to teach is because the “truth” is that important and error must be exposed.

He continues to teach because “faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of God.”
And He continues to teach because the souls and salvation of people are at stake.

So in this passage we find Jesus teaching…teaching in the temple.

And just as Jesus teaches these people…He is going to teach us as well….and hopefully, as He does, His word will fall on some “good soil” and produce some good
Let’s begin…Vs. 35.

Jesus is teaching in the temple…and from what verse 37 tells us, a “great crowd” had gathered to hear Him.

And look at what He says to them beginning in verse 35.
He asks a question: “How is it that the scribes say the Christ (Messiah) is the son of David?” when in verse 36 “David, in the Holy Spirit, called Him “Lord”?
How can that be?
How can the Christ be both?
“David himself calls Him Lord; and so in what sense is He the son?”

Now basically, that is His question.

And I think what is significant here is Jesus’ answer to this question.
Do you see it?
Look at the verses again; Do you see Jesus’ answer to His own question?
How many of you see His answer?
Here are the verses that come afterwards; Do you see the answer to Jesus’ question here?

Do you know why you don’t see His answer?

Because there isn’t one!
And I think that is significant.

I think Jesus is trying to get these people, and that is who He is talking to here, the people.

He is trying to get these people to do something that they haven’t been doing and that is to study and think for themselves.

When it came to the scriptures, for hundreds of years, these people have had others do their studying and thinking for them.

They had the Pharisees, and the scribes, and the Sadducees telling them what to believe and what not to believe.
And what had happened and what was happening is the people were becoming just like them!
They were becoming just as hypocritical…and prejudiced…and stiff necked…and faithless… as the Pharisees and Sadducees and scribes were.

Turn to Matthew 23 and look at verse 13. Jesus says:

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from men; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

Look at verse 15:

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel about on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

These people went to the temple…and they went to their synagogues…and the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees and the Sadducees would teach them…and because their teachers were wrong… the people were becoming just like them.

And the only way that these people were ever going to escape the hold that the teachings of those groups had on them…all the wrong ideas and false concepts…
The only way they are ever going to come to know the truth about Jesus and who He is…and become disciples of Christ…
The only hope that these people are going to have is if they start to think and study for themselves.
And learn the truth of Gods word instead of relying on these unfaithful Rabbis.

And what about some of us?

Do some of us need to do the same thing?
Have some of us been taught some things in the past by some preacher or teacher or pastor or priest…and have we just taken it for granted that they were right?

You would like to think that every preacher and teacher and pastor and priest were sincere…and honest…and taught the truth.

But the fact of the matter is, they aren’t and they don’t.
Just like these people’s situation, some teachers and preachers can and will tell you the wrong thing.

John tells us in I John 4 that “many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

So don’t take it for granted that what they taught you is right.
Study it yourself…you have too much to lose.

There are no telling how many different teachings today on what it takes to be saved.

Some say you can be saved just by “saying a prayer and letting Jesus come into your heart” and baptism has nothing to do with it.
Some say that they were saved by faith and then baptized later because they were.
Others say you can be saved by “just being a good person.”
Others say you can be “saved” by simply denying any fleshly desires and abstaining completely from sin.
Others say that everyone is going to be saved…and no matter what you do…you can’t be lost.
And others say that only a select few will be saved…and if you are not one of them…there is nothing you can do about it.
I mean there are dozens and dozens of ideas out there concerning “what it takes to be saved.”

Have you ever sat down with your Bible and studied to find out if, what you have been taught pertaining to what it takes to be saved is true?

Don’t you think you should?
I mean, we are talking about your eternal salvation.
We are talking about the joys of heaven compared to the torment of hell.
Don’t you think you should make sure?
Don’t risk your salvation…eternity solely on what some preacher or teacher or priest or pastor has told you.

Jesus is trying to get these people to think and study for themselves.

Today, far too many people totally depend on a preacher, or a teacher, or a pastor or priest…to tell them what the scriptures say.
And some preachers like it that way.
If they can keep you out of your Bibles then they can control what you think, what you believe…and ultimately they can control you.

Today, there are some major denominations who would prefer that their people do not study the Bible.

Well, this preacher is not that way and neither are our elders.

You study your Bibles…and if necessary you keep this preacher on track.

I want to go to heaven just like you do.

Let’s go on. Look at verses 38-40.

Jesus continues to teach and in these verses He warns the people and in doing so, He warns us. Look what he says:

“Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and {like} respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues, and places of honor at banquets, who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers; these will receive greater condemnation.”

Now, what ever these scribes were doing I don’t want to do.

So, what was it they were doing?

Well, let me explain some of these phrases to you.

In verse 38 Jesus says that they “like to walk around in long robes.”
Back in those days most people were laborers.
And they had to work with their hands and their feet.
And because they did they wore a robe that stopped at the knee so it wouldn’t cause them to stumble or get caught in their work.

However, if you wore a long robe that indicated that you belonged to the minority leisure class.

It was a sign of prominence…of position…of higher class.
You see, these guys saw themselves as being above everyone else.

He says: “They like the respectful greeting in the market place.”

You know, like, “Rabbi…or Holy One…or Father…or Reverend.”
Not “Tom, or Joe or Virgil.”
They wanted people to know that they were more than just a common citizen.

He says that they “like the chief seats in the synagogue.”

The synagogue would be set up something like this room…perhaps a little more oval shaped.
With all the people facing up front.
And there would be a place up here in the front for the teacher to stand.
And behind him would be a row of seats.
And it was very important to the Rabbi’s to get to sit in those seats during the service.
You see, they wanted everyone to see them.
And they wanted everyone to know that they were somebody special.

Jesus says that they “like the places of honor at banquets.”

In those days if you threw a party and no Rabbi came, it didn’t make the social pages.
And when the Rabbi’s did come what would happen is, the host would be at the head of the table…and to his right would be the 2^nd most important guest…and to his right the 3^rd…and so on and so
And so you could look at the table see where people stood in rank.
And the Rabbis were offended if they didn’t get those top spots.

He says, “they devour widows houses.”

In those days the Rabbis didn’t get their money from the church or synagogue to teach.
They would go out and find people to give them subsidies so they could live.
And it was easy for them to find these subsidies because people were taught that supporting a teacher brought you closer to God.
And the people most likely to support a Rabbi were those who didn’t have much money who were looking for every chance to get closer to God.
Especially older widows.
These men took advantage of them.

He says: “They offer long prayers for appearance sake.”

These men were exalting and glorying in themselves.

They were “Lording” themselves over others.
They were “fleecing” the widows.
And doing it all under the pretense of “being followers of God.”

It was a show! An act!

And in verse 40, Jesus says they will receive a greater condemnation for it.
And if we want to receive the same condemnation then all we have to do is the same thing.

Hear me once again.

The only one that should be exalted and glorified is the Father and the Son.
It is only by God’s grace and mercy and Jesus’ willingness to die on that cross that any of us can boast at all.
IF it wasn’t for them we would all be lost.
They are the ones worthy of the “respectful titles” and the chief seats.
No you or me or anyone else.
And for any one to exalt themselves above the Father or the Son or any that have been purchased by his blood is arrogance of the worst kind and will not go unpunished.

Not only that, to use your standing as a “follower of Christ” or as a “child of God” to “take advantage of or fleece your brothers and sisters in Christ…especially the widows” is a shameful act.

To do something like that is to manifest greed as the god of your life.
And God will not let that go unpunished.
And let me tell you, this happens every day.
Watch some of these guys on TV.
They will take every cent you have and do it all in the “name of Jesus.”

And don’t fool yourself. When it comes to your devotion to God…to your worship to God…He knows if you are sincere or if it is all for show.

And if it is just for show…God accepts no part of it.

And now, verses 41-44. In these verses Jesus sits down opposite of the treasury and he watches the people as they put their money in the treasury.

And He watches some of the rich people put in their large sums.
And then He watches a poor widow come and put in 2 small copper coins which amounted to what they called a “quadran”…or what we might call a penny.
And when she does Jesus calls His disciples to Him and he tells them, “That, that poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she put in out of her poverty…she put in all she owed, all she had to live on.”

When you look at what most commentators say about this passage they always talk about how pompous the rich people were in giving….and how they put on this big show…and blew trumpets when they gave…so that the people would notice.

And maybe some did.

But that is not found here in this passage.

Nothing is said here by Jesus about being displeased with the rich people.
Nothing is said here by Jesus about any show that anyone gave.

What is said here is, this poor widow who put in “what would be considered as a very small amount…especially in comparison to what others gave…put in more than all the others…because she had less to give from.”

And the point is: our Lord is not as impressed with amounts…as He is with sincere self-sacrifice.
You see, amounts do not always tell where the heart is….but self-sacrifice always does.
When you lay self on that altar and give self to God…that is most pleasing to God indeed.

Jesus teaches here because He wants us to be right with God.

He wants us to take responsibility for our own beliefs.
After all, each one of us will be judged on what we believe.
NO one else will be blamed or suffer the consequences for us.
It is each individual’s responsibility to study the word…and make sure that they have done that which God says will give them eternal life.

He not only wants us to take responsibility for our own beliefs…but He also doesn’t want us to exalt ourselves over others.

He wants us to do that which is right…and to be sincere in our worship and devotion to God.

And Jesus wants us to realize that the one who gives completely of themselves is one who is most pleasing to God.

Jesus wants us to be right with God.

What about you this morning? Are you right with God?