38 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
Horsham: 23rd June 2025
In Mark’s Gospel, this teaching appears as part of the Holy Week narrative, when Jesus is spending most of his time in the Temple courts. The Teachers of the Law, sometimes referred to as scribes, have been at the spearhead of attempts to catch Jesus out in his words, looking for an opportunity to turn the crowd against Jesus and arrest him on a charge of blasphemy.
The problem for the Jewish leaders was that many people in the crowd filling the Temple loved Jesus. They were amazed by his teaching. Jesus has already confronted the Teachers of the Law for their poor leadership and their inadequate understanding of the application of the Law. These Scribes were powerful men in Israel. To the delight of many in the crowd, they were very publicly humiliated.
Now, left alone with this attentive crowd, Jesus turns to those around him and attacks the Scribes. It’s a serious warning. There’s something very wrong here. You really need to watch out for these people. They love to flaunt their position of leadership. They love to be noticed in the market place. They love to take the best seats in the synagogue (ordinary worshippers would sit on the floor!). They pray the longest prayers. Their faith, which should come from a genuine heart, has become a show. It’s performative. This is religious showmanship. Jesus is condemning the religious elitism of the Jewish leaders.
But it gets worse. These people are coercing others, including people who live in poverty, to support and sustain their lavish lifestyle. They readily accept expensive gifts from people who have little. Some are even demanding gifts of properties from widows. Make no mistake – there are victims here.
Jesus says beware those who place themselves on a pedestal, especially in matters of faith. Beware of those who act as if they have a monopoly on the truth and themselves speak with absolute authority. These men are supposed to be the Leaders of Israel. They are supposed to be the ones the people can trust. Their arrogance, elistism and pride are breathtaking. ‘These men will be punished most severely.’ (v40)
End Piece
Religious people who put themselves on a pedestal. Who love to be treated as something special. Who expect the best seats. Religious people who abuse others in order to assert their authority, demanding donations to support their personal ministry, even from those who have little. None of that would happen today, surely.
This is a serious warning from Jesus, and it needs to be heard even in our own times. Religion, politics, celebrity and more. Pride is an ever present danger in every part of our culture. Pride is never a victimless crime. Where there is pride in leadership, there are victims.
This teaching seems all the more poignant, because until he is seen hanging on the cross, these are the last public words of Jesus. Until His resurrection, these are the last spoken lesson of the greatest teacher of all time.
