Big Idea: In three final conflicts between Jesus and the leaders, he (1) reveals himself as more than the royal Messiah, (2) warns about the hypocritical scribes, and (3) contrasts them with the humble widow, who gives her all to God.

Understanding the Text

While verses 35–37 belong with the controversy stories of 11:27–12:37, they also are part of the final three narratives that conclude the section, presented together as Jesus’s teaching in the temple grounds. There is a double contrast: (1) Jesus’s true nature as Lord (vv. 35–37) versus the depravity of the scribes (vv. 38–40), and (2) the wickedness of the scribes versus the widow as a symbol of true devotion and radical discipleship (vv. 41–44).

Interpretive Insights

12:35 Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the Son of David? This is a rhetorical question addressed to the leaders and the crowd (in Matt. 22:42 Jesus addresses the leaders directly). The answer was known by most Israelites. In the Old Testament the Davidic covenant promised that the throne of David would be established “forever” (2 Sam. 7:12–13). When the Davidic line ceased to rule toward the end of the divided monarchy, the covenant promise centered on a coming one who would fulfill the prophecy, labeling that messianic figure “the righteous Branch of David” (Jer. 23:5–6 = 33:15–16), the “stump of Jesse” from which a “Branch” will come (Isa. 11:1; cf. 4:2; Ezek. 34:23–24; Zech. 3:8; 6:12). In Second Temple literature the Messiah is sometimes called “Son of David” or the like (Pss. Sol.17:21; b. Sanh.28a; b. Yoma10a). In Mark 10:47–48 Bartimaeus also called him “Son of David.”

12:36 The Lord said to my Lord. Jesus quotes Psalm 110:1. This is a coronation psalm and the most frequently quoted Old Testament text in the New Testament, quoted or alluded to some thirty-three times. Jesus quotes it not to deny that he is the royal Messiah but rather to clarify that he is much more. Affirming the Davidic origin of the psalm, Jesus stresses that David wrote it under inspiration from the Holy Spirit. Moreover, if David was the author, he could have meant, “The Lord (Yahweh) said to my Lord (the Messiah).”1It is common to think that originally “my Lord” meant the kings of Israel, and that this came to have a messianic thrust by the first century. Either way, the meaning here is messianic, and this was quite acceptable in Jesus’s day.

Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet. This becomes the preeminent proof text for the exaltation of Jesus (e.g., Acts 2:33–35; Rom. 8:34; 1 Cor. 15:25; Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3, 13), with “right hand” referring to the place of power and glory, “the status and function of intermediary between heaven and earth, to serve as God’s vice-regent on earth” and in heaven.2So it establishes both the glory and power of Jesus and his victory over his enemies (not just at his parousia but also in his victory over the Jewish leaders in 11:27–12:34).

12:37 David himself calls him “Lord.” How then can he be his Son? It cannot be that Jesus is rejecting his “Son of David” status, for he accepted it in 10:47–48 and often in Matthew (9:27; 12:23; 15:22; 20:30–31; 21:9, 15). Rather, Jesus is saying that he is more than David’s son; he is his Lord. His point is that since David (the author of the psalm) calls the Messiah his “Lord,” he has to be more than David’s son. The one enthroned at the right hand of Yahweh must be David’s Lord. This is a critical elevation of the status of the Messiah by Jesus. It is critical to realize Jesus is not denying that he is Son of David; “It is best to say that Jesus is repudiating the adequacy, not the accuracy, of assessing the Messiah by means of his Davidic descent.”3He is not just Messiah, but the Son of God (1:1, 11; 3:11; 5:7; 9:7; 14:61–62; 15:39) and Lord (this title is undefined in Mark). The result is the crowd’s “delight”; the contrast with the leaders continues (11:18; 12:12) as the common people recognize the truth of God in Jesus (cf. 1:22, 27).

12:38 Watch out for the teachers of law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect. Matthew 23 has an entire chapter on what Mark covers in three verses. The scribes (see on 1:22) have appeared often in the conflicts of passion week (11:18, 27; 12:28, 32, 35) and are set in primary contrast to Jesus, the authoritative voice on Torah. Here Jesus exposes their pride, demand for attention (all too much like the disciples in 9:33–35; 10:35–45), and avarice. The “flowing robes” are either the long robes worn especially during festivals or the expensive decorated robes of wealthy men meant to display their eminence in the community (perhaps both). This would lead people in the marketplace and on the streets to single them out for “respect” (perhaps calling them “rabbi,” as in Matt. 23:8), acknowledging their higher position in society.

12:39 important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. Seating in synagogues and at banquets reflected social status in the ancient world (and often in our day). In a synagogue the important seats were the benches up front near the Torah scrolls and the speakers. Things have not changed. Today people “power dress” and try in all the public ways to show everyone how important they are. In reality this breaks the first central commandment, to “love the Lord your God” (12:30), who alone deserves this kind of honor.4

12:40 devour widows’ houses . . . make lengthy prayers. This breaks the second central commandment, to “love your neighbor” (12:31). Widows were the most vulnerable group in society (see on v. 42 below) and needed a lot of help. Often they trusted their dowries and other worldly goods to these community leaders, and all too often the scribes took advantage of them. There have been many suggestions about how. They could have taken advantage of a widow’s hospitality, defrauded her of funds entrusted to them, seized her home when she could not pay her debts, or charged her for legal advice or for offering prayers on her behalf.5We cannot know for certain, since Mark does not say. Even while they are cheating widows, they make hypocritical “lengthy prayers,” again to look pious to others (this may favor the last option above: charging for prayers).

12:41 Jesus . . . watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. The “treasury” (the temple’s immense wealth was well known throughout the Roman Empire) here is the place in the court of women containing thirteen chests for giving various kinds of offerings, not only the temple tax but also freewill offerings. There was a trumpet-shaped opening in each, and people could hear the many coins of the wealthy rattling down.

12:42 a poor widow . . . put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Widows often were the most fragile and destitute members of society (Jer. 7:6; Acts 6:1–7; James 1:27). A man’s estate went first to the sons, and widows, except for the dowries that they may have retained, were expected to be cared for by their nuclear families. This often failed to happen, and they were left destitute. The widow’s two lepta(the smallest coin) here were worth 1/64th of a denarius (a single day’s pay) each, barely enough to buy a small meal. She was terribly poor.

12:43–44 put more into the treasury than all the others. Her offering not only exceeds the wealthy with their great monetary gifts; it also is set in absolute contrast to the scribes, who defrauded the very widows who are symbolized by this pious woman. The language here resembles 2 Corinthians 8:2–4, where Paul extols the Macedonians whose “overflowing joy and . . . extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.” While scribes were greedily cheating the poor and the rich were showing off by their giving, this poor woman gave the Lord all she had.

she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on. Some think that this is a lament, Jesus mourning the sad plight of her poverty that the scribes’ avarice (v. 40) has caused.6However, the scribes are not central in verses 41–44, and it is far more likely that Jesus considers her a prime example of true discipleship, one who gave “all she had” to God. So she is another of the “little people” (see “The Text in Context” on 7:24–37), who demonstrate radical surrender (she does what the young man in 10:21 could not: give up everything for God). It is the heart of the giver, not the amount given, that pleases God (see Matt. 6:1–4).

Teaching the Text

1. Jesus the Messiah is also the cosmic Lord. Mark is often accused of having a “low Christology,” but in reality it is not nearly so modest. As the glorified Danielic “Son of Man,” Jesus will be glorified at “the right hand of God” and have complete victory over his enemies (see v. 36; in Dan. 7:13–14 this means dominion over all the earth). Moreover, he will return “in glory” as eschatological judge with the host of heaven to end this evil world (8:38; 14:62). He is not just the Davidic Messiah; he is the Lord of David (vv. 35–36), and Mark comes very close to proclaiming his divinity as the “I am” (see on 6:50).

2. Self-centered leaders face judgment from God. Hebrews 13:17, a clarion call to leaders to face up to their responsibilities before God, tells the saints to “submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account” to God. How often is such accountability to God emphasized today? All too many Christian leaders think only of the bottom line and preach to “itching ears” (2 Tim. 4:3) in order to please people while not worrying about pleasing God. The parallel passage in Matthew 23 describes scribes and Pharisees who conduct themselves only to be seen and admired (23:5–7, 25–26) and fail to realize that God’s judgment will soon fall on them. This will be true of narcissistic leaders today as well.

3. Disciples give all they have to God. Which is better, sacrifice or plenty, to give all of the little we have to God or a little of all we have to God? The answer is obvious, but we conveniently ignore the lesson of the widow here. She is an example of true discipleship, characterized by the sacrificial surrender of all she has to Christ. God is more concerned with our hearts (the quality of our lives) than our goods (the quantity of our lives). He will never be satisfied with our giving a “tithe” of our lives; he wants all of us. When Paul commanded, “Be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18), he did not mean that at conversion we receive only 10 percent of the Spirit and need another “work of grace” whereby we get the rest. He meant that God wants us to open all the rooms of our house, our basic self, so that the Spirit can fill every corner of our lives.

Illustrating the Text

A full surrender

History: On August 10, 1945, Japan acquiesced to the Potsdam Conference terms of unconditional surrender. The Potsdam Declaration stipulated the disarming of the Japanese military forces, punishment of Japanese war criminals, reduction of Japanese territory, and elimination of authority for all who had led the nation in seeking world conquest. Unconditional surrender (words included in the Potsdam Declaration) is surrender without conditions, in which no guarantees are given to the surrendering party. The decision to accept these terms was not reached easily, coming only after two atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The call of every Christian is a full and complete surrender to the will of God. Although people often don’t make this decision (yielding their will and desires to God) easily, this surrender does bring wonderful guarantees to those who are willing to do so. For example, the Lord promises his presence, his peace, his joy, his strength, his help, and a forever home with him. This is an unconditional surrender that yields a more wonderful life!

Jesus is Lord of all.

Quote: Augustine. The fourth-century theologian and bishop Augustine is said to have written, “Christ is not valued at all, unless he is valued above all.”

Living for an audience of one

Human Metaphor: Long before William Shakespeare’s play As You Like It, which contains the famous line “All the world’s a stage, / And all the men and women merely players,” people had compared the world to a stage and humans to actors. In a play the actors are performing for an audience, seeking to move the audience through motions and dialogue. The actors’ success depends upon the ability to meet the expectations of the audience. Imagine that all the world is a stage, but the only one in the audience is God. Rather than living for the approval of friends, neighbors, employers, spouses, parents, children, teachers, and so on, you are simply living for God. How would your life be different if your single-minded focus was glorifying the Lord in your life?

Worship as an act of the heart

Parable: There once was a rich man who gave his wife expensive and wonderful gifts. She never lacked for any material possession, as her husband provided all she ever wanted—except his time, energy, and focus. In order to gain and maintain his riches, the man worked long hours, and even when he was home, his focus was not on his wife but rather on work and his own pleasure. Contrast this picture with that of a poor man who lived in the same town. He was not able to give his wife much in the way of material gifts, but his heart was focused on her. He loved her a great deal and found ways to communicate that love through romance and quality time together. Which of these two men do you think was more effective in communicating love to his spouse?