On Line Bible Study - For the week October 19-25, 2009

Lesson 410
Mark 12: ³⁸As he taught, Jesus said, "Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces, ³⁹and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. ⁴⁰They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely."
⁴¹Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. ⁴²But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. ⁴³Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. ⁴⁴They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on."

For those who attend churches in which the lectionary is used, this text will be familiar. It was the Gospel reading last Sunday. There are two scenarios here, distinct from each other, but connected in an important way.

First, Jesus calls attention to those who want to be noticed - specifically the "teachers of the law". (Some translations might read "Scribes".) These "lawyers" would be called upon to act as "executors" of the estate of a man who died, left his wife, but did not have other family members to take care of his estate. People who function in this capacity are permitted to deduct the expenses for their services from the estate. When Jesus speaks of widow's houses, he is speaking of their home, possessions and money. The teachers of the law who devour widow's houses are people who extract more than is fair from the estate for the services they have rendered. There is a progression "from self-promotion in 12:38-39 to dishonesty and hypocrisy in 12:40." (Donahue and Harrington.)

Jesus says these people will be punished most severely.

The second scenario is specifically located in the Temple where people give their gifts. The Mishna tells us there were thirteen receptacles where people could place their offering. As the coins would be dropped into these trumpet-shaped receptacles they would rattle. Might the amount of the offering be suggested by the noise of the coins going into the receptacle? In other words, it would not be necessary to actually see the coins; one could tell the size and the number based on how much noise they made when dropped. Once again, Jesus calls our attention to something in particular - to someone in particluar ... The widow.

I wonder if the amount being put in by some of the wealthy wasn't gotten on the backs of poor widows whose "houses" had been "devoured"? But, whereas the wealthy and the piously ostentatious folks would have no trouble being noticed, a widow would come and go without fanfare. Had not Jesus focused his disciples on her, I suspect they never would have noticed her. And yet it is her offering that becomes the symbol of generosity and faith.

The widow has put everything she had into the offering. A question: What did she do when she went home? How did she pay her bills? I have trouble imagining that Jesus would call attention to her if, upon leaving the Temple, she went and sat on the steps with cup in hand, begging for money. This widow must have been in touch with a source, an avenue of blessing and security that made it possible for her to be so generous in the Temple.

I am suspicious that this might be the reason Jesus called attention to her - that for all her lack of worldly wealth, she was rich in faith, in joy, in peace, in the assurance that she was loved by God and that life would take care of itself. I don't mean to paint her as unconcerned or oblivious to life's pain and its obligations; I simply mean to suggest that she was more aware of what truly matters in life than were the wealthy who were showing off.

Here is the irony in these two Scriptures - the widows who are being devoured by the wealthy become the emblems of faithfulness in the kingdom of God.

A note here: This is not to suggest that all wealthy people are this way. Jesus makes a point of it to focus on those who are ostentatious about their wealth. Also, notice that religious people can parade around flouting their piety on their shirtsleeves.

Finally ... Time and again the Bible focuses our attention on those who live below the radar screens of the popular and the powerful. Who is Jesus focusing out attention on today?