Mark 12:38-40

Mark 12:38-40  As 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, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.  They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers.  Such men will be punished most severely.”

The character defect of the teachers of the Law of wanting to be at the top of the food chain in society is pretty much endemic in all people.  They wanted people to know how important they were.  Jesus said, THEY LIKED flowing robes, obsequious greetings in the market place, and to be the center of attention at gatherings.  I believe in some ways we all like important roles.  If we are not seeking the grandeur of leadership or the high-profile roles, we like to be the BEST SERVANT, or we like the idea that we are the MOST DEVOTED, or maybe the BEST CHRISTIAN, and so on.  We are proud because we are so humble.  Humans want to be noticed in some way.  This is not inherently bad, for all of us were made to be significant, all of us are unique individuals who are to be treasured.  I believe GOD FINDS GREAT PLEASURE IN EACH OF US because of our uniqueness.  He enjoys our specialness: we alone have a distinct place in his creation.  

Yes, we are different in many ways from each other, yet we are similar because God made all of us in HIS IMAGE.  However, as humans, we have the ability to function in his image or outside of it, in his will or outside of his will, in his basic character or outside of it.  The teachers of the law were functioning outside of God's will.  They were placing themselves on a pedestal to be worshipped rather than God.  They wanted the adoration of the people.  They were reflecting to themselves the devotion that belonged only to God.  They were so much out of God's will that they were devouring widows' houses for their own financial benefit, violating what James says is pure religion: Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.  (James 1:27)  In addition, they prayed lengthy prayers to impress the people with how holy they were.  Sadly, the teachers of the law epitomized hypocrisy. Even today, we tell people not to be Pharisaical when they seem disingenuous.  Jesus said that those kind of people will be punished most severely.  God does not tolerate a religious facade, especially one that tries to usurp his glory.  

Now Paul says, Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.  To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.  To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.  To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.  To the weak I became weak, to win the weak.  I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.  I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.  (1 Corinthian 9:19-23)  Paul was willing to be anything, to do anything for the glory of Christ.  We also should be like that.  We are not to be worshipped; we are to bring worship to Jesus Christ in any way we can.  We are not to be glorified; He alone is to be glorified.  When Paul was Saul, the zealous Pharisee who persecuted the church, he was functioning out of his fleshly self.  No matter how religious the old flesh becomes, it always wants to be glorified in some way.  Paul boasted that he was more zealous than all of the other Pharisees.  He was at the top of the food chain as far as zealousness was concerned.  But then Saul became Paul, and from that time on, he did everything to see Jesus Christ glorified, to win people for Christ.  We also need to place everything that we do in that perspective: to see Jesus glorified.  The Bible says that God will not share his glory with any man; therefore, when our inner man starts to boast about who he or she is, when our old flesh starts to put on airs, we should put that spirit behind us by saying, "Get behind me Satan (flesh)."  For Christ alone is worthy to be glorified, worthy to be lifted up and praised.