Beware of the scribes

Beware of the scribes

 

Mark 12:38-40『And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms. at feasts: Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.』

The scribes liked to sit at the head of the synagogue. In the synagogue, in front of the Holy Ark where the Bible scrolls were preserved, there was a special bench facing the congregation. The person who sat there could see everyone at a glance, and the person who sat there could be watched by the congregation. The scribes liked the highest seats at banquets. Seating at the banquet was strictly limited. The highest seat was on the owner's right, and the second highest seat was on the owner's left. Then, alternating between right and left, and going around the table, the seats at the head of the table were determined in that order. A person's reputation can be easily determined by where he or she is sitting.

The scribes and Pharisees were famous for their long prayers. The scribes who did such things were mostly to be seen by people, not prayed long to be seen by God. When the scribes prayed, they did so “in a place and manner so that anyone could see how pious they were.” The prayers of the tax collector and Pharisee introduced in Luke 18 clearly demonstrate this fact. They looked emaciated from fasting and liked to pray at crowded intersections.

Following Jesus' criticism of the scribes, he exposes specific sins. They exploited the widow's property. Jesus says that they swallowed up the widows' property. At that time, widows, along with orphans, were protected as people without economic ability. This proves that exploiting the property of the weak was common among religious leaders.“The scribes abused the legal judgment authority entrusted to them, caused damage to the property of widows serving in the temple, or exploited them as legal agents who manage other people’s property. Through this, we can see the wrongdoing of the scribes. there is.

The scribes could not receive compensation for their teachings. Since they had to teach without pay, they had to work other jobs and earn their daily bread on their own. But they taught the people that "there is no nobler duty or privilege than that of supporting the rabbis in their well-being." They taught that a person who served a rabbi well would certainly be qualified to occupy a high position in heaven.

“People who lack understanding of the Bible” are deceived by religious charlatans. The scribes and Pharisees deceived these people and stole their family wealth. It is said that these people committed this act while praying more than others. For these people, prayer was not an aspect of hearing God's voice or fellowship, but a means to reveal and maintain their religious behavior. Jesus warned that they would receive a more severe judgment.

Jesus always taught his disciples what they should and should not imitate. Jesus said to listen to the teachings of the religious leaders of the time and keep them, but not to follow their actions. In Matthew 23:3, “All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.” The scribes and Pharisees did not live “as they taught others, so themselves.” Therefore, they became a model of formal believers.

Jesus cursed the Pharisees in Matthew 23:12, “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be based; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.』Because the Pharisees kept the law well, they thought of themselves as righteous. According to the Bible, those who exalt themselves will fall to the bottom of the pile, and those who do not have formal attire will eventually be driven out to a dark place. “Those who humble themselves” are “those who beat their chests without looking up to heaven and confess that they are sinners.”

In Matthew 5:20, “For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” The scribes and Pharisees consider themselves righteous by keeping the law. What does it mean to “be more righteous than them?” So, the current situation is that church people are being taught that they should try their best to gain faith.

God gave the Israelites the law, and through that law, they realized that they were sinners and told them to return to God. They did not return to God because they were revealing their own righteousness by saying they were God's people.

The righteousness of the Pharisees is “self-righteousness.” However, the righteousness that is higher than the Pharisees' own righteousness is the righteousness that God gives. In order to obtain the righteousness that God gives, he must humble himself.“Humbling myself” means that I must realize that I am a sinner before God, repent, and become one who enters Christ.

“Self-righteousness” refers to “things that believers strive to sanctify themselves, examine themselves every day to see if they commit sins, and live a holy life.” Those who are in Christ can only become as dead. Jesus clearly tells us to deny ourselves, but people live their religious life according to their own thoughts. Jesus tells believers to take up their cross, but people are trying to exalt themselves.