Mark 12- The Widow's Gift

 

Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17; Psalm 127; Hebrews 9:24-28; Mark 12:38-44

Our Gospel reading begins with a warning about the Scribes, who were among the religious experts of the day. They were the experts in the Scriptures. They were the ones who taught the people how to live according to God’s Law. They answered the tricky questions people had about God and how they should be living. In their culture, that also meant they were highly respected people.

Jesus says, 

“Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the market-places, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honour at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers” (Mk 12:38-40).

If you are looking to be admired, while also taking advantage of people, a great place to hide is where the culture will place you beyond accusation. … In a highly religious culture that is to become a religious authority. You can hide behind the robes and the religious words. You can sit in special places at religious services of worship. You can speak lengthy religious prayers, with big, impressive words. … All the while, you can take advantage of the vulnerable- you can abuse them in all kinds of ways. And your religious image creates a shield around you. You are beyond accusation because of your position in the community as a respected religious expert. You have moral authority. Surely you wouldn’t do anything you know to be wrong. People will trust you beyond any accusations.

Of course, this isn’t limited to religious people. It depends on the values of the community. Anyone who is highly respected and comes with an image of morality can be this kind of predator. They hide behind an image that transports them beyond accusation. If people would be shocked to see someone of their kind accused of predatory behaviour, then it is a great place for them to hide.

Jesus’ accusation isn’t new. We see this in the prophets as well. … It can be a temptation to do things that make you appear good and virtuous to others- perhaps as a way of convincing ourselves that we are good, or maybe a way of convincing others that we are good. In our world we might call this “virtue signaling”, or “moral grandstanding”. … Related to this, it can also be a temptation to do what is required, but only what is required- to do the bare minimum. It maintains the image of faithfulness. 

The prophet Malachi expresses God’s disappointment with the offerings of the people-

“A son honours his father, and servants their master. If then I am a father, where is the honour due to me? And if I am a master, where is the respect due to me? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. You say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ By offering polluted food on my altar. And you say, ‘How have we polluted it?’ … When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not wrong? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not wrong? Try presenting that to your governor; will he be pleased with you or show you favour? says the Lord of hosts. … O that someone among you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hands. … Cursed be the cheat who has a male in the flock and vows to give it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished; for I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name is reverenced among the nations” (Malachi 1:6-8, 10, 14).

The Prophet Isaiah also talks about God’s disappointment with the people as they perform the outward actions of dedication to God, but behind the scenes allow injustice to prevail.

In Isaiah we read,

“Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to strike with a wicked fist. Such fasting as you do today will not make your voice heard on high. … Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?” (Is 58:4,6-7).

Jesus is very much in line with the prophets when he accuses the religious leaders of hiding behind a mask of virtue. Actually, the word “hypocrite” was a Greek word that originally meant “actor”. To call someone a hypocrite is to say that they are playing a part for others- it is a performance. … Spirituality has an inside and an outside. If you just have the inside without the outside, the letter of James will tell you that faith without works is dead. But to have the outside without the inside is to be a hypocrite- it is a performance. … It can be tempting to do the outward actions and forget about correcting the inward motivation.

Jesus warns in Matt (5:21-26) that while outwardly we have not committed murder, we can be so full of anger inwardly that we might as well be guilty of murder- our inner state would be the same.

Similarly, we might not be outwardly committing adultery, but we might be so inwardly full of lust that we might as well be guilty of adultery- the inner state would be the same (5:27-30).

Regarding prayer Jesus speaks about the outward act of prayer, and how it relates to the inward motivation behind the act- 

“And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matt 6:5-6)

Regarding fasting Jesus again speaks about the relation between the outward action and the inward motivation- 

“And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matt 6:16-18)

Now, we come to the topic that is most fitting for today’s reading. Jesus speaks about the outward act of giving as related to the inward motivation- 

 “Beware of practising your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. ‘So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matt 6:1-4). …

The reference to the trumpet might have to do with the way giving was done in the Temple. The receptacles that received the offering looked like trumpets that would direct the coins into the money boxes. It’s easy to imagine that you could give in such a way that it becomes quite noticeable- perhaps depositing the coins in such a way that it was extra noisy as they poured into the upturned trumpet, and perhaps one could also time their giving so that the temple was extra busy that day. In modern terms, it is "virtue signaling". If it was happening now, they might be taking a selfie to be posted to Instagram as they drop their donation in. … I don’t think Jesus is saying that there is anything wrong with people knowing that you are giving, but Jesus is warning that the desire to impress people with our giving can be a temptation that we can avoid by being more secretive in our giving.

Now we turn to the widow’s offering with all this in mind. If there was a certain amount of showing off happening regarding the offering in the temple, then it is possible that the offering of the worshippers was motivated by impressing their fellow worshippers, rather than giving out of their love for God. … The poor widow cannot give much, so her offering doesn’t come with the temptation to try to impress those around her, which gives the opportunity to purify her motives. Inwardly, her heart is rightly motivated. She is offering because of love and devotion to God. 

On top of this, since she is giving out of her poverty. She will feel the lack of what she just gave. Someone who has a lot of money might not practically feel the lack of what they gave. They won’t be prevented from doing something due to a lack of funds. But, for this widow that is not the case.

Jesus’ lesson here goes well beyond money. It is a theme that is woven through much of his teaching. We are to be discerning about outward actions and our inward motivations. Our spirituality has an outside and an inside. It is possible for it to be a hollow shell- to be big and impressive on the outside, but to have no substantial inside. … However, it is also possible for our actions to be very un-impressive on the outside, but be received as an abundance by God because the inward motivation was purified by love and faith. AMEN