I.
Observation
A.
Outline
A Wise Scribe (12:28-34)
A scribe asks Jesus about the
most important commandment (28)
The two greatest commandments
(29-31)
The scribe understands Jesus’
answer (29-31)
Jesus praises the scribe (29-31)
Jesus Rebukes the Scribes
(12:35-40)
Jesus questions the scribes on
the lordship of Christ (35-37)
The hypocrisy of the scribes
(38-40)
Jesus rebukes the rich men
(12:41-44)
Jesus watches the crowd at the
temple treasury (41)
The poor widow offers more than
all the others (42-44)
B.
Key Words/Phrases
Commandments, love, heart, soul,
mind, strength, neighbor, understanding, son of David, devour, punished
II.
General Analysis
1. Judgment begins with the family
of God (1Pet 4:17). The scribes, elders, chief priests, and Pharisees were
respected leaders of God’s chosen people. Jesus rebuked them more harshly
because they attacked the gospel so ferociously. “With the same measure you
use, it will be measured to you” (Mk 4:24). They were educated in God’s law and
were proud of their righteousness (Mt 23:29-32). In reality, they practiced
ritual cleanliness while rejecting love and spiritual purity (Mt 23:4, 23-28).
Jesus had to denounce them in public. Otherwise, their false teachings would
prevent others from entering the kingdom
of God (Mt 23:13, 15).
2. We must listen, think it over,
and let the word of God take root in our heart (Jas 1:18-21). If we insist on
our own righteousness, we’d be easily offended, and Christ becomes our
stumbling block (Rom 9:32-33).
III.
Segment Analysis
1. Matthew tells us that this
scribe also started out with the intention to test Jesus (Mt 23:35). But from
his response as well as Jesus’ comment about him, we know that he actually
listened to what Jesus had to say. He did not join with those who wanted to
trap and destroy Jesus. He tested Jesus more on the basis of being very much
impressed by Jesus’ answers (Mk 12:28; although this attitude was not
completely right either). But over the course of Jesus’ response, this scribe
opened up his heart and humbly acknowledged that Jesus was right. His words
also show that he had been carefully reflecting on God’s commandments.
2. There is only one God, so there
is no need to share your love with any other. Deut 6:3-5 (which Jesus quoted)
tells us that we are blessed if we listen and obey completely. Therefore, the
church, the one body of Christ, must have the “same love, being one in spirit
and purpose” (Php 2:2).
3a. With all your heart—like the love between a husband and his wife
(Song 6:2-3; Ps 84:2; Eph 5:24-25, 32); trust in the Lord (Prov
3:5); keep God’s commands (Prov 4:4); seek God (Jer 29:13); repent (Joel 2:12); be a faithful servant (Jer 3:15; Col
3:23)
3b. With all your understanding/mind—increase our spiritual knowledge
(1Cor 1:5; 2Cor 8:7; Php 1:9); wisdom refreshes our
heart and soul to love God (Prov 2:10); spread the
message of Jesus Christ (1Cor 2:14); teach the truth (2Tim 2:25); grow and be
united in true knowledge (Eph 4:13); bear fruit according to our knowledge (Col 1:9-10)
3c. With all your soul—pour out our innermost thoughts to God (Ps 42:4;
1Sam 1:15); lift up our desires and praises to God (Ps 25:1); boast in the Lord
and glorify Him (Ps 34:2-3; Lk 1:46-47); rejoice in
the Lord and His salvation (Ps 35:9; 62:5); desire and thirst for God (Ps
42:1-2)
3d. With all your strength—give to the Lord everything within our means
(like the widow [42-44]); ask for power from God to serve Him (1Pet 4:11);
follow the examples of Jesus Christ, the prophets, and the apostles, who served
until the last moment of their lives
4. In Jesus’ parable of the good Samaritan (Lk 10:29-37), He
actually answers the question, “To whom am I a neighbor?” It is more important
to examine yourself to see whom you can serve instead of trying to figure out
if a person fits the criteria of being your neighbor.
Jesus said, “…just as you want men
to do to you, you also do to them likewise” (Lk
6:31). Some examples of loving your neighbor as yourself: show mercy like the
good Samaritan; do not bear a grudge or take revenge (Lev 19:18); welcome
strangers, including people new to the church (Lev 19:34); do not show
favoritism (Jas 2:8-9)
5a. In the Old Testament, the priests made burnt offerings and
sacrifices for the atonement of sins (cf. Did You Know 2). In the New
Testament, Jesus is the High Priest (Heb 4:14) who sacrificed Himself to atone
for our sins. In response to His sacrifice, we must offer what we have to the
Lord. The most important is to offer our bodies as living sacrifices (Rom
12:1). When we serve God, we must be prepared to be refined by the fire of
trials (Heb 13:11-13; 1Pet 1:7). We must spread the fragrance of Christ (2Cor
2:15), an aroma pleasing to the Lord (Lev 1:9). Another offering is our
financial support to the church, which is compared to a fragrant offering (Php 4:18).
5b. God desires mercy, not sacrifice on the altar (Hos
6:6). We can offer a better sacrifice only if we love God and our neighbors.
“Love will cover a multitude of sins” (1Pet 4:8). “He who loves God must love
his brother also” (1Jn 4:21).
6. The wise scribe listened,
understood, and believed the words of Christ. Thus, he was near the kingdom of God. However, he was not yet in the kingdom of God because this was only the beginning
of his walk with Christ. He had to practice what he learned, to continue to
follow Christ, and to work out his salvation with the help of the Holy Spirit (Php 2:12-13).
7. The Ten Commandments (Ex
20:3-17); act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with God (Mic
6:8); offer tithes (Mal 3:8, 10)
8. The more they asked, the more
Jesus appeared wise and authoritative. Even one of their own (a scribe)
confessed that Jesus spoke the word of God. Because they could not defeat Jesus
with questions, they plotted against Him in secret (Jn
11:53,57; Mk 14:1-2), to get Jesus through someone
close to Him (Mk 14:10-11).
9. In flesh, Jesus was the son of
David. In spirit, He is the Son of God (Rom 1:3-4). The prophecy about Jesus’
authority and resurrection (Acts 2:31-35) shows that Jesus is greater than
David. The scribes had a limited understanding of the Christ. They did not know
that the Christ was the Son of God. So Jesus confounded them by pointing out
that Christ was actually greater than David (spiritually) even though He was
also David’s descendant (genealogically).
10a. They
taught the letter of the law, while neglecting “the weightier matters of the
law” (Mt 23:23). They honored the law more than they honored God. Therefore,
they hardened their hearts against Jesus. Also, they emphasized physical
observance of the law above helping the poor. They loved neither God nor men,
only themselves.
10c. When we see those who do not
practice what they preach, we should neither completely reject what they teach
because of their bad behavior nor imitate everything they do just because they
are well-versed in the Bible. We need to have a discerning heart. Our Lord
Jesus teaches us that in such a situation, we should do what they teach if it
is according to God’s word, but not do according to their works (Mt 23:3).
11a. Like
when He examined the fig tree that was full of leaves, Jesus wanted to examine
the people in the temple. As with the fig tree with nothing but leaves, He used
a real-life observation to teach the disciples a lesson—this time on offering
(43).
12. Unlike the rich men who gave out of their wealth (the leftovers),
the widow gave all she had to live on. Even though she was entitled to charity
(cf. Did You Know 7), she chose to give rather than to receive. She loved God
with all her heart and all her strength. Like Mary, who anointed Jesus, “she
has done what she could” (Mk 14:8). That was why Jesus considered her offering
to be more than all the others.
13. Do not show favoritism, neither to the rich (Jas 2:3-4) nor to the
poor (Ex 23:3). We must treat each person fairly, because God judges each
person fairly (Lev 19:15); He looks at the heart (1Sam 16:7).
15. When our faith is strong, it might be easy to pray for an hour or to
read five chapters of the Bible everyday. It is not
so easy when we are spiritually weak. When we do not feel like it, it is even
more important to try (even forcing ourselves; stick to a schedule if you have
to) to draw close to God. Jesus teaches us that offering pennies in poverty is
more than offering a lot in wealth. Likewise, when we feel down and far from
God, even a few minutes of prayer or Bible reading becomes more valuable.