Mk. 11:15-19 Commentary © 2019 E. R. Johnson
Mk. 11:15-19 - THE CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE
15 Then they *came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves; 16 and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple. 17 And He began to teach and say to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations'? But you have made it a robbers' den." 18 The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching. 19 When evening came, they would go out of the city.
v. 15: "Then they *came to Jerusalem. And He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves;" - By this action, Jesus asserts His right with regard to His Father's House. This might seem like a small, incidental part of the story, but it symbolizes an important spiritual reality: Jesus has absolute right and authority over that which belongs to His Father. And Jesus exercised His right in two ways: (1) By coming in. He didn't go to the place where the priests served and complain but walked in and inspected everything, i.e., a surprise inspection; and (2) By doing whatever was needed to purify it. The high priest Annas had allowed all of these animal booths, money-changing tables, and merchants to do business in the temple court; and then Jesus showed-up and quite literally overturned the priest's decision.
Ask: Does Jesus have the same right with respect to this or any other church? Yes, because we aren't our own but have been bought with a price. The church-whether in the sense of the church world-wide or in the reference to a particular church like this one-is totally His. He has all the rights to it, has the right to come in at any time, and His intervention should never be seen as an interference when He does. He has the say of what comes in, and what comes out, and of what goes on.
Ask: The real question is this: Do we respect His right, His authority, and willingly submit to it? Do you remember what He said about the 'lukewarm' church of Laodicea in Rev. 3:20: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock ..." That's a clear warning to any church and to the believers that belong to it! So, when He knocks, should we let Him in? Yes! Welcome Him. Open the door and allow Him to transform it, to perfect it. We need to understand that He's not finished with us-as a church-until that final trump has blown.
v. 16: "and He would not permit anyone to carry merchandise through the temple" - In this verse, we see Jesus taking direct action to remove the things that were defiling God's House. He not only overturned their tables but likewise prevented anyone from continuing to display and sell merchandise in the Temple.
Can you imagine the scene this must have caused? The merchants and money-changers most likely would have been shocked and outraged. At the same time, many of the people there-both the merchants and the worshipers-would have known that what they were doing was wrong. What was wrong can be identified in at least two ways: (1) Where it was being done-the Temple of God, which was set apart for holy purposes; (2) how it was being done- falsely using the sacred things of God, i.e., the sacrificial system, for the purpose of generating a worldly profit.
Ask: How does this speak to you and me as 21st Century Christians? God has called each of us to a separate walk, to set ourselves apart from the world. To the Corinthian believers, who allowed themselves to be contaminated by the things of the world, the Apostle Paul said:
17 "Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you. 18 "And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me," Says the Lord Almighty. 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. 2 Cor. 6:17-7:1.
Comment: Here, Paul tells us three important principles of being the New Covenant people of God: (1) To go out; (2) to be separate; and (3) to touch no "unclean" thing. And 7:1 provides the "how-to": Being "holy" means cleansing all aspects of ourselves-our bodies as well as all of our thoughts and desires.
v. 17: "And He began to teach and say to them, "Is it not written, 'MY HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED A HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL THE NATIONS'? But you have made it a ROBBERS' DEN." - Quoting Isa. 56:6-7 and Jer. 7:11, Jesus expresses righteous anger over the defilement of the Temple. Jesus' purpose, albeit temporary, was to restore the Temple to its primary function-to be a "house of prayer" for all the nations. What Jesus was specifically pointing to was the fact that the commercial activities were destroying the usefulness of the Outer Court, where the Gentiles were welcome. In effect, the merchants and the money-changers, in concert with the priests, were defeating God's plan and purpose-to reach all the nations.
Ask: Does God expect the same of us? Yes, because we are the Temple of God on earth, His dwelling place. We are to be the "salt" to this world-the preservative agent of God's Word-and "light"-pointing the way out of darkness. (Mt. 5:13-14). However, if the people of the world come to us and find that we're no different from anybody else in the world, what will attract them to our Savior? Therefore, in order to be the salt and light to a lost world, we must cleanse our "temple" by casting out what doesn't belong in it.
v. 18: "The chief priests and the scribes heard this, and began seeking how to destroy Him; for they were afraid of Him, for the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching." - If the chief priests and scribes had been doing their jobs honestly and forthrightly, they would have rejoiced over the fact that Jesus was fulfilling the OT Scriptures and faithfully coming to refine and purify His house and His holy priesthood. But quite the opposite: they feared Him and wanted to destroy Him. Why? Because "the whole crowd was astonished at His teaching" (v. 18c). The common people saw what Jesus was doing and rejoiced in it. But to the chief priests and scribes, he represented a threat to their continued existence-their "job security."
Ask: How does this impact me and you? When Jesus comes into our life and proceeds to clean out the things of this world that don't belong there, or corporately, when He's allowed into our church, to clean it out-you can expect opposition. There will always be people-family and friends on the individual level or other church members on a corporate level-whose plans, pleasures, or way of life will be disrupted by Jesus' cleansing. So, how far are you willing to go to achieve Jesus' purposes? Will you compromise, like the chief priests and the scribes, or will you take the high road?
v. 19: "When evening came, they would go out of the city." - This short verses tells us that Jesus didn't just walk in and turn over a few tables to draw attention to Himself. He actually stayed there all day long to complete the job and to make sure the offenders-the merchants and the money-changers-didn't come back to resume their "unclean" activities.
Ask: If we allow Jesus to cleanse us (or our church), shouldn't we expect the same treatment? Jesus isn't interested in a short "quick fix." He wants a thorough job, every niche and corner of our being until He's removed everything that defiles us in His sight, "holy and without blemish" (Eph. 5:27).
Mk.12:38-44 Commentary
MARK 12:38-44 - THE CONTEXT: Note where this story fits in Mark's Gospel. Jesus has entered Jerusalem to the acclaim of the crowds (11:1-11). He has cleansed the temple (11:15-19) and concluded a series of disputes with Pharisees, Herodians, and scribes (11:27 - 12:37). He is teaching in the temple (12:35). Holy Week has begun. All that remains is this last opportunity to teach the disciples (chapter 13), the passion narrative (chapters 14-15), and the resurrection (chapter 16). Our Gospel lesson consists of two complementary stories tied together by the mention of widows. The stories contrast the pride and greed of the scribes with the humility and generosity of a widow.
MARK 12:38-40 - BEWARE OF THE SCRIBES
38 In His teaching He was saying: "Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like respectful greetings in the market places, 39 and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, 40 who devour widows' houses, and for appearance's sake offer long prayers; these will receive greater condemnation."
"In his teaching" (v. 38a). Jesus is speaking to a large crowd in the temple (v. 37). The scribes are the official teachers, but Jesus teaches people the truth about these teachers.
"Beware of the scribes" (v. 38b; see also Mark 8:15; Matthew 23). Jesus points to men entrusted with religious leadership who have turned their positions of trust into selfish sinecures (jobs that require little work but pay well). They focus on what they can get rather than what they can give. Their long robes, expensive and impractical for manual labor, identify them as professionals. The word, stolais, suggests a festive garment - dressing up (France, 490). The scribes relish the public honors that accompany their positions. In the marketplace, people rise respectfully when they approach. In the synagogue, scribes sit in seats of honor on the dais facing the congregation - seeing, but more importantly, being seen. These are temptations for every age. Who does not like red carpet treatment? Who does not enjoy wearing finely tailored clothes? Who does not enjoy finding a mint on one's pillow? Who does not enjoy being addressed by honorific title? All of these can be innocent or corrosive, depending on how they affect our relationships.
Note: We should not assume that all scribes are guilty. Jesus just had a conversation with a scribe whom he pronounced to be not far from the kingdom (12:34). People who hold honored positions often serve honorably, but dishonorable people also seek such positions (Craddock, 465). Jesus taught the disciples, "If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all" (9:35; see also 10:31, 43-44). He taught, "For the Son of Man also came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many"(10:45). His life contrasts dramatically with the scribes whom he is criticizing. Unlike them, Jesus dresses modestly and serves the needs of humble people along the way. He warned a would-be follower, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head" (Matthew 8:20).
"those who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers" (v. 40a). Widows are especially vulnerable in a patriarchal society. Scribes act both as lawyers and theologians, assisting people with financial as well as spiritual affairs. In some cases, they actually manage people's money for them (Lane, 441). While scribes are not permitted to charge for their services, nothing prohibits them from soliciting contributions for their personal support. Their long prayers give them a reputation for piety, which makes it easy for them to take advantage of unsophisticated people. Josephus reports shocking behavior on the part of some religious leaders, some of whom used henchmen to extort funds from subordinate priests. He also reports that, in 66 A.D., rebels burned the high priest's house, in part, to destroy records of debt (Evans, 284).
"These will receive greater condemnation" (v. 40b). Their guilt is multiplied by their position of trust. When they fail as stewards, God will hold them accountable. In another context, Jesus said, "To whomever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked" (Luke 12:48b). These same sins were probably beginning to emerge in the church of Mark's time. Some church leaders are always more concerned with personal privilege than with faithful service. Christians are always caught on the horns of a dilemma. When do beautiful buildings and expensive vestments stop glorifying God and start glorifying clergy and congregation? That is not a matter that can be judged by the cost of the buildings or vestments, but is a secret hidden within our hearts-but God knows our hearts! In considering the preaching possibilities of this text, we need to remember that stewardship over the lives of vulnerable people is an issue, not only for synagogues and churches, but for everyone:
• Business executives are tempted to treat customers and employees as cogs in the moneymaking machine.
• Government officials are tempted to sell policy and privilege for campaign contributions or personal favors.
• Military leaders are tempted to put personal promotions above the welfare of subordinates.
• Teachers are tempted to put salaries and work conditions above students.
• Mechanics are tempted to recommend unneeded repairs.
• It is not necessary to be rich or powerful to victimize vulnerable people, and it is not only people at the bottom who are vulnerable. An embezzler victimizes his/her employer. A person who falsely accuses a supervisor of discrimination or sexual harassment becomes the harasser. In those situations, the employer or supervisor can be vulnerable-ruinously vulnerable-just as a widow is vulnerable. It is possible for nearly any of us to injure vulnerable people. Of those who do so, Jesus says, "These will receive greater condemnation" (v. 40).
MARK 12:41-44 - SHE GAVE ALL THAT SHE HAD
41 And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. 42 A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. 43 Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, "Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on."
"Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and saw how the multitude cast money into the treasury" (v. 41a). In the Women's Court, along the wall, are thirteen large, metal, trumpet-shaped receptacles to receive offerings for various purposes. People who might not donate out of a spirit of generosity are tempted to do so to be noticed by other people.
"Many who were rich cast in much" (v. 41b). The receptacles sit in plain view, and their clinking and clanking advertise the size of individual offerings. The donor is tempted to consider the clink/clank value of his/her offerings. Would a few loud clanks be most impressive-or a prolonged shower of smaller clinks? Perhaps, like a fireworks display, the best show would be a number of small clinks followed by a rousing finale of several great clanks. The use of checks, paper money, and offering envelopes has removed this particular temptation from church offerings today, but temptation remains in other venues. Many substantial donations are given, at least in part, for their public relations value. Jesus says that such donors have already received their reward (Matthew 6:1-2).
"A poor widow came, and she cast in two small brass coins (Greek: lepta kodrantes-tiny coins worth very little), which equal a quadrans coin" (v. 42). Lepta are small coins, but hardly as worthless as a present-day penny. Each lepta would be worth about ten percent of a worker's hourly wage-perhaps the equivalent of a dollar or two in today's currency (if you live outside the U.S., use prevailing wages to calculate the value in local currency). They are too small to sustain the woman for long, but large enough to matter-two lepta would buy a modest meal. Small coins, they hardly make a sound as she drops them into the metal receptacles. Only Jesus notices the two small clinks and understands their significance.
"He called his disciples to himself, and said to them" (v. 43a)-this familiar formula announces an important teaching. "Truly I say to you, this poor widow gave more than all those who are giving into the treasury, for they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on" (v. 43b-44). Jesus does not condemn the large gifts of wealthy people, but says that this woman's offering is even larger. He bases his calculation, not on what she gives, but on what she has left. He knows how tempting it would be for her to think, "This little bit won't matter, so I will let the rich people fill the coffers." Jesus knows how much easier it would be for the widow to give one coin-or none-rather than both coins.
This widow's approach was different from that of rich people. Wealthy people calculate percentages and allow the budget to dictate their giving. They are good at getting something in return, and factor that into their benevolence. In some instances, the public-relations value will return more to the donor than the gift cost. That's just good stewardship. No reason to feel bad about helping a good cause-while getting a solid return on the investment.
But there was nothing calculating about this widow's gift of two small coins. She didn't have one moment of indecision. She didn't shift from one foot to the other while considering first this coin and then that one. She didn't calculate percentages. She didn't check her budget. She didn't ask what she would get in return. She had only two coins, and she cast them both into the treasury-probably feeling bad that she couldn't give more. While the rich men "gave out of their abundance, (the widow), out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on" (v. 44).
In recent years, several scholars have suggested that Jesus is lamenting this woman's contribution rather than praising it. They note that Jesus puts human need above religiosity, condemns the scribes for their avarice (vv. 38-40), and foretells the destruction of the temple (13:1-8). They conclude that Jesus is distressed at this poor woman's sacrifice in behalf of undeserving religious leaders and a doomed temple. However, Jesus' words in verses 43-44 are clearly words of praise rather than lament. While he might be inwardly dismayed at the prospect of religious leaders misusing this woman's offering, he admires her faith in God and her sacrificial gift. Her gift reminds us of the widow of Zarephath, who gave the last of her food to the prophet Elijah, and who was rewarded by God with a jar of meal that was not emptied and a jug of oil that did not fail (1 Kings 17:8-16).
"for they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on" (v. 44). Jesus measures the widow's gift, based not on the amount that she gave, but on the amount that she kept back for her own use-nothing.
In chapter 9, the disciples argued among themselves about who was greatest (9:33-37). In chapter 10, James and John requested positions of greatness in Jesus' kingdom (10:35-45). Now, in chapter 12, Jesus shows them the meaning of true greatness. This widow is the great one in their midst.
This is not an example story in the sense that Jesus tells us to go and do likewise. He does not demand that we drop every last penny in the offering tray. However, we should listen carefully to ascertain Christ's specific call to us with regard to stewardship. It is clearly not satisfactory to give God a bit of what is left over after we have paid the bills. Christ expects us to put God first, not last. A tithe is the clearest Biblical standard for stewardship - and God calls particular people to give much more. But, most importantly, we are to do our giving quietly, without fanfare.
Soon Mark will tell the story of the woman who anoints Jesus' head with precious ointment (14:3-9). Jesus will defend her prodigal giving. He will link the anointing with his coming death and will give the generous woman his blessing (14:8-9).
While Jesus does not say that people will remember this widow forever, her story is being told all across the world today. Her example will bless people until the end of time. Her two small coins show that (1) even the poor can honor God with their gifts and (2) God judges the offering, not by the size of the gift, but by the person's heart.
Mark11:15-19; 12 41-44 EXTRA NOTES
We've all heard sayings like this one: "Money can't buy happiness." Maybe you have also heard some of the sayings that put a twist on the matter-sayings such as "Money can't buy happiness, but it sure gives you a better bargaining position." The truth is, there are a lot of important things in life that money can't buy.
• Jesus had a lot to say about money and faith. One of His most memorable sayings is found in the Sermon on the Mount. He declared, "You cannot serve both God and money" (Mt. 6:24). Surprisingly, Jesus often received the most pushback against His teachings on money from the religious crowd-the leaders of the temple.
• In Mark 11:15-19; 12:41-44, the Gospel writer highlighted two episodes that occurred in the Jerusalem temple courtyards during Jesus' final week before His crucifixion. Both episodes involved the tension between people's attitudes toward money and toward God. In the first episode, Jesus entered the temple courtyards and saw people buying and selling goods in the very place that was designed for prayer and worship of God. In an act of righteous indignation, Jesus overturned the merchants' tables and drove out of the courtyard all who was there to make money. In the second episode, Jesus and His disciples were resting in the temple area near where the worshipers' offerings were being collected. He watched as a poor widow deposited a couple of small coins. Turning to His disciples, Jesus commented that the widow had given a greater offering than the wealthy worshipers because her gift represented all that she had to live on.
• From these two episodes, we learn at least three things that money can't buy.
1. Money can't buy genuine worship (Mark 11:15-17). The commerce being conducted in the courtyards likely was connected to the offerings and sacrifices required in temple worship. In other words, worshipers who had come from distant places did not have to bring sacrificial animals with them but could purchase them on site. Moreover, since the offerings had to be paid in temple currency, some worshipers needed to exchange their money into that currency before making their offerings. Why was Jesus so indignant about these kinds of services being offered by the temple officials? He was angered because He knew that the officials cared more about the money than about helping people genuinely worship God. Even today, putting a large monetary gift in the offering plate is not the essence of genuine worship. The question is whether you offer your heart to the Lord in repentance and faith. Do you give yourself to God in praise and devotion? Money can't buy that!
2. Money can't buy a right relationship with God (Mark 11:18-19). With their mouths, the temple officials often recited the Shema-a confession of faith from Deuteronomy 6:4-6 that says in part, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." Yet when the Lord's Messiah showed up at the temple and ejected the moneychangers, these same religious officials started looking for a way to kill Jesus. Their wicked plot revealed something deeply tragic about temple officials: they not only didn't love the Lord, they didn't even know Him. The guardians of the Lord's house did not have a right relationship with the God they claimed to serve. Money can't buy a right relationship!
3. Money can't buy God's approval (Mark 12:41-44). The episode of the poor widow's offering reminds us that God isn't watching to see the monetary size of our offerings. Rather, He's watching to see the size of our faith, the amount of our lives that we have devoted to Him. Remember Job? Job was one of the wealthiest men in the east. When Job gave daily offerings in worship, he gave enough to cover for not only him and his wife but also for all of his grown children (Job 1:5). Yet, when the Lord spoke approvingly of Job, He didn't mention Job's wealth or the size of his offerings. Rather, God said that Job was "a man of perfect integrity, who fears God and turns away from evil." Money can't buy God's approval of us either. We can't buy our way into heaven. Jesus said it best when He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).
Money truly can't buy the most important things in life. But the good news is that God offers these things to you as gifts-gifts of His grace that are received through faith in Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:8-9).
