Mark 12:40

Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation. WHICH DEVOUR WIDOWS' HOUSES, AND FOR A PRETENCE MAKE LONG PRAYERS: THESE SHALL RECEIVE GREATER DAMNATION. They took advantage of their helpless condition and confiding character, to obtain possession of their property, while by their "long prayers" they made them believe they were raised far above "filthy lucre." So much the "greater damnation" awaited them. (Compare Matthew 23:33). A life-like description this of the Romish clergy, the true successors of "the scribes." Remarks: (1) What an exalted illustration does our Lord's example here afford of His own direction to the Twelve and His servants in every age, "Behold, I send you forth as sheep among wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves"!...

35-40 When we attend to what the Scriptures declare, as to the person and offices of Christ, we shall be led to confess him as our Lord and God; to obey him as our exalted Redeemer. If the common people hear these things gladly, while the learned and distinguished oppose, the former are happy, and the latter to be pitied. And as sin, disguised with a show of piety, is double iniquity, so its doom will be doubly heavy....

WHICH DEVOUR WIDOWS’ HOUSES - Which devour the families of widows, or the means of supporting their families. This they did under pretence of counseling them in the knowledge of the law and in the management of their estates. They took advantage of their ignorance and their unprotected state, and either extorted large sums for their counsel, or perverted the property to their own use. No wonder that our Saviour denounced them! If there is any sin of special enormity, it is that of taking advantage of the circumstances of the poor, the needy, and the helpless, to wrong them out of the pittance on which they depend for the support of their families; and as God is the friend of the widow and the fatherless, it may be expected that such will be visited with heavy condemnation. FOR A PRETENCE - For show, or “pretending” great devotion....

EXPOSITION MARK 12:1 AND HE BEGAN TO SPEAK UNTO THEM IN PARABLES. This particular parable which follows was specially directed against the scribes and Pharisees; but it was uttered in the presence of a multitude of the people. "He _began _to speak … in parables." He had not used this form of instruction till now in Jerusalem. A MAN PLANTED A VINEYARD. The imagery of the parable would be familiar to them from Isaiah (Isaiah 5:1). But Palestine was eminently a land of "vineyards," as well as of "oil olives." The man who planted the vineyard is no other than God himself. "Thou hast brought a vine" out of Egypt; thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it." The imagery is specially appropriate. No property was considered to yield so rich a r

WHICH DEVOUR WIDOWS' HOUSES,.... Matthew 23:14....

Mark 12:12. _And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way._ Christ's enemies could not injure him then, partly because the people heard him gladly, and were ready to protect him, but still more because the appointed time for his suffering and death had not fully come. Mark 12:13. _And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his word. And when they were come, they say unto him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth:_ They meant «to catch him in his words,» if they could, so they baited their trap with flattery. Whenever a m

CHAPTER 12 _ 1. The Parable of the Vineyard. (Mark 12:1 .Matthew 21:33; Luke 20:9)_ 2. The Question concerning the Tribute Money. (Mark 12:13. Matthew 22:15; Luke 20:20) 3. The Sadducees Questioning concerning Resurrection. (Mark 12:18. Matthew 22:23;...

A WARNING AGAINST THE SCRIBES. These verses read like a summary of or a fragment from the longer discourse in Q. The reference to widows-' houses is found only in Mk. Its meaning is obscure. Did they take rich fees for pious services, or press the rights of creditors against widows harshly? Alike their social ambitions and their impoverishing of widows turn their prayers into pretence. These criticisms seem rather sweeping if aimed at a class. But it is difficult to judge, without the actual context and without fuller knowledge of Jesus-' contemporaries....

REJECTION AND RETRIBUTION (Mark 12:1-12)...

DEVOUR. eat up. Being occupied in making wills and conveyances of property, they abused their office. GREATER DAMNATION. heavier judgment....