These small group studies of the gospel of Mark 12:35-44 contain commentary, cross-references, Bible study discussion questions, and applications to encourage life change. Visit our library of inductive Bible studies for more practical studies on this and other books of the Bible you can use in your small group.
Mark 12:35-44 Bible Study – Correcting Wrong Ideas
Outline
I. The Messiah is divine (35-37)
II. Be pleasers of God rather than pleasers of people (38-41)
III. The widow’s mite (42-44)
I. The Messiah is divine (35-37)
Discussion Questions
• Where was Jesus teaching?
• What point is he making?
• Why does he make this technical analysis of Psalm 110?
• Who is the first LORD? Who is “my Lord?” Who do the other pronouns in this verse refer to?
• Who is David referring to when he says, “my Lord?”
Cross-References
Matthew 22:41-46 – Parallel passage.
Psalms 110:1 – Old Testament passage this is quoted from.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. Jesus was teaching in the temple –
Mark 12:35 – And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said…
Considering how much the priests, scribes, and other religious leaders hated Jesus, it is a little surprising that He was still able to teach in the temple. One would expect that the priests would drive Him out and refuse to allow Him to teach publicly there.
Jesus is all-powerful and could have supernaturally kept them from acting on their hearts’ intent to drive Him away. But I don’t think that is what is happening here.
Instead, I believe they allowed Him to teach in the temple because Jesus was wildly popular with the public. They were scared to admit that they didn’t believe John was from God because of their fear of the crowds. In the same way, they feared the crowds’ reaction if they publicly showed hostility to Jesus. This is why they were scheming to find a private place and time when they could catch Jesus away from the prying eyes of the people. They ended up paying Judas to betray Jesus to them so that they could arrest Jesus away from the crowds.
2. Jesus was a student of the Word – We see that Jesus often refers to the Old Testament in His teachings. He doesn’t just refer to famous passages, although He does that. But He also brings up obscure passages to preach from, like the passage in these verses from Psalms 110:1.
Reflect – What do we learn about Jesus from this?
He knew the Word. In fact, He had memorized large parts of it. This enabled Him to quickly respond to the challenges of the Pharisees and other religious leaders with Scripture refuting their beliefs. It also shows His high regard for the Old Testament. He didn’t come espousing a new religion. Rather, He came to show that He was the fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures.
Jesus had a great respect for the inspiration of Scripture. He says the Holy Spirit inspired David. Then He makes a very important argument based on the details of words and sentence structure in an obscure verse. Thus, He believed in the inspiration of the words of Scripture and not just the main ideas.
John 10:35 – If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken.
He used Scripture as the basis for His point. Like Him, we should have a high respect for God’s Word.
Application – Do you know the Word? Do you keep memorizing it? Are you able to quickly answer questions with Scripture? Do you enjoy just talking about and discussing the Scriptures you have studied with your friends or other believers around you? These are all goals that we should set for ourselves.
2 Timothy 2:15 – Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
3. David himself said in the Holy Spirit –
Mark 12:35-37 – How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.”’ David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?”
Jesus is verifying the inspiration of this passage and, by implication, other Old Testament passages. David wasn’t speaking only his own thoughts or ideas. The Holy Spirit was guiding him.
2 Peter 1:21 – For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
4. The pronouns of verse 36 – This verse has a lot of pronouns in it, as well as repeating the word “Lord” twice. It is helpful if we replace these words to understand the meaning better. Then it would look like this:
“YHWH said to my Lord (the Messiah), ‘Sit down at YHWH’s right hand until YHWH puts the Messiah’s enemies beneath his feet.”
This is a reference which David made to the coming Messiah, who was given the place of honor and power at YHWH’s right hand and finally all of His enemies would be turned into a footstool for His feet. That means that there is a time gap in between when the Messiah would sit down at God’s right hand and when His enemies would be forced to bow the knee and finally be subdued when He rules.
Philippians 2:10-11 – So that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Currently, we are in that time gap where the Messiah is sitting at God’s right hand, waiting for the last part of that verse to be fulfilled.
5. Jesus uses the verse to teach that the Messiah is divine – David was likely the second most esteemed person in all of Jewish history, behind Moses. He led Israel as king during its brief golden age. The people were hoping for a Messiah who would be like David, someone who would unite them, throw off Roman rule, achieve military victory, and set up his kingdom.
David had already accomplished this on a smaller scale when he threw off Philistine rule. Jesus used this verse to show them that the Messiah was much greater than they were expecting. They were aiming too low.
Their hopes were on a physical level rather than a spiritual level. Jesus showed them that David referred to the Messiah as “my Lord.” Why? Because the Messiah has a much higher status than even David. David was the best and most famous king in Israel’s history. The only way to top David would be to be divine. Therefore Jesus is making the point that the Messiah is divine. They were right in expecting the Messiah to be descended from David, but He was so much more.
The logic goes like this.
• David was Israel’s greatest king.
• He calls his son “My Lord.”
• Elders did not refer to their descendants in this way. Instead, the younger may refer to their elders in this way.
• Therefore, David’s son is more than just his physical descendant. He is higher than David. He is his master and his Lord. He is divine.
Application – Who is Jesus to you? Many people hope that Jesus will satisfy their physical desires, give them a comfortable life, or make them wealthy. The Jews at the time of Christ made the same mistake by hoping for a Messiah who would save them from all of their troubles. But that is not who Jesus is.
Why do you put your faith in Him? Why do you follow Him? Do not lower Jesus by expecting Him to be like all of the other so-called gods, which are fashioned in man’s image. We must submit to Him as our Lord instead of trying to use Him as a genie in the sky to grant our wishes and desires.
II. Be pleasers of God rather than pleasers of people (38-40)
Discussion Questions
• Why did Jesus warn people about the scribes?
• How was it dangerous that the people’s religious leaders behaved like this?
• What was their motivation?
• What does this teach us about people?
• Is it wrong to wear nice clothes? What is the problem?
• What can we learn about prayer in this passage?
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. Beware of the scribes –
Mark 12:38-39 – “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts.”
Jesus was not afraid of rumpling feathers. He spoke the truth, which needed to be said even if it upset powerful people. Think for a second how bold Jesus was. He went into the temple, the lion’s den. This was the domain of the most powerful Jews in Israel, people who hated them. With all of them watching, waiting, and scheming for a way to kill Him, He speaks out against them. He didn’t beat around the bush or subtly hint at their problems.
Instead, He laid them right out in the open for everyone to see. We should remember that Jesus was not contentious. But His ministry was coming to a close and He seized the opportunity to warn the people about the wolves in sheep’s clothing who were leading them spiritually.
2. Who like to walk around in long robes – They liked special clothing so that all the people who saw them would immediately know their rank and position. Passersby would give them the attention and deference which they sought. Perhaps they could jump to the front of the line at the market or even get discounts or special favors. As they passed by, heads would turn and eyes would stare. People would whisper, “There goes Rabbi Ben Judah!” They desired that respect from people.
Application – In this day and age, many people still dress to be noticed. In the Western world, a lot of people color their hair blue, red, or pink, sometimes all at once. One reason some do this is that they are dying for attention. Sometimes people get tattoos for the same reason or piercings in strange places. Heavy makeup and funky styles are other examples. Even in church, people may dress up because they want others to notice how nice they always look.
Guys dress up to impress a girl and vice versa. Ladies especially (but guys too) may spend lots of time in front of the mirror to ensure they look just right so that they will turn heads.
Unfortunately, some also wear very little for the same reason. They want attention and feel that they need to expose themselves in order to get it.
They do draw attention, but often from unscrupulous characters. Those who notice them are noticing their body and not who they are (although the one is a reflection of the other).
Reflect – Should believers dress up? Why or why not? What is the appropriate dress?
Our key desire should be to please God. Looking nice can be a way to show respect for others. Our clothing should never detract from the gospel or repulse people from following the Lord. A simple question to ask yourself is, “Would I want to meet Jesus dressed like this?” If the answer is yes, it is probably OK to wear it.
Be a good testimony to the people around you and don’t seek to draw attention to yourselves just to get it.
1 Peter 3:4 – But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.
3. Like respectful greetings in the marketplaces – Another manifestation of their desire for recognition was their habit of giving and seeking these special greetings. If anyone didn’t notice them by their special clothing, they would surely notice after their extra loud and courteous greetings.
You can almost imagine the pious religion dripping from their robes as they walked by offering greeting after greeting, each one more spiritual-sounding than the last.
“My most blessed and treasured brother. I will thank God for a thousand years that I had the honor beyond compare to meet you in the market today. May you, your wife, your children, your donkeys, your fish, and your pigeons receive the eternal blessing of the lord. May the money I pay you for this fish head multiply in your hands and sprout like a tree of Lebanon.”
I can imagine competition for spiritual greetings heating up between the priests!
Reflect – Is greeting others bad?
The problem was not greeting others. The problem was their motivation. They were greeting others because they wanted to impress others with their smooth words and religion.
Imagine going to church all dressed up and loudly greeting every single member whom you see with an especially smooth greeting.
People would notice. Mission accomplished!
We would do well to always ask ourselves why we do what we do. Keep evaluating your heart at all times.
Proverbs 4:23 – Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.
4. Chief seats and places of honor – These guys always tried to get the places of honor for themselves. They would have loved the red carpets, long-winded speeches, and luxurious cars with special license plates that are part of lavish political ceremonies today.
These guys started doing this kind of thing almost two thousand years. They are not alone. It is human nature. We like to be complimented. We like to be honored. We like to be noticed. We like to be popular. Don’t we? I do!
Application – Consider several practical ways to put Jesus’ principle that the first will be last and the last will be first into practice this week. Are you using your position of authority to serve or to be served?
5. Who devour widows’ houses – It is not completely clear what Jesus refers to. A good guess is that it refers to these religious leaders taking advantage of the poor and unsuspecting financially.
Unfortunately, wolves have been using the name of religion to exploit the elderly and unsuspecting for thousands of years. There is an entire network in the US called TBN, which has a lineup of televangelists, many of whom are doing just that. Many of them outright beg for money. They might be preaching on Psalm 119:4 and say that every person needs to give $1,194. They have agents at phone banks ready to take donations. Meanwhile, they make grandiose and unbiblical promises that God is going to return many times over what people donate as long as it is offered in faith. If people don’t receive that return, easy, they just blame a lack of faith.
These speakers dress immaculately. Masters of persuasion, they are eloquent. Words flow from their lips like honey. The promises implant pictures in people’s minds, which leaves them almost in a trance. Some stories report how naïve people gave their entire life savings, never to see it again.
Perhaps the religious leaders of Jesus’ day financially exploited others as well. We see from their attitudes toward the crowds and the uneducated that they looked down on the “sinners” around them with contempt. Probably, they convinced themselves that they were doing a good thing by robbing them because they could put the money to use better than the “common rabble.”
6. For appearance’s sake offer long prayers – A long prayer is not by its nature any more spiritual than a short prayer. Long words are not any more spiritual than short words. Repetition does not make one’s prayer any more spiritual. The rise and fall of tone does not make it spiritual. Using Christian words doesn’t make a prayer any better. Speaking it loudly or quietly makes no difference to God.
Reflect – What makes a prayer spiritual? What makes a prayer worthy in God’s ears?
John 4:24 – God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
This doesn’t refer exclusively to prayer, but I believe it applies. Our prayers are to be in spirit and truth. In spirit means they are to be sincere, from our heart. Being genuine and real to God is the most important. God already sees our hearts, so don’t put on a façade. Truth is the other pillar of prayer. We need to base our prayers on the promises and truth of Scripture.
Perhaps you are in a prayer meeting. Many brothers and sisters are watching. So you feel pressure to pray because a good Christian should. Or you pray especially wordy or spiritually sounding prayers to be heard by people. That is prideful. That is seeking the attention of others.
The opposite is also true. If you are worried or nervous to pray out loud out of fear of what others will think of you, it is also pride.
Let us keep these words in mind from Galatians.
Galatians 1:10, “For am I now seeking the approval of man or of God? Or am I trying to please man?”
7. These will receive greater condemnation – God did not forget what the religious leaders were doing. Not only were they responsible for their own sins, but they were also responsible for leading the people astray. God would remember and repay. If we are spiritual hypocrites like they were, we too will face the same condemnation.
III. The widow’s mite (41-44)
Discussion Questions
• What were Jesus’ observations about the people as they gave?
• What principle do we learn about giving?
• What should a rich person learn from this?
• What should a poor person learn from this?
• What may Jesus say to a poor person who decides to wait until they have more before they give?
Cross-References
Verses on Giving
2 Corinthians 9:6-7 – He who sows sparingly will reap sparingly.
Acts 20:35 – It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Philippians 4:19 – And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
Deuteronomy 15:10 – You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake.
Deuteronomy 16:17 – Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God that he has given you.
1 Chronicles 29:9 – Then the people rejoiced because they had given willingly, for with a whole heart they had offered freely to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly.
Proverbs 3:27 – Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.
Proverbs 21:26 – All day long he craves and craves, but the righteous gives and does not hold back.
John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. Jesus was observant – He carefully noticed what was going on around Him. By observing, Jesus was able to identify many areas that needed to be addressed through teaching. He was not a person to be content with the status quo. Instead, He examined a situation to see it for what it was and to see how it needed to be improved, specifically what people needed to do to start doing it God’s way.
Application – Like Jesus, we need to be observant. Parents need to observe their children and look for opportunities to instruct them in a more perfect way.
Psalms 32:8 – I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
Leaders in the church should do the same thing. Observe and teach the Word to address the issues you see. This makes teaching practical rather than hypothetical. Fellowship or small group leaders should do the same thing.
2. Jesus corrects wrong thinking –
This passage ties into the last. Jesus is pointing out that God looks at the heart and things that may often look spiritual to people are not necessarily valuable to God.
Wrong Idea – The Amount You Give Is Most Important
Here again, the people are focused on the external appearance rather than the internal motivations. Rich people would put in large sums of money. Notice the giving was set up in such a way that people could see how much others gave. This led to a situation described in Matthew 6:2: “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.”
These rich people gave a lot. But they did not do it with pure motivations. They intentionally drew attention to themselves so that others would see and praise them for their generosity.
Religion turned into impressing others.
In the 2000 years since then, people have not really changed. After the SiChuan earthquake in China in 2008, I recall seeing pictures in the newspaper with celebrities who were showing off how much money they were donating. Churches too fall into this trap by writing down the names of people who give or setting up memorials, plaques, or statues for large donors.
Right Idea – God Desires Humble and Sacrificial Giving
Jesus once again corrects their wrong thinking. He shows them that cares about our heart motivations, not only our external behavior.
At that time, the widow’s coins she put in the offering were only enough to purchase a small slice of bread.
So what do we learn from this wonderful story?
• God looks at our hearts. He examines our motivations.
• God desires sacrificial giving.
• We should not focus on what others think of us. We should focus on what God thinks of us. (Many rich people must have looked down on this widow and her lowly gift.)
• Even the poorest can give generously. You don’t have to wait until you have more to be generous with what you have.
• She gave generously because she had great faith that God would take care of her.
2 Corinthians 9:7 – Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Application – Spend some time to evaluate your giving. Do you give with the right motives? Are you happy to do it or do you give because of external pressure? What are some ways you can be more like this widow in the way you use your money?
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