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The scribes’ evil practices (Mk 12:38-40)
Mark 11:27, “And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders, And say unto him, ‘By what authority doest thou these things?’ ” The scribes were among the Jewish leaders who questioned Jesus’ authority and sought to arrest him.
The scribes were the elites who studied and rewrote the Scripture and were very familiar with God’s laws and ordinances. They were supposed to know what kinds of behavior would please God. But Jesus told the multitude to “beware of the scribes” (v38). Then he listed a whole bunch of their evil behavior which was never denounced by anyone but him:
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They “love to go in long clothing” (v38)—they care about outer appearance and try to catch public attention of their pious look.
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They “love salutations in the marketplaces” (v38)—they love people to flatter them and love to show off in public.
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They love “the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts” (v39)—they are haughty and arrogant; they love personal honour and reputation.
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They “devour widows’ houses” (v40)—they are greedy and merciless; they oppress the underprivileged and even rob their properties like the robbers.
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They “for a pretence make long prayers” (v40)—they are the hypocrites who pretend to be very religious.
The scribes who understand God’s law more than anyone else break the law themselves. Little wonder does Paul reprimand the teachers of the law ruthlessly in Rom 2:17-24, “Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law (又倚靠律法), and makest thy boast of God (且指著神誇口) And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law (既從律法中受了教訓), and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? Thou that preaches a man should not steal, dost thou steal?...Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonorest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you.” The scribes really showed a notorious example of a “false” teacher. No wonder Jesus gave them an early and serious judgment: “these shall receive greater damnation”. (v40)
(reflection)
It’s a good thing that we study the Bible diligently and eagerly pursue the knowledge of the Biblical truth. On one hand, we may guide the truth-seekers into Christian faith or teach the beginners to understand the truth more deeply. On the other hand, we can edify each other and even train the next generation of believers to take up the service of teaching Bible. This is also Paul’s instruction for his spiritual son Timothy: “give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” (你要以宣讀、勸勉、教導為念) (I Tim 4:13) “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” (II Tim 2:2)
Nevertheless, he alerts Timothy: “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” (I Tim 4:16) “Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned (但命令的總歸就是愛，這愛是從清潔的心和無虧的良心、無偽的信心生出來的), from which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling (有人偏離這些，反去講虛浮的話); desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully.” (I Tim 1:5-8) This is the common fault of the scribes in Jesus’ times.
In particular, Paul warns the knowledgeable Corinthians, “Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.” (知識是叫人自高自大，惟有愛心能造就人。) (I Cor 8:1) He also says, “For though ye have ten thousand instructers in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers.” (I Cor 4:15) What he means is that there are many instructors of the truth in church but few among them can be qualified as good examples in terms of their deeds. Why? It is because they are enriched “in all utterance, and in all knowledge” (口才、知識都全備) (I Cor 1:5) but “there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions” (I Cor 3:3). Paul questions them, “For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory (為何自誇), as if thou hadst not received it?” (I Cor 4:7) He points out their inherent shortcoming: “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.” (I Cor 3:18)
Lastly, the apostle James, Jesus' brother, alerts the church believers too: “My brethren, be not many masters (不要多人作師傅), knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.” (James 3:1) Why? The reason is that God has a higher demand on the behavior of the Bible instructors, just as the message of Paul against the teachers of God's law in Rom 2:17-24 above reveals. This is exactly the reason why the scribes of Jesus’ times “shall receive greater damnation”.
If one cannot be a good example, how can he teach or influence others to be a good example? When we participate in the Bible teaching service, we must not only have good knowledge of the Bible truth, what’s more important is to have a good example in our behavior, just like Paul exhorts Timothy who is gifted in teaching, “For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come...These things command and teach.” (I Tim 4:8,11) But then he continues, “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” (總要在言語、行為、愛心、信心、清潔上，都作信徒的榜樣) (I Tim 4:12) A good spiritual teacher with good behavioral example, by teaching with both mouth and behavior, will definitely make his teaching service more effective in nurturing the next generation of believers.