38 And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, 39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: 40 Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation. (Mark 12:38-40 KJV)
Beware of the Scribes
Jesus warned the people to beware of being misled by the scribes or infected by their pride and hypocrisy. “Beware of the scribes” (Mark 12:38); be careful not to adopt their opinions or the people’s high view of them.
They tried to appear important, wearing long robes as if they were princes, judges, or dignitaries. The clothing itself was not sinful, but their pride in it—using it to command respect—was. Christ taught his followers to dress simply and be ready for service.
They tried to appear very religious, making long prayers as if they had close access to heaven. They made sure people knew they prayed often and at length. Some believe these prayers included detailed petitions for others. They did this for appearances, pretending to honor God and serve others, but in reality, it was all for show.
They sought status and recognition. They loved greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the places of honor at feasts. These superficial honors pleased their vanity and gave them a sense of importance.
They also sought to enrich themselves. They took advantage of widows, gaining control of their property through deceit. To cover their dishonesty, they pretended to be devout. They wanted to appear as good as the best so no one would suspect them of wrongdoing. Let us despise fraud and oppression more because they’ve been committed under the mask of religion, but let us not think less of prayer—even long prayer—if it is offered humbly and sincerely.
Hypocrisy, when disguised as piety, is even more evil, and its punishment will be more severe. “These will receive greater condemnation” (Mark 12:40)—greater than those who never prayed, and worse than what they would have received for defrauding the poor if they hadn’t also pretended to be holy. The punishment of hypocrites will be the most severe of all.