Memorial of Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr (June 5, 2021) Mar 12:38-44

Beware of the Scribes

38 And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces

John Gill

And in his teaching he said—As he was preaching, not to the scribes and Pharisees but to the multitude, and to his disciples particularly; and to them in the audience of the people, as appears from Mat 23:1; Luk 20:45.

Beware of the scribes—For though he had just spoken favourably of one of them, this was but a single man, and a singular instance; the body of that set of men, were very bad in their principles and practices, and therefore to be avoided, and that for the reasons following:

Who like to walk around in long robes—The Persic version renders it, “who affect to walk in coats and garments conspicuous, and in long robes”; such as were very particular, and different from others, and out of the common way of apparel; and so were observable and taken notice of by others: very likely it may have reference to the common length of their fringes on the borders of their outward garment, which they enlarged beyond others (see Gill on Mat 23:5);

And like greetings in the market places—Or “streets,” as the Syriac and Arabic versions render it, in any public places, where there was a resort of men, and they were taken notice with respect, in a public manner. The Syriac Persic supply the word “like,” as we do from Mat 23:6-7 (see Gill on Mat 23:6-7).

And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. MAT 6:5

Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord;

be assured, he will not go unpunished. PRO 16:5

Sotah 4b:10

Rabbi Yohanan says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yohai: Any person who has arrogance within him is considered as if he were an idol worshipper, as it is written here: “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord” (Pro 16:5), and it is written there concerning the destruction of idols: “And you shall not bring an abominable thing into your house” (Deu 7:26).

Sotah 5a:17

Rav Nahman bar Yitzhak said: Even a law scholar should not have any arrogance or any part of arrogance, i.e., not even one-eighth of one-eighth. He explains why arrogance should be avoided entirely by asking: Is it a small matter that it is written with regard to arrogance: “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord” (Pro 16:5)?

Tractate Derekh Eretz Rabbah 11:14

Anyone who goes into the street with his shoes unlaced is haughty of spirit. He who walks with his sanṭer hanging side-ways, or his cap turned backwards, or sits crosslegged, or holds in his hand the straps of the tefillin and puts them back while walking in the street belongs to the haughty of spirit. Every man in whom there is haughtiness of spirit is as though he worships idols, as it states, You shall not bring an abominable thing into your house, and it states elsewhere, Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord: the word abomination is written in the one connection and also in the other—as the abomination mentioned in the one refers to idolatry so the abomination mentioned in the other refers to idolatry.

Tractate Kallah Rabbati 10:18

BARAITHA. If he loosened his shoe and went out into the street he is regarded as haughty.

GEMARA. What is he to do? This is what it means to say: If he put on his shoe when he went out into the street he is regarded as haughty. Raba said: It is forbidden to bring a haughty man into one’s house; for the Rabbis said: Any man in whom is haughtiness of spirit will in the end stumble through an unfaithful married woman, as it is stated, Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord. Even if he be learned in the law like Moses our teacher, he will not be free from the judgment of Gehinnom. As for everyone who is lowly of spirit, the Holy One, blessed be he, will save him from evil visitations that come upon the world; as it is stated, For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.”

39 and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts,

John Gill

And have the best seats in the synagogues—Where the rulers of the synagogue, and the elders of the people sat (see Gill on Mat 23:6).

And the places of honor at feasts—Or the first and chief places where they sat, or rather lay along at public entertainment (see Gill on Mat 23:6).

2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in,

3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” JAS 2:2-3

40 who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured human lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her midst. EZE 22:25

Rashi

The conspiracy of her prophets—Heb. קֶשֶׁר lit. a knot. They are joined together in an evil counsel.

They have devoured human lives—For they would take bribes and strengthen the hands of evildoers to kill and plunder and rob, and then they would prophesy peace for them.

Treasure—Heb. חֹסֶן, money.

The dogs have a mighty appetite;

they never have enough.

But they are shepherds who have no understanding;

they have all turned to their own way,

each to his own gain, one and all. ISA 56:11

Rashi

The dogs have a mighty appetite wanting to fill their stomachs engrote talent in O.F., sick with hunger.

But they are shepherds—Just as the dogs know no satiety, neither do the shepherds know to understand what will occur at the end of days.

They have all turned to the way of their own benefit, each to his own gain, to rob the rest of the people over whom they are appointed.

One and all—Heb. מִקָּצֵהוּ, lit. from its end. Comp. Gen 19:4 “all the people from the end (מִקָּצֶה),” from one end of their number until its other end, they all behave in this manner.

The Widow’s Offering

41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums.

Then Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in the lid of it and set it beside the altar on the right side as one entered the house of the Lord. And the priests who guarded the threshold put in it all the money that was brought into the house of the Lord. 2KI 12:10

Jerusalem Talmud Shekalim 6:4:31

A dissenting opinion was taught in a baraita of the school of Rabbi Yishmael: Jehoiada prepared a single chest for one free-will offering, as it is written: “So the king commanded, and they made a chest” (2Ch 24:8). The verse specifically states that Jehoiada made only one chest. This is the same chest mentioned elsewhere: And he placed it in the sanctuary of the house of God, “and he bored a hole in the lid of it” (2Ki 12:10).

Rashi

Beside the altar—In the temple court.

On the right side as one entered—On the right side where the people come in.

Who guarded the threshold—The thresholds of the temple court, those in charge of the keys of the temple court, for Jonathan rendered it as “Amarkalia,” and there were seven “Amarkalim,” for the seven gates of the temple court (Tosefta Shekalim 2:15).

2 and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins.

John Gill

And he saw a poor widow—Whom he took particular notice of above all the rest: the poor, and the widow, are regarded by him, and are his care; nor are their mean services, done in faith, and from a principle of love, despised by him, but preferred to the greater services of others, where faith and love are wanting:

Put in two small copper coins—The value of a farthing. The Persic version renders it, “two bottoms of yarn” (see Gill on Mar 12:42).

3 And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them.

4 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” LUK 21:2-4

42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.

43 And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box.

John Gill

And he called his disciples to him—Who were at some little distance from him, he having finished his discourses:

And said to them, “Truly, I say to you”—A way of speaking he often used, when he was about to deliver something of importance, and not so easy of belief, and which required attention, and what he solemnly affirmed:

This poor widow—Pointing to her,

Has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box—Not that she had cast in more, or so much as any one of them as to value and substance, much less more than them all put together; but that she had cast in more in proportion to what she had, than they had in proportion to their substance; and that hers, though very small in itself, and might be contemptible to others, yet it was more in the account of God and Christ, and more highly valued and esteemed of by them, than all that the rich men put in: since what she gave, she gave in faith, and from a principle of love, and with a view to the glory of God; when theirs was given only in hypocrisy, to make an outward show, and to be seen of men.

So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. ACT 11:29

44 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

68 Some of the heads of families, when they came to the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem, made freewill offerings for the house of God, to erect it on its site.

69 According to their ability they gave to the treasury of the work 61,000 darics of gold, 5,000 minas of silver, and 100 priests’ garments. EZR 2:68-69

Rashi

According to their ability—According to their ability and their money.

Darics—Heb. דַּרְכְּמוֹנִים, the name of a golden coin.

And priests’ garments in which to serve.

2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.

3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 2CO 8:2-3