Mark 11, 12

January 18, 2011

Mark 11, 12

Overview:  The Palm Sunday entrance into Jerusalem.  Friction with the Chief Priests, Scribes and Elders.  A widow gives two copper coins.

Mark 12 wraps up with the story of the widow who places her last two coins into the treasury at the Temple.  It's not much, but it's everything.  Jesus contrasts her generosity with the desire of the religious leadership for the trapments of their office and their taste for the finer things.  They give appropriately, out of the much they have to draw from.  It's a lot, but it's not much.  This is one of those places where Scripture speaks with clarity to this present moment.  I was at the car dealership one morning recently waiting while my car was having the oil changed.  The television was on in the waiting area.  It was a religious program in the midst of fundraising drive.  They were highlighting a couple who had increased their giving and had been "blessed as a result of their giving.  The husband explained that he had increased his giving to "test God".  He wanted to see if God would really bless him more if he gave more.  Translated, he wanted to see if giving to God was a good investment.  Apparently it was - the report ended by saying that this couple was able to now give away more in a year then they used to make in a year.  A happy ending of sorts which was followed by an appeal to the viewer to give generously because they too could benefit from the investment.  There was a certain logic to the whole thing and it was loosely related to Scripture, but I don't think Jesus would have been loving it.  I don't see anything in Jesus observation of the events at the Temple treasury that causes me to think he saw the widows gift as a shrewd investment.  I think he interpreted it as her giving all.  Which is what I think he's after.  All.