Mark 13:1-3 As Jesus was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” 2 “Do you see all these great buildings?” replied Jesus. “Not one stone here will be left on another; everyone will be thrown down.”
 
ABOUT 40 years after Jesus prophesied, “Not one stone here will be left on another; everyone will be thrown down.” Rome completely destroyed Jerusalem. Why would God allow his house to be so destroyed?
    The LORD destroyed the city and the temple because the Jews’ faith in God had crumbled. The Jews had killed his Son. Jerusalem’s religious authorities would not repent. As we’ve noted, they lived to worship themselves, putting any true worship under the cloak of legalistic demands and self-glory.
    God had destroyed the first temple in 586 BC because of his people’s unbelief and idolatrous worship. The LORD cleansed his house a second time for essentially the same reason. God’s people rejected his New Covenant of faith in the Son of God. God, then, rejected them.
    Several prophets warned of the Jews fall from grace. Among them is Zechariah 11:8 “In one month I got rid of the three shepherds. The flock detested me, and I grew weary of them.” The three shepherds are the Pharisees, the Sanhedrin and the priesthood. These men appointed to shepherd Israel toward God had led Israel to destruction. This was the end of the Jewish ruling structure. You can also say it is the end of Israel as God’s nation until Jesus will come again. Yes, Israel exists as a political nation now. But it is not God’s house until the New Jerusalem comes down from heaven (Revelation 21). How grieved the LORD must be to have watched his people continually turn from him. They had rejected God’s lessons from the path and refused to learn the right way toward a future joy with God Almighty. The Father in heaven who so loves the world mourns for his people: Luke 13:34 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!”
    As we consider God’s judgment on his temple, it is good to reflect on the remarkable truth of the Christian life. Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 6:19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own. Saved in Jesus’ redeeming blood, God has done a remarkable work to build his house in you. This is a great responsibility to know the Sovereign God has chosen you and come to dwell within you!
    We have the opportunity to do what the Jews did not do – to have a heart-love for the God who dwells among us. This is his blessing. May it be your joy. 

Mark 12:41-44 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. 43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on.”
 
WE have just considered Jesus’ condemnation of the teachers of the law for oppressing widows, taking away their homes. Now Mark turns our attention to the worshipful heart of a very poor widow. The coins she gave were mites. A mite is 1/64 of a denarius. A denarius was a common amount for a day’s wages. She only had two mites! And she was only required to put one in the offering box. But she offered both. Could any of us give all we have? Why, do you think Jesus was watching the offering? We can believe Jesus as fully God knew the time and the place to observe the woman’s faithful love for the LORD.
    Who comes to mind when you think of people in the Bible whose lives exhibited a worshipful love for God? There are certainly many heroes of the faith listed in Hebrews 11. Perhaps Abraham, Joseph and Joshua come to mind. 1 Samuel tells us of Hannah’s commitment to God as she prayed for a son. God even moved Ruth and Rahab, women born in pagan countries, to respond to God’s provision with faithful worship. A poor widow who deposited all her money at the LORD’s house is a wonderful addition to these and others Holy Scripture portray.
    How does God affirm you? When we go before God as we open the Bible, pray, attend church or do some act of service, we may have a tendency to consider the ways our weaknesses limit our love for God. Or we might consider it a self-righteous sin to think, “I am good at obeying God’s love commands when I…”
    Know this: your Father in heaven loves you and wants to affirm you. When as a parent or supervisor of children, what do you do when you instruct a child to  a task? Do you watch them to catch them disobeying or making a mistake? Or do you watch them to affirm them? A powerful motivation for a child or other person under your direction is to say, “Well done.” If you only criticize or correct mistakes, the person will be disheartened and feel inadequate. If you affirm the good things, you will inspire one to effective actions and a closer relationship with you. A positive heart does positive things.
    That’s why Jesus affirms the generous widow who gave from her heart. She was the opposite of the rich young ruler whose heart was on his wealth (Mark 10). The LORD affirms a loving heart willing to sacrifice the things of this world for God’s will to be done on earth.  

Mark 12:38-40 As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely.”
 
WHEN we speak of Jesus’ love, we likely do not consider the harsh words he spoke to condemn the teachers of the law: “Such men will be punished most severely.” In truth, this is one way Jesus reveals the authority of God’s love.  
    God’s true love does not stay silent when evil imprisons his people. The LORD loves us too much to allow us to live in human desires that cause human distress. Jesus’ words to the teachers of the law are harsh because they have done harsh things against the people they were to protect.
    When Jesus denounced the teachers of the law for devouring widows’ houses, he condemned the excessive tithe of 20-30% they set on everyone. This, of course, was far above the tithe God required. With this burden added to the obligation to pay Rome’s taxes and the tax collectors’ additional corruption, such a rule would quickly cause a widow to lose her home. Throughout the Old Testament, Jesus’ preaching and the epistles, God expressed great concern for widows. Our response to their needs can indicate the depth of our love for God: Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:27) The world had polluted the Pharisees’ lives. Jesus’ love for the widows judged the men motivated by greed and prestige.
    Remember Jesus had just replied to a teacher of the law’s question regarding the greatest commandment. These teachers’ entire lifestyle showed they had no love for God nor for their neighbors. Their enormous self-love glorified themselves and violated every aspect of God’s love.
    Still, Jesus loved them to rebuke and warn them. And he loved them to continue his mission to the cross. Jesus knew the only hope for the salvation of the ruling Jews, all Jews and all mankind was his crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. Hear with deep gratitude the often-quoted John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Now consider God’s love to speak his truth to all of us who were born loving ourselves more than God. The cross was needed because sin so deeply corrupts us. In the temple court, perhaps just three days before his execution, Jesus persisted to speak the truth, so his people would know the right way to love God and to love one another.  

Mark 12:35-37 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “How is it that the teachers of the law say that the Christ is the son of David? 36 David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared: “‘The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” 37 David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?” The large crowd listened to him with delight.
 
ONE of the Jewish titles for the Messiah is Son of David. This means the Jews expected a direct descendant of King David to defeat all Israel’s enemies and establish his rule in Jerusalem forever. The LORD first spoke his promise to David in 2 Samuel 7:16 “Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.” Several psalms and prophets also promise this great hope for Israel. That’s why the first chapters of Matthew and Luke are so essential. Both writers wanted the Jew and Gentile to know Jesus was born from David’s bloodline. Luke 1:30 “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The LORD God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.” Note here the angel said Jesus is the Son of the LORD Most High, and Jesus will sit on the throne of his father David. Jesus is David’s son – descendant – in human lineage. Jesus is David’s Lord because he is Son of God Most High. He fulfilled his mission as a man to be crucified, dead, buried, risen and ascended. Jesus returned to heaven to sit at God’s right hand. The human son of David’s line became David’s and all mankind’s Lord.
    Jesus taught he fulfilled those two roles when he quoted Psalms 110:1 The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” David acknowledged what God would do: “Yahweh, the Supreme God, said to the Messiah, David’s Lord, sit at my right hand, and you will rule over all.” Jesus is teaching that day he is fulfilling the “Son of David” prophecies.
    Note the crowd’s response. They are delighted. God had anointed the people that day with a special favor to understand Jesus is true Messiah. He is Lord of all Kings, Lord of all creation. One day soon the story will be complete for their salvation.
    Do you think those in the crowd were among the first to confess Jesus is Savior? About 50 days after this, Jesus had ascended. The Son of David, the Son of the Most High is at God’s right hand. The Holy Spirit anointed the apostles at Pentecost. Peter spoke Psalm 110 in the first sermon. (Acts 2:34-35). The Word awakened some 3,000 chosen Jews to become the first Christians. Wherever the Word of God is preached, the power of God is still changing the world.

Mark 12:32-34 “Well said, teacher,” the scribe replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from th1e kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.
 
THIS exchange must be a very sobering, thoughtful lesson for all who say, “I follow Jesus.” The questioning scribe acknowledged Jesus’ well said answer. Was he not then in the kingdom of God?  
    Not yet, according to Jesus. Why not? We can learn the answer in the scribe’s response. He said that loving God and our neighbor is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. He emphasizes a genuine, active love is the essence of faith. Such love leads to active participation in the kingdom of God. You can’t be a kingdom citizen if you are unwilling to live your love.
    This love that responds to God’s love is the essence of Jesus’ ministry. One of his earliest recorded teachings is the call-to-action Sermon on the Mount. As he closed his preaching Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”  (Matthew 7:21)
    A true loving faith in Jesus is expressed in knowing and doing God’s will. We can’t just say, “Well said, Good Teacher.” to Jesus if we do not hold his words as the Guardian of our lives. Faith in Jesus is sure he went to the cross because your sins need to be cleansed from your soul. Jesus affirms you are in the kingdom of heaven when you have faith to build your life on his: Matthew 7:24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
    Too many people feel safe when they listen to a sermon, attend a Bible study and read the Bible regularly. Although your works do not save you, what you do tells the true story of your relationship with Jesus. Are you at the kingdom door listening to Jesus. Are you able to enter because your faith propels you to action?
 

Mark 12:28-31 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. 30 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
 
THE teacher of the law who questioned Jesus is also known as a scribe. This is important because a scribe was a class of educated Jews who knew the law very well. Scribe is interchanged with lawyers. They were among the Pharisees. We point this out because the question came from one who well knew Moses’ law. The question required a direct answer. Jesus’ response summarized the Bible with  two sentences. Love God. Love your neighbor as yourself. Simple, isn’t it?
    No, it isn’t. If loving God with “all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” were simple, why does this command challenge us? A heart love for God elevates him to the center of your life. Loving God with your strength is holding tightly to his commands. Your mind that loves God is devoted to completely know who he is. Your strong love will stand firm against all who oppose God.
    Such love was too difficult for Israel. If Israel had truly heard, “Love the LORD. The LORD is one” what joy they would have known. God promised he would respond generously to their love: Deuteronomy 30:8 You will again obey the LORD and follow all his commands I am giving you today. 9 Then the LORD your God will make you most prosperous in all the work of your hands and in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your land. The LORD will again delight in you and make you prosperous, just as he delighted in your fathers. God wants you to love him for his glory and your good. Love God: Simple to understand. Difficult to live. True pathway to God’s blessings.        
    The same is true with  the command to love your neighbors as yourself. Your nature is to view your neighbor based on your preferences and point of view. You forget he’s seeing you in the same way. We must remember Jesus commands us to see one another through his love: “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)
    How do we know if we have this “love others” love? The Spirit gives us a good understanding in 1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
    These words often spoken at weddings should be written on our hearts as we consider Jesus’ command. Patience, kindness, contentment, humility, forgiveness and mercy mark the relational love God commands. It is simple to define. Difficult to do on our own. True for a right relationship with all.
 
Consider: It may not be easy to love others. Is it easy for others to love you? 

Mark 12:18-25 Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. 19 “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother. 20 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children. 21 The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third. 22 In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too. 23 At the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?” 24 Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? 25 When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.”
 
JESUS’ enemies keep asking questions, attempting to discredit him. The Sadducees, who do not believe in eternal life, not only want to disgrace Jesus, they attempt to convince the crowd around them heaven is a place of confused contention. Seven brothers eternally arguing over one woman would be very unpleasant!
    Jesus’ answer, as always, points us to the Scripture and to God’s power.
 
Mark 12:26-27 Now about the dead rising – have you not read in the book of Moses, in the account of the bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? 27 He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”
 
As he always does, Jeus puts the offensive unbelievers on the defense. They came to him asserting Moses’ law as their authority. Yet, they refuse to believe God’s clear announcement that he is eternal. He told Moses that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are with him. He’s their God because they live. The LORD God is not a god of death and oblivion. The Sadducees need to grasp he truth about heaven before they can question heaven.
    Then Jesus answers the Sadducees’ challenge with a lesson on heaven. If we have a really good marriage, we may be disappointed to learn there is no marriage in heaven. We must understand that in all things the power of God will resurrect us from earthly life to a new life in heaven. When Jesus said we will be like the angels.  Jesus did not say we would become angels or be as the angels in every aspect. Remember we have a unique relationship with God. 1 John 3: 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. God’s power has determined a glorious life for his own in heaven.
          All questions that attempt to discredit Gold are spoken in ignorance. When someone challenges God and heaven, be sure you learn the truth before you respond.

Mark 12:13-17 Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. 14 They came to him and said, “Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? 15 Should we pay or shouldn’t we?” But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” 16 They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. 17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at him.
 
JESUS hates hypocrisy. How angry the holy God would be when some Pharisees and Herodians said to him, “Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity… you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.” Jesus knows they have no interest in the truth. Otherwise they would come to Jesus to say, “We repent. Teach us the truth of God.”
    The Pharisees and Herodians expected Jesus to tell the Jews it was unlawful to pay Ceasar’s taxes. They would report to the Romans Jesus was urging rebellion. But Jesus’ reply pointed the Jews back to creation.
    The Bible says in Genesis 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”  God is definite. He declares his mark is on all people. We understand that man is not a gender term here. It means humankind. The Hebrew word is ‘adam. God imprints his image – the essence of his character – on the first man, so his character will be imprinted on all people. Image means we resemble God in our capacity to love, learn, know, create and fellowship as some examples of God’s character. We are to steward the earth and be God’s ambassadors to one another and all creation. Image also means we have a mind to commit to integrity and to obey laws. Adam bore the image perfectly until sin. The LORD God will completely restore his image in us in the new kingdom of God.
    Jesus’ reply to, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s.” reminds the Jews this coin comes from Rome. It is useful for their life, for physical well-being. Jesus teaches them to be responsible to pay their taxes and obey their government. Paul and Peter confirmed in their epistles we have an obligation to obey the government God places over us. We must also object to government laws when they attempt to erase God’s laws.
    Jesus is the King of the kingdom of God. “Give to God what is God’s.”  is his command to give our lives to the one whose image is imprinted in our souls.
    Guard your life against hypocrisy. We might often speak of Jesus as a good teacher, and we often call him, “Lord”. Are you living into the Lord’s good words? Do you give to God what is God’s – your life? He has printed his image in you. Be faithful to reveal God’s character in the character of your life.
   
Think of this: a coin’s image changes. God’s does not.
 

Mark 12:1-12 Jesus then began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey. 2 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully. 5 He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed. 6 He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 7 But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others. 10 Haven’t you read this Scripture: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; 11 the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?” 12 Then they looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.
 
JESUS is at the temple the day after he had cleared the corrupt temple marketplace. He has refused to answer the ruling Jews’ question, Mark 11:28 “By what authority are you doing these things?” because he know they will reject his direct answer, “I am the Son of God.” Then Jesus answers their question with a parable that emphasizes the Jews’ depravity.
    The Sadducees, Pharisees and elders were enraged because Jesus accused them of murder. Their penalty would be God’s justice to destroy them. What were they to do?
    They could have fallen to their knees and repented. Encountering the murder that ruled their very dark, deadly hearts, they should have, could have responded as David had to his murderous sins: Psalms 51:1 “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”
    Jesus longed to hear such confession. His first words declaring war against sin in Israel are written in Matthew 4:17 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” He had come to free his people of the vineyard, Israel, from their sin. He loved them and wanted them to joyfully receive the Son of God. With his patient, kind, love, Jesus longed for the Jews to dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalm 23:6c) After all, the LORD had given them the land to enjoy a prosperous life. They are his chosen people. Instead, the ruling Jews wanted to possess, to rule God’s vineyard. So they plotted to kill the Son. They were enslaved to evil as God’s opponents were in the days of the kings: Psalms 52:3 You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth. 4 You love every harmful word, O you deceitful tongue!
    Yes, the Jews in the temple that day would succeed in their plot to kill Jesus. But God’s story line planned for Jesus to be the stone the builders rejected who has become the capstone. Evil will reject truth for a time, but it will not overcome the truth. No murderous plot can keep the LORD God from his vineyard. The Father has sent his Son to form the church. He will send his Son again to form the New Heaven and Earth. Revelation 11:15b “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.”

Mark 11:29-30 Jesus replied, “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I am doing these things. 30 John’s baptism – was it from heaven, or from men? Tell me!”
 
WHAT’S your response when someone consistently doubts you? Are you frustrated and hurt from his persistent challenges? Do you eventually break your relationship with him?  
   The Pharisees asked Jesus a good question about his authority, but he knows they will completely reject his response if he says he is the Son of God. From his first visit to Jerusalem, their reactions to him have always been laced with accusations and unbelief. Jesus has repeatedly shown heaven’s miracles come to earth. He has preached forgiveness and love. The Living Word has taught in the power of God’s Word to reveal the fulfillment of the law. Again and again and again Jesus entered the public forum to debate the self-righteous legalists. The Lord of Life offered hope to those who had no hope. Jesus’ purpose was to love his people and to save the lost. In response, the educated teachers essentially asked one question, “Who do you think you are? Who gave you the right to cleanse the temple, to judge us and to remove our source of profit?” Jesus’ direct answer to their question would only fall on very deaf ears.
   That’s why Jesus first responded to their question with his own question, “Is John’s baptism from heaven, or from men?” Jesus has drawn a line. If the teachers won’t admit John’s baptism came from heaven, then what is the point of Jesus telling them, “My authority is from heaven.” The Jews faced a dilemma:
 
Mark 11:31-33 They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 32 But if we say, ‘From men’ . . . .” (They feared the people, for everyone held that John really was a prophet.) 33 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.” Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
 
They wouldn’t listen to Jesus, so Jesus won’t tell them. There is an essential truth of God’s love for us. He goes to great effort to teach us the truth. But if we continue to reject God’s Word, keeping our ears deaf to his gracious truth, he will reject us. There will come a time when Jesus draws the line on all humankind. Those who reject the Bible’s answer to Jesus’ authority will suffer Jesus’ rejection. Those who believe the Bible’s authority will know Jesus’ eternal joy: John 3:19 “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”
   Jesus, the Living Word, has turned on the light. Put aside the questions. Receive his answers.