Jesus So Loved the World

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.