Mark 12:38-44

Read Mark 12:38-44

Helpful Background Information: 

• In this passage, Jesus is teaching in the temple courts during His final week before the cross. He warns the crowd about the scribes. The scribes were entrusted with preserving, learning, and teaching the Word of God to the world. But Jesus says many of them loved the appearance of holiness more than the reality of it. They enjoyed being noticed, being greeted with honor, and being treated like VIPs. Yet behind the scenes, they used their position to take advantage of vulnerable people, even “devouring widows’ houses.” 

• Right after that warning, Jesus sits near the temple treasury and watches people give. Many rich people put in large amounts, and then a poor widow comes and gives two small copper coins (basically the smallest offering possible). Jesus says that the widow had put in more than all the previous givers combined. 

Reflection Questions: 

• Which element stands out to you most about Jesus’s warning against the scribes in Mark 12:38–40, and why?

• When you think about giving (money, time, service), do you usually give out of your “extra,” or does it actually cost you something?

• If someone watched how you spend your money and time, what would they conclude you trust in most?

• What is one practical step you can take this week to live less like the scribes, more like the widow?