THE TEXT BELOW IS THE TRANSCRIPTION OF THE VIDEO COMMENTARY BY FR. FERNANDO ARMELLINI

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A good Sunday to all. 

The Gospel passage we are going to listen to in a moment must be placed in the context of the events of the last week Jesus spent in Jerusalem. Let us remember that he made a solemn entry on a donkey, then entered the temple and observed everything that was happening, and he was disgusted. The next day, he entered the temple and drove out the sellers. 

From the beginning of his public life, Jesus came into conflict with the representatives of the religious institution, the scribes, priests, and Pharisees, who opposed him, calling him a heretic and telling the people, ‘Look, beware, for Beelzebub possesses him; he agrees with Beelzebub.’ Jesus had called the scribes and the chief priests thieves and robbers, saying they had turned the temple into a den of thieves. A very harsh attack on the religious institution and those who ran it. The expulsion of the sellers from the temple was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Mark, the evangelist, says that the priests and the scribes gathered together to put him out of the way. Mark relates a series of heated disputes between Jesus and the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians that took place in the temple. Last Sunday, we saw the one about the great commandment. 

Today’s Gospel begins by presenting the last of these disputes, the seventh. This time, Jesus’ attack is directed against the scribes. Let us listen: 

In the course of his teaching, he said, ‘Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and recite lengthy prayers as a pretext. They will receive a very severe condemnation.’ 

“Beware of the scribes.” The Greek verb used is ‘blépete,’ a present imperative that means: ‘Keep your eyes open, pay attention, be careful.’ This is a sound recommendation from Jesus because the danger he sees and seeks to denounce is grave. He has detected unacceptable attitudes among the scribes that openly contrast with the proposal he makes to humanity and fears that his disciples will later adopt these behaviors. 

As we shall see, these are behaviors whose danger is not immediately apparent and may even seem praiseworthy because they are embodied by people united to God. This is why the insidiousness is subtle; this is why Jesus resorts to a different language than usual. He uses irony and satire to mock these behaviors. 

Who were the scribes? They were present in all the countries of the Ancient Middle East; they wrote financial and historical documents, and they were also present in Israel. These people began to gain great prestige during the exile in Babylon because there was no longer a temple, and therefore the priests did not count for much. On the other hand, the scribes who were beginning to write the sacred texts gathered the people to hear readings from these texts, and it was precisely in Babylon that the synagogues began to be established for these meetings directed by the scribes. When they returned from Babylon, the scribes became the official interpreters of the word of God; they were the authority in the legislative field; they were the judges who pronounced sentences in the courts; they were the ones who decided all the judicial cases. 

In the book of Ecclesiasticus, chapters 38 and 39, there is a memorable passage that praises the scribe. Of course, it was written by a scribe, and it begins positively; it says: ‘How can he become wise who wields the plow and boasts of wielding the whip before the ox, who is occupied with the work of the field and speaks only of calves? This one cannot become wise. But it is different in the case of the scribe whose life is spent meditating on the law of the Most High, he seeks wisdom; he devotes himself to the study of prophecies. Also, he knows the sayings of famous men, knows the riddles; travels to foreign lands to broaden his knowledge. All praised him for his intelligence and will be remembered from generation to generation for his wise judgments.’ 

Now, these were the scribes of Jesus’ time; they studied the Scriptures until they were 45 years old, and then they received the laying on of hands and the same spirit of Moses; from that moment, they were the living word of God; their moral authority was superior to that of the high priest. Let us pay attention: Jesus did not intend to condemn the scribes as people, but he denounced their behavior because such behavior can be reproduced by his disciples and by Christians today. For that reason, Jesus denounced these behaviors in detail, and his words are a pressing invitation to check whether, by chance, they reappear today in our ecclesial community. 

The first of these scribes’ behaviors that Jesus does not want to see among his disciples is: “They like to go around in long robes.” These are the uniforms, the garments that Jesus could not stand. The historian Flavius Josephus, a near contemporary of Jesus and also a priest in the temple, and therefore well acquainted with such matters, gives a detailed description of the splendid vestments the high priest wore during the solemn feasts. He says that the people shed tears of joy when they saw the high priest approaching the altar; even they thought they saw God, as the representative of God on earth. 

How was this high priest dressed to attract everyone’s attention? You can see the breastplate, set with 12 precious stones representing the twelve tribes of Israel, which the high priest presented to God when he entered the sanctuary. Then you can see the ephod, the blue apron, and the purple, and notice the admiring looks of the priests and the people, who were delighted with these garments. Then the Tzitz (diadem) was a small rectangular plate of solid gold, engraved in Hebrew letters with the inscription “Kodesh l’Adonai” = “Holiness to the Lord.” And a detail that is not marginal: note the tiny bells on the hem of this high priest’s robe. Interestingly, two of these bells were found in the drainage canal. Why? We are told by the historian Flavius Josephus that it was in these tunnels that everyone tried to hide, even the high priest. Therefore, those two bells certainly belonged to the garments of this high priest. Imagine that when he was going through the crowd in the Temple esplanade and on his way to the sanctuary, naturally, with the air of someone self-absorbed, thinking only of God, people admired him, and with those little bells, he attracted everyone’s attention. 

Jesus could not stand these comedies. Beyond these spectacles of the high priest, the rabbis also sought to distinguish themselves from the people. They did not wear a uniform but a ‘talit,’ a shawl still worn today by all during prayer, with four Tzitzit (fringes) at the four corners, representing the four cardinal points. Jesus also wore the talit. But these scribes probably made theirs from unique, high-quality fabrics just for show. 

The prophets, united with God, with God’s thoughts and feelings, never wore uniforms. They never worried about attracting attention to be admired. They announced the word of God and only that, because the prophet wants to be heard, not admired. This is the problem. Why did these spiritual and religious leaders dress this way? To distinguish themselves from others, to show that they were above the common people, they were egregious, that is, out of the flock, above the flock, and the clothing was used to tell the people: ‘Look, I am not like you; I am superior.’ And when they get somebody’s attention, they feel important; it’s a pathetic way of begging for attention, of seeking vainglory; and many times, these uniforms hide the dummy, the smallness of the little man that one is. They are pathetic comedies, ostentation of vanity that Jesus could not bear. 

“Beware of them,” not ‘admire’ them. These people seek your gaze; they want to show off and be seen. If you look at them, you have already fallen into the trap. If you continue to watch them, they continue the comedy, this religious farce; if you cease to be spectators of these comedians, the play is over. “Beware” and finish the theater. 

Let us pay attention: the scribes of Jesus’ time are no more, but if we notice something similar in the Church today, let us not be afraid to use the same ironic language the Master used. 

Second attitude: “They accept greetings in the marketplaces.” It’s not just their dress that draws attention; titles of honor serve the same purpose. Jesus explicitly forbade them among his disciples; yet we have taken them up again, saying they are secondary. For Jesus, these things were not secondary. Bowing, bows, and hand-kissing follow the titles of honor. 

The people greeted the scribes with a thousand greetings; they gave them passage in the streets and the marketplace; they were served before and better than others; then they could not be greeted with a simple ‘shalom’; a whole ritual had to be observed, and when they did not receive this attention, they were indignant because they demanded deference. It is dangerous, underhanded, and disguised because simple people may think that certain forms of deference are a manifestation of devotion, of love for God. 

And we sometimes say: ‘People in authority in the Church deserve more respect.’ That’s not true; respect is due to everyone equally. If we want to establish a ranking, the greatest respect is due to the disabled, the poor, the needy, and the sinner. These groups have a greater need for respect. Respect must be the utmost for all. Maybe we think this is a marginal aspect of the Christian life, something insignificant. ‘Anyway (we may say), let’s not get upset about these things,’ ‘there are some people who like to show off their clothes to stand out a little bit from the others,’ ‘these are not important things,’ ‘let’s leave it at that.’ Jesus does not seem to agree with this interpretation. For him, these are not marginal behaviors. 

Then, “They seek seats of honor in synagogues.” On the Sabbath day, when a rabbi arrived for the weekly liturgy, he was seated first by the ruler of the synagogue for all to see, and the visitor could also say something meaningful, commenting on the word of God. At that time, synagogues were not only used for Sabbath celebrations but also served as places where justice was practiced, that is, as a court of law; they were schools, and they were also where goods distributed to people experiencing poverty were kept. When someone made an important offering on the Sabbath day, the ruler of the synagogue called him before all, praised him, and then seated him in the first seat in the synagogue. Jesus witnessed these comedies many times; that is, the pursuit of vainglory Jesus cannot endure, and we must be careful that these things are not reproduced in his community. 

Then: “They seek places of honor at banquets.” The first place at the banquet was next to the master of the house, where he was served first and better than the others. Here, Jesus is ironic, and we should also use this irony without fear to cure these pathologies if, by any chance, they are repeated in the Christian community. Let us not be afraid to be ironic. Jesus was allergic to all kinds of divisions. These separations create castes, and Jesus challenged the castes. He said, “All are brothers and sisters, servants of one another.” This is not a venial sin but a frontal attack on the logic of the Gospel. 

Then: “They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers.” This is the gravest sin. The widow is an image of helplessness. Widows have no man to protect them; they need everything. Remember Psalm 68: “God who is the Father of the fatherless and the defender of widows.” Or Psalm 146: “The Lord protects the strangers among us. He cares for the fatherless and the widows, but he thwarts the plans of the wicked.”

Jesus accuses the scribes of devouring the widows’ houses. They likely took advantage of the naivety of these simple, helpless women to obtain handouts or to demand exorbitant fees when asked for legal advice. They sought to forge a reputation for themselves as godly, religious people so they could procure all the widows’ possessions. They prayed for a long time to be seen, put on a show, and performed impeccable religious practices, displaying great piety to convince everyone that the Lord was on their side. Therefore, to judge them, to condemn them, not to submit to their will, and not to give them the honors they demanded meant to set oneself against God. 

Jesus says that these people will receive a severe condemnation. This is the only time Jesus speaks of condemnation, and it’s for people whom everyone considers the closest to God, the best, the pious. Jesus has pronounced a harsh verdict against those who exploit poor and helpless widows. And now, a concrete example is given to us. Let us listen: 

He sat down opposite the treasury and watched the crowd put money into it. Many wealthy people put in large sums. 

We know very well how the temple in Jerusalem was built because the historian Josephus Flavius described it in precise detail. There was the great esplanade, still there today, that everyone could enter, even the pagans. At a certain point, there was a fence that only the Israelites could cross, and there were 13 inscriptions threatening death to any pagan who dared to cross it. Then came the court of the women, indicated by three entrances, one to the northeast and one to the south, and the most beautiful of all the gates, the golden gate, the gate of Nicanor. It is also mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, where it is said that precisely on those steps was a paralytic begging for alms. Peter and John were going to pray in the temple. They healed that paralytic. 

The Levitical men came with their musical instruments, including trumpets, flutes, harps, drums, and tambourines, to perform their music and songs to the Lord. The Court of the Israelites is now indicated, with the altar for the burnt offerings and the sanctuary. You may also observe the three gates reserved for the entrance of men. The great feasts, such as the feast of the booths, were celebrated in the women’s court. 

The Gospel passage tells us that Jesus was sitting in front of the treasure in the women’s court. I cannot specify exactly where he was sitting because several places in the temple stored the treasures, votive gifts, offerings, and even the proceeds of the famous temple tax. This is mentioned in chapter 30 of the book of Exodus, where it says that every Israelite male who reached the age of twenty had to pay half a shekel to the temple, and even Jesus paid this tax. This tax was levied throughout the Roman Empire on Jewish communities, and it was precisely at Passover time that this money was taken to the temple treasury. 

In the ancient world, temples did not serve only religious functions but also served as banks or treasuries, which were often targeted by conquerors seeking money and precious objects. In the second book of Maccabees, chapter 3, it is said that the treasure of the temple of Jerusalem was full of immense riches, so much so that the amount of money was incalculable. When Jerusalem was destroyed, the Roman soldiers took away the entire treasure and the gold that was in the temple; the price of gold in the whole province of Syria plummeted. 

Along the walls of the women’s court were 13 boxes in which everyone could make offerings, and in 12 of these boxes, the purpose of the offering was also indicated; each person chose a box and placed his offering there. Let’s keep in mind that coins were not placed directly into the boxes, but that the money was given to a Levite, who placed it in the box according to the offeror’s instructions. Offerings could be made for doves, for wood, for incense, for vessels of gold, or for sin offerings. And there was a thirteenth box reserved for free offerings, and the offering there was not given to the Levite, but each person deposited it in that thirteenth box. 

This is of interest to us because it is in the thirteenth box that Jesus sees a widow depositing her coins. Let’s listen: 

A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, ‘Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood.’ 

Jesus sat in the court of the women because men could also enter there, and he saw so many rich people offering into those 12 alms boxes. The Mishnah, the holy book for the Jews, says that those alms boxes were shaped like trumpets and made of bronze, so it is easy to imagine that when coins were thrown, the trumpets resounded according to the strength and quantity of those coins. When Jesus says, “If you give alms, do not blow the trumpet,” perhaps he was alluding, veiledly, to those tragic scenes he had witnessed right there. 

Now we see the second character who enters the scene after the rich. Jesus sees a widow making an offering. The widows in Israel were needy people who were dependent on the sensibility and generosity of their children because they had no survivor’s pension and no right to their husband’s inheritance. Chapter 27 of the book of Numbers states that when a man dies, his inheritance passes to his son; if there are no sons, it passes to his daughters; if there are no children, it passes to the brothers of the deceased; and if the deceased has no siblings, his estate passes to his next of kin, not his wife. Widows and orphans were the poorest and most helpless categories in Israel. To rob a widow by someone who had money and prestige constituted a very grave sin. In the book of Exodus, in chapter 22, God says: “You shalt not mistreat the widow and the fatherless; if you mistreat them, they will call upon my help, and I will intervene.” 

What does this widow do? Jesus sees that she throws two small coins, a quarter. In Hebrew, the ‘perutot’ you can see are indicated in the picture. These are the ‘perutot,’ that is, the small coins used to make the offerings. Money could not be introduced into the temple because the coins used in the market bore the effigy of the emperor Tiberius. So money changers gave pilgrims the ‘perutot,’ which had no value. Just think of the small coins found in the excavations around the esplanade of the temple. At the foot of that staircase is precisely where it led to the door of Coponius, the most beautiful of the gates. 

How is it that so many of these little coins were found there? When they fell, they didn’t even bother to pick them up because they had no value. Mark, who writes for the Romans, says how much those two small coins were worth; he says, ‘one quadrant,’ and the quadrant (which you see in the picture) was the bronze coin with the lowest value in use in Rome; with it, you could buy a piece of bread. In fact, at the time of Antoninus Pius, quadrants were no longer minted because they were worthless. 

The widow gestures without drawing anyone’s attention. How should this episode be interpreted? We have often quoted it when we want to encourage people to be generous in their contributions to the needs of the Church, the parish community, charitable institutions, and missions. It is said: ‘Let us imitate this poor widow who, although poor, also contributed.’ In that case, Jesus could have concluded the episode as a parable of the Samaritan, that is, ‘Go and do likewise; imitate this widow’s generosity.’ This is the interpretation that has usually, I would say, been given by almost everybody. 

Many biblical texts encourage people to be generous in helping those experiencing poverty, to serve the community, and to dedicate their lives to the proclamation of the Gospel. Paul addresses this in his letters to the Corinthians and to the Romans, but our text cannot be used in this sense. 

This interpretation is based on a misunderstanding: identifying the Church with its charitable institutions or with the religious institution of the temple of Jerusalem is incorrect. The context tells us that, immediately after our passage, the disciples came to Jesus and said to him, ‘Behold the wonder of this temple,’ and Jesus replied, ‘There shall not be left one stone upon another.’ Then it cannot be thought that Jesus intends to praise the gesture of this poor widow and to encourage her to imitate her; he could not encourage them to make offerings to support a corrupt religious system, which he had repeatedly condemned, run by people he called thieves and robbers who exploited the naive faith of simple people like this poor widow. 

The context invites us to interpret Jesus’ words differently. He does not present the widow to the disciples as a model to imitate but as an example of injustice and hypocrisy on the part of the scribes and the priestly caste of the temple; people who took advantage of the naive faith of these vulnerable people and robbed them of their possessions and what they needed to live. The original Greek text says that the widow gave up her whole life for those two coins. That is why Jesus put them on guard against the scribes who devoured the widows’ houses. 

What Jesus does is not a praise of the widow but a rebuke of a hypocritical, corrupt religious practice that goes so far as to take away the necessities of life from a poor widow. We again find on the lips of Jesus the same condemnations that we have heard from the prophets Amos, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Micah. 

What, then, is the message of this episode? I think it can be summarized by what we read on the first page of the Didache, the first catechism, written in the Church of Antioch in Syria. It was written even before the Gospel of Matthew, in the same Christian community. We are at the beginning of the second half of the first century; this book encourages us, first of all, to give to the needy and not to expect the return of what has been given by the heavenly Father, who wants all his sons and daughters to share in his gifts. Then, immediately after, he warns those who receive that if they are not in need, they will have to give an account of their actions. Then the conclusion, which is the one that interests us, says: ‘Sweat the alms in your hands until you know to whom it is better to give it; be careful, wait to offer your help; you must first check well and be sure you are giving it to the person in need.’ 

The widow gave her alms to the wrong religious institution. It’s an invitation for us to give our offering generously, but take care that this offering goes to the needy, the poor, and those truly committed to building a new world, the Kingdom of God, and proclaiming the Gospel. 

I wish you all a good Sunday and a good week.