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, (Mk 12:38)
The scribes who like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted often appeared in the marketplaces. Clad in the ceremonial dress with high dignity, they want to be greeted in public places.
It is natural that a junior greets a senior. A student ought to greet his teacher. Greeting is an expression of politeness and respect. However there is a conventional problem that a senior does not condescend to greet but takes a certain attitude to be greeted. A junior who does not have the etiquette and social sense to greet could be termed as wrong but it is not more serious than the matter of the senior. We can say this because the junior who does not have the sense of need to greet a senior is probably uneducated and socially immature but the senior who expects or even exerts himself to be greeted seems to have a distorted personality.
If the teacher of the law was a man of character he would not try to be greeted and would not even feel disappointed even if he is not greeted. For example, let us regard the teacher of the law as a professor of a seminary or a pastor of today. If the professor is a man of character he would not bother much whether his students greet him or not. For him the kingdom of God and his rule is everything. Those who are concentrating in an absolute thing are not swayed by a relative one.
Here the matter of greeting does not merely belong to the level of external etiquette. Once it goes further, it can be compared to bribe. A bribe is something offered to a boss in his favor. A formal greeting is also a kind of favor and so greeting and bribing are similar. If we are free from greeting and bribe, our life would be much lighter. However, it is not an easy mater. When we receive greeting and bribe, it makes us happy instantly and also helps our practical life. Jesus told the disciples to watch out the teacher of the law who enjoys to be greeted. Let us remember it.
Showing posts with label Mark 12:38. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mark 12:38. Show all posts
20090918
The people wore in flowing robes
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, (12:38)
Jesus’ destiny gradually rides speedily like flowing of water. It means that Jesus’ clash against his enemy get more serious with the passage of time. Jesus had already faced unpleasant atmosphere after his triumphal entry to Jerusalem where he cleared the temple and faced theological castigation from the Jewish religious leaders. Now Jesus’ candid and one-side criticism begins. However it cannot be compared with previous one in its strength.
The criticism is directed against the Scribes. They were law scholars who took the role of controlling the entire theological foundation of Judaism. The argument whether the religious leaders practically wore a specific robe (talit) or not is still going on. According to scholars, it is an ostentatious tassel of the scribes’ robe or the Sabbath dress which only the rich could afford to wear. However, it is clear that the dress reveals the dignity of privileged class just as a lawyer puts on the gown of a judge.
There are different opinions about a pastor’s gown in the worship service. I prefer wearing a gown if possible. It is because the pastor in worship service is not a natural person but a technical person entrusted in doing a special role as the player wear a specific dress in order to do a certain role.
In verse 38, ‘..to walk around in flowing robes’ does not mean that wearing such dress is wrong. It reveals one’s desire for fame which works in human. A desire for fame cannot be easily overcome. People pretend that they have no interest in it at all but in most cases they inwardly cling to this desire for fame. Jesus taught them to watch out for such arrogant people. We can imagine how shameful it had been for the scribes and priests on hearing of Jesus’ word.
Jesus’ destiny gradually rides speedily like flowing of water. It means that Jesus’ clash against his enemy get more serious with the passage of time. Jesus had already faced unpleasant atmosphere after his triumphal entry to Jerusalem where he cleared the temple and faced theological castigation from the Jewish religious leaders. Now Jesus’ candid and one-side criticism begins. However it cannot be compared with previous one in its strength.
The criticism is directed against the Scribes. They were law scholars who took the role of controlling the entire theological foundation of Judaism. The argument whether the religious leaders practically wore a specific robe (talit) or not is still going on. According to scholars, it is an ostentatious tassel of the scribes’ robe or the Sabbath dress which only the rich could afford to wear. However, it is clear that the dress reveals the dignity of privileged class just as a lawyer puts on the gown of a judge.
There are different opinions about a pastor’s gown in the worship service. I prefer wearing a gown if possible. It is because the pastor in worship service is not a natural person but a technical person entrusted in doing a special role as the player wear a specific dress in order to do a certain role.
In verse 38, ‘..to walk around in flowing robes’ does not mean that wearing such dress is wrong. It reveals one’s desire for fame which works in human. A desire for fame cannot be easily overcome. People pretend that they have no interest in it at all but in most cases they inwardly cling to this desire for fame. Jesus taught them to watch out for such arrogant people. We can imagine how shameful it had been for the scribes and priests on hearing of Jesus’ word.
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