Who is Jesus? This is a profound question. How we answer it has an impact on our relationship to God and on our salvation. If the things Jesus said are true, then He must be more than just a man. If what He said is not true, then He is a liar and a charlatan and there is no reason to accept Him as God’s prophet.
The religious leaders of Jesus’ day did not like the implications of Jesus’ teaching. They repeatedly tried to discredit Him and trap Him in what He said. Every attempt failed. Jesus answered their questions with such wisdom that no one could find fault. In fact, Jesus’ answers exposed the ignorance and the hypocrisy of His critics.
Jesus did not leave it there. He put the religious leaders on the defensive by asking them a question of His own. For those who had open minds and the willingness to see, Jesus’ question clearly revealed His true identity. In the Gospel which bears his name, Mark tells us about it in chapter 12, verses 35 through 40. “Jesus responded, as he taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? For David himself said in the Holy Spirit, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet.”’ Therefore David himself calls him Lord, so how can he be his son?” The common people heard him gladly. In his teaching he said to them, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk in long robes, and to get greetings in the marketplaces, and the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts: those who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.””
Many prophets predicted that one day a great leader would arise from among the Jewish people. His authority would come not from being selected by the people, but from being anointed by God. The Jewish people eager awaited the coming of this Anointed One, the Messiah. The Scriptures said, and the religious leaders taught, that the Messiah would be a descendant of King David. For example, “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’”” (Matthew 2:1-6 NIV) Keep in mind that Judah was the tribe from which King David came and Bethlehem was King David’s city.
In light of this and many other prophecies, the religious leaders were quite correct to say that the Messiah would be one of David’s descendants. Also, they did not dispute that Jesus traced His ancestry to King David. By asking His question the way He did, Jesus was subtly stating that He was, indeed, the Messiah the prophets predicted would come. However, this raises an important question. How did King David, himself, view the promised Messiah? Jesus answered His own question by quoting Psalm 110. From this Psalm it is obvious that David regarded the Messiah as someone much greater than himself. In fact, David used a title for Him that is reserved for God – the title ‘Lord’. What Jesus was implying through David’s words, is that the Messiah is much more than just one of King David’s descendants. Yes, physically speaking, the Messiah is David’s son. Yet He is much more than that. He is also divine.
The religious leaders remained silent. They could not dispute what Jesus said without contradicting the words of the prophets. On the other hand, agreeing with Jesus would acknowledge that He not only was the Christ but also shared in God’s divinity. It would acknowledge Jesus’ authority and lordship over themselves. This was something the leaders were not prepared to do.
The people listened to Jesus discomforting their leaders with delight. Perhaps they already knew the real worth of these men before Jesus warned the crowd about the hypocrisy of their leaders. These leaders were men who used religion as a cloak to cover their own ambitions and greed. They loved to portray themselves as learned and holy men; they basked in the respect and honor people showed them. Yet, by using their position to exploit others they went against God whom they professed to serve. Jesus said that they were bringing severe punishment upon themselves. What about us? Is our faith genuine? Do we cloak our own greed with a veil of religion?
However, not everyone Jesus encountered was hypocritical in their service to God. In verses 41 through 44 Mark tells us what happened next, “Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and saw how the multitude cast money into the treasury. Many who were rich cast in much. A poor widow came, and she cast in two small brass coins, which equal a quadrans coin. He called his disciples to himself, and said to them, “Most certainly I tell you, this poor widow gave more than all those who are giving into the treasury, for they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on.””
The woman who gave all she had is a stark contrast to both the religious leaders and the rich. In contrast to the leaders, this lady served God from the heart. In contrast to the rich who gave a little out of their excess, she gave all – she was totally committed.
From this incident we learn an important lesson about giving: It is not the actual amount we give which is important, but the proportion of what we have that we give, and the attitude with which we give it, which is important. From a worldly point of view, what the woman gave was worthless. From Jesus’ point of view, what she gave was priceless. In another place Scripture says, “For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.” (2 Corinthians 8:12 NIV) By this standard, how acceptable are our gifts?