GREAT THINGS ENTERPRISE
CLAUDE BLACK
Mark 12:38
Gowns and Tassels
Many years ago, I was in the office of a gentleman and saw, in a prominent position on his wall, a large framed diploma awarding him a Doctor of Divinity degree. The diploma had a large gold seal and five signatures at the bottom. It was impressive. On close reading, however, the degree was from an obscure organization, and I made a mental note of its name. The recipient let it be known that he expected to be addressed as “Dr.” Later, I searched for the institution that had awarded the degree, but I found no record of one by that name.
That experience reminded me of Jesus’ teaching in the temple courts at Jerusalem. He had been questioned by a delegation of Pharisees and had a rather long conversation with a seemingly sincere scribe. “And in his teaching he said, ‘Watch out for the scribes who desire to walk about in long robes and who desire greetings in the marketplace.’” (Mark 12:38) The temple court was a main thoroughfare, so there were likely scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees hurrying through the area. As Jesus described, they would be wearing their distinctive robes, with long, flowing tassels dangling from the hem to emphasize their status.
At a college graduation ceremony, the faculty marches in wearing gowns that indicate their rank, discipline, and school colors. This is not the scene Jesus warned about, for these are hardworking teachers. One prominent professor kept all his diplomas and awards in a file folder in the bottom drawer of a file cabinet. He explained that all they did was get him a position; from that point, he had to build rapport with his students and help them develop into scholars themselves.
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Beware”—or more literally, “Watch out”—Jesus warned. Look beyond the gowns, tassels, diplomas, and awards; look at the heart.
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