GREAT THINGS ENTERPRISE
CLAUDE BLACK
Mark 12:39
Exaltation
Several decades ago, I attended a banquet where the guest of honor was an internationally known evangelist. At the receiving line, a man stood beside the guest and whispered in his ear the name of each individual who walked by to shake the guest’s hand. As I walked by, he said, “Good evening, Mr. Black. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” There is no reason to doubt the sincerity of the polite introduction, though the use of names felt overdone.
Once the receiving line was clear, everyone took their seats in the banquet room. There was a “head table” where the guest, host, and other dignitaries sat. After the meal, the guest gave an encouraging message, and I wondered how many times he had delivered it on occasions similar to this one. There was nothing improper or untoward about the occasion; everything proceeded smoothly. I could not help but remember Jesus’ description of similar occasions in his day: “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, and first seats in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets.’” (Mark 12:38-39)
Jesus described people who used their social positions to secure places of honor. These scribes may have been diligent and hardworking teachers, but they pushed the boundaries by using their positions to lord it over others—expecting places of honor wherever they went and wearing elaborately adorned cloaks bearing all the insignia of rank and privilege. More than cloaks and tassels, Jesus was pointing to a condition of the heart—the innermost person. It seems that Jesus’ point is that the desire for exaltation—whether one receives it or not—is a flaw of the heart.
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