“See to it that no one misleads you.”

Mark 12:38-13:13 from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

In His teaching He was saying: “Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like respectful greetings in the market places, ³⁹ and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, ⁴⁰ who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers; these will receive greater condemnation.”

⁴¹ And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. ⁴² A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. ⁴³ Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; ⁴⁴ for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”

13 As He was going out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” ² And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down.”

³ As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew were questioning Him privately, ⁴ “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?” ⁵ And Jesus began to say to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. ⁶ Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’ and will mislead many. ⁷ When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be frightened; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end. ⁸ For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

⁹ “But be on your guard; for they will deliver you to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them. ¹⁰ The gospel must first be preached to all the nations. ¹¹ When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit. ¹² Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. ¹³ You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.

Many people point to Jesus frequent criticism and condemnation of the religious leaders of His day and mistakenly believe that He would prefer sinners over the church today. In today’s text Jesus says:  “Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers; these will receive greater condemnation.”  The key to what He says is that they, the scribes, will receive greater condemnation. They had greater knowledge so they also have greater accountability. Still, in Matthew 5:17-20 Jesus says:  “Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”   In Matthew 13:40-43 Jesus says:  “So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.”   Sinners; the unrighteous, then do not avoid condemnation.  1 Corinthians 6:9-11 says:  Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.    The righteousness that exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees is not the righteousness of the religious, but rather the righteousness of those who are justified and sanctified in Christ.

The text says:  As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew were questioning Him privately,  “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?” And Jesus began to say to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.  Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’ and will mislead many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be frightened; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are  merely the beginning of birth pangs. But be on your guard; for they will deliver you to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them. The gospel must first be preached to all the nations. When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.”   Here we see what is in store for the righteous. Jesus says:  “Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’ and will mislead many.”  The deception that Jesus warns against is not the deception of false Christs or false prophets, but rather it is a deception by those who say Jesus is the Christ. The deception is those who declare that Jesus is something different than what He or the Bible says He is. The deception is again those who say Jesus would adjust to the culture of today to tolerate and embrace sin. The deception is those who say believing in Christ will eliminate all of your difficulties. Jesus says:  “They will deliver you to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them…  When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by all because of My name...”  Surely Jesus does not proclaim a life of ease for those who believe.Those who promote and declare a gospel that says faith will eliminate troubles are deceivers who deceive many.

The text says:  He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”   In Matthew 19:23-24 Jesus says:  “Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”  In John 10:10 Jesus says: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”  The abundant life that Christ gives is not an abundance of wealth. Why would He want to give us something that will make it harder to enter the kingdom of heaven?  Those who declare a gospel focused on wealth are those who deceive many. It is not that wealth is equated with evil. It is just that it makes it harder to enter the kingdom. Like the poor widow, we are all expected to give all that we have, not just the surplus. “See to it that no one misleads you.”

The only sure way to not be mislead by those who proclaim a new or different Christ is to truly know Him.   He is revealed in scripture; from Genesis to Revelation, Christ is revealed as He who is and was and is to come. He is unchanging, but through Him and the cross we are changed; restored, conformed to His image.

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ; precious Holy Spirit, each day may I know You more. May I see a deeper and truer revelation of who You are. Day by day may I be changed, restored to Your image and likeness; walking in Your righteousness, not focused on the things of the world, but focused on You. Your kingdom come and Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven, both in and through my life.  Amen.