What was Jesus saying when he said, "They devour widows' houses"?
Mark 12:40
ESV - 40 Who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.
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Asked April 29 2018
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Gregory Jones
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Tim Maas
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in speaking of the scribes "devouring widows' houses", Jesus was condemning the greedy, predatory way in which the scribes and other members of the Jewish religious establishment would not hesitate to mercilessly drive people into poverty (while enriching themselves) through their demands for offerings or payments in the name of religion (even if those payments would include the seizure of a widow's estate, leaving her with no means of support or no place to live). Despite this deliberate cruelty, the scribes would then put on a visible appearance of being very religious by saying lengthy prayers in public,and otherwise displaying their supposed piety in places where other people would see them do so (and praise them for it), while also enjoying all the tangible benefits that came with their status as members of the religious hierarchy (such as the seats of honor at religious feasts, or in the synagogue during worship). Jesus said that their punishment in eternity would be all the greater because of their hypocrisy.
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