Discipleship And The Widow’s Mites (Mark 12:41–44) -- By: Kenneth W. Yates
Journal: Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society
Volume: JOTGES 33:64 (Spring 2020)
Article: Discipleship And The Widow’s Mites (Mark 12:41–44)
Author: Kenneth W. Yates
JOTGES 33:64 (Spring 2020) p. 3
Discipleship And The Widow’s Mites (Mark 12:41–44)
Editor
I. Introduction
In Mark 8:22–10:52, the reader finds a long section that deals with the topic of discipleship. In it, the Lord teaches the disciples about the cost of following Him. It begins and ends with the Lord healing a blind man. The disciples are blind to these truths, and these two blind men serve as illustrations of the truths they need to see.1
The second blind man is Bartimaeus. He is an important figure in the Gospel of Mark, especially in this discipleship section. He becomes the example for the original twelve disciples as well as the reader of Mark to emulate.2 It is fitting that his healing is the close of the section.
Beginning in Mark 11, there is a dramatic shift in themes. From Mark 11–13, Jesus, after His entry into Jerusalem, conflicts with the Jewish religious leaders. They have decided to kill Him (11:18; 12:12). The Lord speaks of the coming judgment upon the nation, the temple, and the religious leaders as a result of their rejection of Him.
D. B. Sloan says this section on conflict and judgment can be diagrammed in a chiastic structure:
A Jesus curses a fig tree and cleanses the temple as a sign of judgment (11:12–26).
B The religious leaders question Jesus’ authority (11:27–33), and Jesus tells a parable condemning the religious leaders (12:1–12).
C The religious leaders test Jesus’ interpretation of Scripture (12:13–34).
JOTGES 33:64 (Spring 2020) p. 4
C' Jesus exposes the scribes’ misinterpretation of Scripture (12:35–37).
B' Jesus condemns the scribes (12:38–40) and commends the widow who loves God with all she has (12:41–44).
A' Jesus prophesies the destruction of the temple and uses a fig tree for a lesson (13:1–37).You must have a subscription and be logged in to read the entire article.
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