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big gifts

Mark 12:41
"And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much."

Jesus is in the temple teaching a HARD LESSON to His Disciples and it's a message that many need to hear today! These "scribes" were VERY BAD men. Jesus does not mince His words; "...these shall receive GREATER DAMNATION." They will receive a worse judgment and a worse condemnation than others! 

The SCRIBES were the “Bible Scholars” of the day. Their responsibility was preserving, and teaching the WORD of GOD. But, they DID NOT. Jesus is warning His Disciples of the SCRIBES. The scribes were men of leisure, who watched while OTHERS WORKED. They demanded recognition from others, and they wanted others to treat them like holy men. They claimed the perks of status and privilege. They placed themselves above others. They used flattery and manipulation to swindle big gifts from people who could not afford them. Their relationship with God was more show than substance.

Having shared these sharp words, Jesus looks around His surroundings and notices another way to further illustrate His lesson. Today's verse, "And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich CAST in MUCH." Try to imagine not only the sights here but also the SOUNDS. This part of the Temple had a large trumpet-shaped vessel that stood near the entrance for receiving offerings. The attendees would cast their gifts, primarily copper and bronze coins, into this trumpet. The coins would make a considerable clatter in the trumpet and still more clinking noise as they fell into a pile. This might have sounded like a Las Vegas slot machine paying out. Especially when the "rich CAST in MUCH." 
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