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Robertson's Word Pictures of the NT

Mark 12:40

Devour widows' houses

(ο κατεσθοντες τας οικιας των χηρων). New sentence in the nominative. Terrible pictures of civil wrong by graft grabbing the homes of helpless widows. They inveigled widows into giving their homes to the temple and took it for themselves.For a pretence make long prayers

(προφασε μακρα προσευχομενο). Προφασε instrumental case of the same word (προφημ) from which prophet comes, but here pretext, pretence of extra piety while robbing the widows and pushing themselves to the fore. Some derive it from προφαινω, to show forth.Greater

(περισσοτερον). More abundant condemnation. Some comfort in that at any rate.

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See also Mark 12:40 in other biblical comments:

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    WHICH DEVOUR WIDOWS’ HOUSES - Which devour the families of widows, or the means of supporting their families. This they did under pretence of counseling them in the knowledge of the law and in the man...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 12 _ 1. The Parable of the Vineyard. (Mark 12:1 .Matthew 21:33; Luke 20:9)_ 2. The Question concerning the Tribute Money. (Mark 1

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    A WARNING AGAINST THE SCRIBES. These verses read like a summary of or a fragment from the longer discourse in Q. The reference to widows-' houses is found only in Mk. Its meaning is obscure. Did they...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    REJECTION AND RETRIBUTION (Mark 12:1-12)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    DEVOUR. eat up. Being occupied in making wills and conveyances of property, they abused their office. GREATER DAMNATION. heavier judgment....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _devour widows" houses_ as guardians and administrators of their property _greater damnation_ "pei taken longe dom," Wyclif. The word denotes "judgment," "punishment." The verb from which it comes den...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΚΑΤΕΣΘΊΟΝΤΕΣ ΤᾺΣ ΟἸΚΊΑΣ. Here again we have an easy conversational style; τῶν θελόντων is forgotten. These Scribes abused the hospitality and benevolence of devout women. Widows are mentioned as being...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    38–40. CHRIST’S CONDEMNATION OF THE SCRIBES Matthew 23:1-7; Luke 20:45-47...

  • Catena Aurea Commentary

    VER 38. AND HE SAID UNTO THEM IN HIS DOCTRINE, "BEWARE OF THE SCRIBES, WHICH LOVE TO GO IN LONG CLOTHING, AND LOVE SALUTATIONS IN THE MARKETPLACES, 39. AND THE CHIEF SEATS IN THE SYNAGOGUES, AND THE U...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _JESUS TEACHING IN THE TEMPLE -- MARK 12:35-44:_ The Jews had to admit that Jesus was a descendant of David according to the flesh. However, they denied that He was divine or related to him in any spi...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΚΑΤΕΣΘΊΟΝΤΕΣ _praes. act. part. от_ ΚΑΤΕΣΘΊΩ (G2719) пожирать, поедать, ΧΗΡΏΝ _gen. pl. от_ ΧΉΡΑ (G5503) вдова. В обществе того времени вдовы не имели никаких прав, так что Он обвиняет книжников в зл...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    8. JESUS WARNS AGAINST THE SCRIBES 12:38-40 _TEXT 12:38-40_ And in his teaching he said, Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and to have salutations in the market-places, and...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    _SUMMARY 11:1 TO 12:44_ In this section the historian has presented only one miracle, that of withering the barren fig-tree. The section is chiefly taken up with conversations and speeches, in which s...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation. WHICH DEVOUR WIDOWS' HOUSES, AND FOR A PRETENCE MAKE LONG PRAYERS: THESE SHALL RECEIVE GREA...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    18 Now that He has answered the hardest question of the Pharisees and Herodians, the Sadducees bring Him their best argument against the truth of resurrection. There is the constant tendency, even amo...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    12:40 judgment. (e-19) _ Krima_ , lit. 'sentence.' see Note, Luke 20:47 ....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    DEVOUR WIDOWS' HOUSES] Devout women were accustomed to contribute to the support of famous rabbis (Mark 15:41; Luke 8:2), and our Lord probably here refers to the abuse of such generosity. But inasmuc...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    WARNING AGAINST THE SCRIBES (Luke 20:45). Mt inserts at this point a long and severe discourse against the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23:1)....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    VARIOUS INCIDENTS AND DISCOURSES IN THE TEMPLE 1-12. The wicked husbandmen (Matthew 21:33; Luke 20:9). See on Mt....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    CHRIST IN THE BIBLE: MARK’S GOSPEL _KEITH SIMONS_ This commentary HAS BEEN through Advanced Checking. CHAPTER 12 THE GARDEN AND THE CRUEL WORKERS VERSES 1-12 A servant does his work on behalf...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 12:35-40 (MARK 12:35) DAVID'S LORD "And Jesus answered and said, as He taught in the temple, How say the scribes that the Christ is the Son of David? David himself said in the Holy Spirit,--...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    οἱ κατεσθίοντες : this verse is probably still to be regarded as a continuation of the description of the scribes commencing with τῶν θελόντων, only the writer has lost the sense of the original const...

  • Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

    _Warning against the influence of the scribes_ (Luke 20:45-47). As if encouraged by the manifest sympathy of the crowd, Jesus proceeds to warn them against the baleful influence of their religious gui...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE FIRST COMMANDMENT Mark 12:28-44 To the young ruler our Lord named one command as great-the love of one's neighbor. Now, in answer to this scribe, he turned with unerring choice, first to Deutero...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    In this parable of the vineyard the Lord very graphically sketched for those people their own national history, and condemned them thereby. "They perceived that He spake the parable against them." The...

  • Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament

    WOES AGAINST THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES Luke 20:47; Mark 12:40; Matthew 23:13-39. “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you devour the houses of widows, and through pretense make lo...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (35) And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the son of David? (36) For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    _ REFLECTIONS._ PAUSE my soul over the many precious contents in this blessed chapter! Both the Jewish nation, and the Jewish church, have been as the LORD's vineyard. Oh! the boundless grace of JEHOV...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    The transfiguration, as a matter of fact witnessed by the eyes of chosen witnesses, introduces naturally the great change that was about to be effected by the mighty power of God; for that wondrous sc...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    The Lord afterwards gives the substance of the whole law, as the principle of blessing between the creature and God, and that which formed the touchstone for the heart in the rejection of Christ. I sa...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    WHICH DEVOUR WIDOWS' HOUSES,.... Matthew 23:14....

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation. Ver. 40. _See Trapp on "_ Mat 23:14 _"_...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Beware of the scribes_ See that ye do not imitate their hypocrisy, or imbibe their principles, and be on your guard against their insidious counsels and designs. There was an absolute necessity for t...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    Warning against hypocrisy. Matthew 23:1-12....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    WHICH DEVOUR WIDOWS' HOUSES, AND FOR A PRETENSE MAKE LONG PRAYERS: THESE SHALL RECEIVE GREATER DAMNATION. Mark gives only a very short section of the last woe of Jesus upon the scribes and Pharisees,...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    A last warning of Jesus:...

  • Manly Luscombe Commentary on New Testament

    TITLE: Jesus, Son of Seven TEXT: Mark 12:35-40 PROPOSITION: Jesus is both the descendent and Lord of David. QUESTION: How? KEY WORD: Connections READING: Same INTRODUCTION: 1. The other day I got a c...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    35-40 When we attend to what the Scriptures declare, as to the person and offices of Christ, we shall be led to confess him as our Lord and God; to obey him as our exalted Redeemer. If the common peop...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    SEE POOLE ON "MARK 12:39...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Mark 12:40 devour G2719 (G5723) widows G5503 houses G3614 and G2532 pretense G4392 make G4336 long G3117 prayers...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Mark 12:40. AND FOR A PRETENCE. The sense is: They devour widows' houses, and that too while they are praying at great length. Ecclesiastical officials may repeat this crime, by attaching to themselve...

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    Mark 12:38-40. THE DENUNCIATORY DISCOURSE. Matthew, writing for Jewish Christians, gives a full report; but early Gentile readers only heeded this brief outline....

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Mark 12:12. _And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way._ Christ's enemies could not i...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Parable of householder demanding fruit from his vineyards. The tribute question. Jesus answers the Sadducees. The great commandments. The widow's mite. CHARACTERS: Jesus, Holy Spirit, Caesa...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Mark 12:1. _A certain man planted a vineyard._ See on Matthew 20:1. The idea conveys an enlarged view of its magnitude, conformably to what is said in Psalms 80. and Isaiah 5.

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    WATCH OUT FOR THE TEACHERS OF THE LAW. Mark condenses Matthew 23:1-36 into just three verses. See notes there. WHO LIKE TO WALK AROUND IN THEIR LONG ROBES. Only Mark gives this. These long robes, swee...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Beware of the Scribes which love to go in long clothing._ RECKLESSNESS OF AMBITION There is the Synagogue of Ambition, whose bond of union is the lust of place and of power. Let Diotrephes be its re...

  • The Gospels Compared

    JESUS WARMS AGAINST THE RELIGIOUS LEADERS MATTHEW 23:1-12; MARK 12:38-40; LUKE 20:45-47; MATTHEW 23:1 Then spake Jesus to the mul

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    CHAPTER 12 1 _The parable of the vineyard_. 13 _Touching the paying of tribute_. 18 _The Sadducees confuted_. 35 _A difficulty proposed to the scribes._ VER. 1 _. Planted a vineyard._ Gr. _ε̉φύτευσεν_...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL AND EXEGETICAL NOTES_ Mark 12:39. UPPERMOST ROOMS AT FEASTS.—_Chief places in the suppers_—the most important meal of the day, and the most fashionable entertainment. Mark 12:40. GREATER DA...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION MARK 12:1 AND HE BEGAN TO SPEAK UNTO THEM IN PARABLES. This particular parable which follows was specially directed against the scribes and Pharisees; but it was uttered in the presence o...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Mark's gospel, chapter 12. Now we remember that Jesus is in the temple. This is the day after He had cleansed it again. It is on Tuesday. It is His final week. Sunday He had made His triumphant entry...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    2 Timothy 3:6; Ezekiel 22:25; Luke 12:47; Luke 12:48; Luke 20:47;...

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Widows ' houses. People often left their whole fortune to the temple, and a good deal of the temple - money went, in the end, to the Scribes and Pharisees. The Scribes were universally employed in mak...

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Old Testament