Mark 12:39
in Mark 12and to have the chief seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and chief seats in the synagogues, and chief places at feasts:
KJV
And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:
⋯
This verse in Mark 12
Commentary
9 notes on this verseSuch an one is in reality a presbyter of the Church, and a true minister (deacon) of the will of God, if he do and teach what is the Lord's; not as being ordained by men, nor regarded righteous because a presbyter, but enrolled in the presbyterate because righteous. And although here upon earth he be not honoured with the chief seat, he will sit down on the four-and-twenty thrones, judging the people, as John says in the Apocalypse.
This site's exposition
Watch out for the scribes
on Mark 12:38-40
Jesus warns against scribes who defraud widows of their houses, and for a show make lengthy prayers. Their piety on display stands beside plunder of the very people the law commanded Israel to protect.
This site's exposition
the chief seats in the synagogues
Gill explains that the chief seats were where the synagogue rulers and elders sat. Clement of Alexandria answers that a true servant of God, even without the chief seat here, will sit among the twenty-four thrones John describes.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Give heed, therefore, ye who glory in your wealth, lest those who are needy should groan, and their groans should ascend to the Lord, and ye be shut out with all your goods beyond the gate of the tower. Wherefore I now say to you who preside over the Church and love the first seats, "Be not like to drug-mixers. For the drug-mixers carry their drugs in boxes, but ye carry your drug and poison in your heart. Ye are hardened, and do not wish to cleanse your hearts, and to add unity of aim to purity of heart, that you may have mercy from the great King. Take heed, therefore, children, that these dissensions of yours do not deprive you of your life. How will you instruct the elect of the Lord, if you yourselves have not instruction? Instruct each other therefore, and be at peace among yourselves, that I also, standing joyful before your Father, may give an account of you all to your Lord."
The Medieval Church2 voices
But they used to walk in honourable garments, because they wished to be highly esteemed for it, and in like manner they desired other things, which lead to glory. For it goes on: And love salutations in the marketplaces, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts. He also especially teaches the Apostles, not to have any communication with the scribes, but to imitate Christ Himself; and in ordaining them to be masters in the duties of life, He places others under them.
The common people, it is said, heard "Him gladly," and He began to say to the people: beware of the scribes, who wear magnificent garments and on account of them demand honors for themselves; who love to receive greetings and praises in the marketplaces and …
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And the chief seats in the synagogues,.... Where the rulers of the synagogue, and the elders of the people sat; See Gill on Mat 23:6. And the uppermost rooms at feasts; or the first and chief places where they sat, or rather lay along at public entertainment; See Gill on Mat 23:6.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
We have seen in the former part of this chapter, how the enemies of our Lord endeavored to "catch Him in His words." We have seen how the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Scribes successively propounded to Him hard questions — questions we can hardly fail to observe more likely to minister strife than edification. The passage before us begins with a question of a very different character. Our Lord Himself propounds it. He asks His enemies about Christ and the meaning of Holy Scripture. Such questions are always truly profitable.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
proposed
We have seen in the former part of this chapter, how the enemies of our Lord endeavored to "catch Him in His words." We have seen how the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Scribes successively propounded to Him hard questions — questions we can hardly fail to observe more likely to minister strife than edification. The passage before us begins with a question of a very different character. Our Lord Himself propounds it. He asks His enemies about Christ and the meaning of Holy Scripture. Such questions are always truly profitable. Well would it be for the church if theological discussions were less about trifles, and more about weighty matters , and things necessary to salvation. Let us learn, in the first place, from these verses, how much there is about Christ in the Old Testament Scriptures . Our Lord desires to expose the ignorance of the Jewish teachers about the true nature of the Messiah. He does it by referring to a passage in the book of Psalms, and showing that the Scribes did not rightly understand it. And in so doing He shows us that one subject, about which David was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write, was Christ. We know, from our Lord's own words in another place, that the Old Testament Scriptures "testify of Christ." (John 5:39.) They were intended to teach men about Christ, by types, and figures, and prophecy, until He Himself should appear on earth. We should always keep this in mind, in reading the Old Testament, but never so much as in reading the Psalms. Christ is undoubtedly to be found in every part of the Law and the Prophets, but nowhere is He so much to be found, as in the book of Psalms. His experience and sufferings at His first coming into the world — His future glory, and His final triumph at His second coming — are the chief subjects of many a passage in that wonderful part of God's word.
The words behind it
10 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| πρωτοκαθεδρίας | protokathedrias | first seats | G4410 → | |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| ταῖς | tais | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| συναγωγαῖς | sunagogais | synagogues | G4864 → | 56 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| πρωτοκλισίας | protoklisias | first places | G4411 → | |
| ἐν | en | at | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τοῖς | tois | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δείπνοις, | deipnois | feasts, | G1173 → |
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
πρωτοκαθεδρίαςfirst seats
protokathedriasG4410 →
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
ταῖςthe
taisG3588 →19766 times
συναγωγαῖςsynagogues
sunagogaisG4864 →56 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
πρωτοκλισίαςfirst places
protoklisiasG4411 →
ἐνat
enG1722 →2738 times
τοῖςthe
toisG3588 →19766 times
δείπνοις,feasts,
deipnoisG1173 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies13
On this verse
About Mark
This page draws on Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata Book 6; J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Mark; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Shepherd of Hermas, Shepherd of Hermas, Vision 3; Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Mark.