Mark 12:38

38 And he said to them in his teaching, Be ye ware of scribes, that will wander in stoles [that will go in stoles], and be saluted in [the] market,

Mark 12:38 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 12:38

And he said unto them in his doctrine
As he was preaching, not to the Scribes and Pharisees but to the multitude, and to his disciples particularly; and to them in the audience of the people, as appears from ( Matthew 23:1 ) ( Luke 20:45 ) .

Beware of the Scribes;
for though he had just spoken favourably of one of them, this was but a single man, and a singular instance; the body of that set of men, were very bad in their principles and practices, and therefore to be avoided, and that for the reasons following:

which love to go in long clothing;
the Persic version renders it, "who affect to walk in coats and garments conspicuous, and in long robes"; such as were very particular, and different from others, and out of the common way of apparel; and so were observable and taken notice of by others: very likely it may have reference to the common length of their fringes on the borders of their outward garment, which they enlarged beyond others; (See Gill on Matthew 23:5);

and [love] salutations the market places;
or "streets", as the Syriac and Arabic versions render it, in any public places, where there was a resort of men, and they were taken notice with respect, in a public manner. The Syriac Persic supply the word "love", as we do from ( Matthew 23:6 Matthew 23:7 ) , (See Gill on Matthew 23:6), (See Gill on Matthew 23:7).

Mark 12:38 In-Context

36 For David himself said in the Holy Ghost, the Lord said to my Lord, Sit [thou] on my right half, till I put thine enemies the stool of thy feet. [Forsooth David himself said in the Holy Ghost, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right half, till I put thine enemies a stool of thy feet.]

37 Then if David himself calleth him Lord, how then is he his son [Therefore David himself sayeth him Lord, and whereof is he his son]? And much people gladly heard him.

38 And he said to them in his teaching, Be ye ware of scribes, that will wander in stoles [that will go in stoles], and be saluted in [the] market,

39 and sit in synagogues in the first chairs [and sit in the first chairs in synagogues], and in the first sitting places in suppers;

40 which devour the houses of widows under [the] colour of long prayer; they shall take the longer doom [these shall take longer doom, either damnation].