The Meaning of Mark 12:40 Explained

Mark 12:40

KJV: Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

YLT: who are devouring the widows' houses, and for a pretence are making long prayers; these shall receive more abundant judgment.'

Darby: who devour the houses of widows, and as a pretext make long prayers. These shall receive a severer judgment.

ASV: they that devour widows houses, and for a pretence make long prayers; these shall receive greater condemnation.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Which devour  widows'  houses,  and  for a pretence  make  long  prayers:  these  shall receive  greater  damnation. 

What does Mark 12:40 Mean?

Verse Meaning

This verse "passes from their ostentatious manners to their corrupt morals." [1] Teachers of the law did not receive an income from the state; they depended on voluntary contributions. [2] This led some of them to prey on the sympathy of others, even widows who needed all their income simply to survive. This reference sets the stage for the next incident ( Mark 12:41-44).
Their typically long prayers presented an impression of piety that masked greed. They pretended to love God greatly, but their aim was to get people to love them greatly. The result would be greater condemnation when they stood before God"s judgment bar. Here is another indication that there are degrees of punishment (cf. Matthew 11:20-24; James 3:1; et al.).

Context Summary

Mark 12:28-44 - The First Commandment
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 Deuteronomy 6:4-5, and then to Leviticus 19:18, for the two pillars on which the collective and individual life of man must rest. The reverent answer of the scribe proves that he was no ordinary questioner; and our Lord acknowledged this when He told him that a few steps more would bring him into the kingdom of God. Our Lord was David's son by human descent, but as Son of God, proceeding from the Father, He is exalted far above David and all mankind.
In terrible words, Mark 12:38-40, Christ denounced the moral and religious leaders of the time. They made a pretense and a gain of their religion. How great the contrast between them and this poor widow, who cast into God's treasury all that she had to provide for her day's living! Our Lord is quick to notice acts like these, which give evidence of the true heart. [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 12

1  Jesus tells the parable of the tenants
13  He avoids the snare of the Pharisees and Herodians about paying tribute to Caesar;
18  convicts the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection;
28  resolves the scribe, who questioned of the first commandment;
35  refutes the opinion that the scribes held of the Christ;
38  bidding the people to beware of their ambition and hypocrisy;
41  and commends the poor widow for her two mites, above all

Greek Commentary for Mark 12:40

Devour widows‘ houses [οι κατεστοντες 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. [source]
For a pretence make long prayers [προπασει μακρα προσευχομενοι]
Προπασει — Prophasei instrumental case of the same word More abundant condemnation. Some comfort in that at any rate. [source]
Greater [περισσοτερον]
More abundant condemnation. Some comfort in that at any rate. [source]
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 making wills and conveyances of property. They may have abused their influence with widows. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 12:40

Luke 20:47 Widows' houses []
See on Mark 12:40. [source]
John 14:2 House [οἰκίᾳ]
The dwelling-place. Used primarily of the edifice (Matthew 7:24; Matthew 8:14; Matthew 9:10; Acts 4:34). Of the family or all the persons inhabiting the house (Matthew 12:25; John 4:53; 1 Corinthians 16:15; Matthew 10:13). Of property (Matthew 23:14; Mark 12:40). Here meaning heaven. [source]
Acts 27:30 Were seeking [ζητουντων]
Genitive absolute again with present active participle of ζητεω — zēteō to seek. Had lowered (χαλασαντων — chalasantōn). Aorist active participle of χαλαζω — chalazō Under colour Possibly the same word as “prophecy” (from προπημι — prȯphēmi to speak forth), but here pretence, pretext, although it may come from προπαινω — prophainō to show forth. The use here is an old one and appears also in Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47; 1 Thessalonians 2:5; Philemon 1:18. As though (ως — hōs). The alleged reason, a common Greek idiom with ως — hōs and the participle (Robertson, Grammar, p. 966). Here with μελλοντων — mellontōn From the foreship Old word for prow of the ship. In the N.T. only here and Acts 27:41. Note here εκτεινειν — ekteinein (lay out, stretch out) rather than ριπσαντες — rhipsantes (casting) in Acts 27:29, for they pretended to need the small boat to stretch out or lay out the anchors in front. [source]
Acts 27:30 Under colour [προπασει]
Possibly the same word as “prophecy” (from προπημι — prȯphēmi to speak forth), but here pretence, pretext, although it may come from προπαινω — prophainō to show forth. The use here is an old one and appears also in Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47; 1 Thessalonians 2:5; Philemon 1:18. As though (ως — hōs). The alleged reason, a common Greek idiom with ως — hōs and the participle (Robertson, Grammar, p. 966). Here with μελλοντων — mellontōn From the foreship Old word for prow of the ship. In the N.T. only here and Acts 27:41. Note here εκτεινειν — ekteinein (lay out, stretch out) rather than ριπσαντες — rhipsantes (casting) in Acts 27:29, for they pretended to need the small boat to stretch out or lay out the anchors in front. [source]
Romans 13:2 Withstandeth [αντεστηκεν]
Perfect active indicative of αντιστημι — anthistēmi and intransitive, “has taken his stand against.” The ordinance of God (τηι του τεου διαταγηι — tēi tou theou diatagēi). Late word, but common in papyri (Deissmann, Light, etc., p. 89), in N.T. only here and Acts 7:53. Note repetition of root of τασσω — tassō To themselves Dative of disadvantage. See Mark 12:40 for “shall receive a judgment” Future middle of λαμβανω — lambanō f0). [source]
Romans 13:2 To themselves [εαυτοις]
Dative of disadvantage. See Mark 12:40 for “shall receive a judgment” Future middle of λαμβανω — lambanō f0). [source]
Philippians 3:19 Who mind earthly things [οι τα επιγεια προνουντες]
Anacoluthon. The nominative does not refer to πολλοι — polloi at the beginning, but with the accusative τους εχτρους — tous echthrous in between. See note on Mark 12:40. [source]
1 Thessalonians 2:17 Being taken from you [ἀπορφανισθέντες]
N.T.oolxx. Rev. better, being bereaved of you. From ὀρφανός bereftSee Mark 12:40, John 14:18; James 1:27. The word suggests the intimate personal fellowship of the writer with his readers. The separation was like that between parents and children. Comp. 1 Thessalonians 2:7, 1 Thessalonians 2:8. [source]
1 Timothy 5:3 That are widows indeed [τας οντως χηρας]
For οντως — ontōs (actually, really), see Luke 23:47; 1 Corinthians 14:25; and 1 Timothy 5:5. For widows (χηρα — chēra) see note on Mark 12:40; note on Mark 12:42; note on Acts 6:1; and note on 1 Corinthians 7:8. Parry notes that in 1 Timothy 5:3-8 Paul discusses widows who are in distress and 1 Timothy 5:9 those who are in the employment of the local church for certain work. Evidently, as in Acts 6:1-6, so here in Ephesus there had arisen some trouble over the widows in the church. Both for individual cases of need and as a class Timothy is to show proper respect (τιμα — timā keep on honouring) the widows. [source]
James 3:1 Heavier judgment [μειζον κριμα]
“Greater sentence.” See Mark 12:40; Luke 20:47 for περρισοτερον κριμα — perrisoteron krima (the sentence from the judge, Romans 13:2). The reason is obvious. The pretence of knowledge adds to the teacher‘s responsibility and condemnation. [source]
Revelation 18:7 Herself [αυτην]
Reflexive pronoun, accusative also with εδοχασεν — edoxasen wanton First aorist (ingressive) active indicative of στρηνιαω — strēniaō (to live luxuriously), verb in late comedy instead of τρυπαω — truphaō (James 5:5), from στρηνος — strēnos (Revelation 18:3), only here in N.T.So much give her of torment and mourning (τοσουτον δοτε αυτηι βασανισμον και πεντος — tosouton dote autēi basanismon kai penthos). Second aorist active imperative of διδωμι — didōmi to give. The correlative pronoun τοσουτον — tosouton is masculine singular accusative, agreeing with βασανισμον — basanismon for which see Revelation 9:5; Revelation 14:11, and is understood with the neuter word πεντος — penthos (mourning), in N.T. only in James 4:9; Revelation 18:7.; Revelation 21:4 (kin to πατοσ πενομαι — pathosκατημαι βασιλισσα — penomai).I sit a queen Predicate nominative for the old form βασιλις — basileia Feminine of the adjective πεντος ου μη ιδω — chēros (barren), old word (Mark 12:40).Shall in no wise see mourning Confident boast of security with emphatic position of ου μη — penthos (see above) and double negative οραω — ou mē with the second aorist active subjunctive of horaō (defective verb). [source]
Revelation 18:7 I sit a queen [βασιλεια]
Predicate nominative for the old form βασιλις — basileia Feminine of the adjective πεντος ου μη ιδω — chēros (barren), old word (Mark 12:40).Shall in no wise see mourning Confident boast of security with emphatic position of ου μη — penthos (see above) and double negative οραω — ou mē with the second aorist active subjunctive of horaō (defective verb). [source]
Revelation 18:7 And am no widow [χηρος]
Feminine of the adjective πεντος ου μη ιδω — chēros (barren), old word (Mark 12:40). [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 12:40 mean?

those devouring the houses of the widows and as a pretext at great length praying These will receive greater judgment
οἱ κατεσθίοντες τὰς οἰκίας τῶν χηρῶν καὶ προφάσει μακρὰ προσευχόμενοι οὗτοι λήμψονται περισσότερον κρίμα

οἱ  those 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
κατεσθίοντες  devouring 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: κατεσθίω 
Sense: to consume by eating, to eat up, devour.
οἰκίας  houses 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Plural
Root: οἰκία  
Sense: a house.
τῶν  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Feminine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
χηρῶν  widows 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Plural
Root: χήρα  
Sense: a widow.
προφάσει  as  a  pretext 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: πρόφασις  
Sense: a pretext (alleged reason, pretended cause).
μακρὰ  at  great  length 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: μακρός  
Sense: long.
προσευχόμενοι  praying 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: προσεύχομαι  
Sense: to offer prayers, to pray.
οὗτοι  These 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: οὗτος  
Sense: this.
λήμψονται  will  receive 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Plural
Root: λαμβάνω  
Sense: to take.
περισσότερον  greater 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Singular, Comparative
Root: περισσός  
Sense: exceeding some number or measure or rank or need.
κρίμα  judgment 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: κρίμα  
Sense: a decree, judgments.