And in his teaching he [Jesus] said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation." (Mark 12:38-40, ESV).
"Nobody likes a show-off--but everybody wants to be seen.
This was definitely true of the religious leaders Jesus confronted. They 'like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces' (Mark 12:38, ESV).
In their defense, the religious leaders might have said, 'We want people to see the glory and majesty of God when we walk by.' After all, people would bow to God if He walked by. His clothing would be of the highest quality, and He would always get the seat of honor. 'Therefore, as God's representatives,' they would say, 'we should be treated as Him.'
The religious leaders, however, were so busy imitating God's appearance and importance that they forgot to imitate His heart.
God described Himself as 'The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin' (Exodus 34:6-7, ESV).
In case you're wondering, there's a word for someone like these religious leaders: hypocrite.
These religious leaders were half right, but all wrong. We are called to imitate God, to be like Him, but we're called to imitate His heart, not His glory. 'And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God' (Ephesians 5:2, ESV)."
-Not ReligionInsights.com (emphasis mine)
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