“Cursing the Leaders?”

Mark 12: 38-40: “And in His teaching He was saying, ‘Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like respectful greetings in the marketplaces, and chief seats in the synagogues, and places of honor at banquets, who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers; these will receive greater condemnation.” So, did Jesus finally break Moses’ commandment here? For that to be true, the scribes – along with the Pharisees, Herodians, and Sadducees, all of whom, one by one, had tried to trap Jesus in His words on this day – would have to be God-appointed leaders of the people. They weren’t. They had “placed themselves in Moses’ chair” (Matthew 23: 2). Plus, Jesus’ description here was spot-on. There’s no slander here, just facts.