In Luke 20:45–47, Jesus issues a sobering warning:
“Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, ‘Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.’”
At first glance, this passage appears to function as a public denunciation of Israel’s religious leadership. And in one sense, it is precisely that—Jesus does not soften His assessment of their conduct or its consequences. Yet the direction of His words is critical. He does not speak to the scribes; He speaks to His disciples, and He does so “in the hearing of all the people.”
This distinction suggests that the primary aim of this moment is not merely exposure, but formation. Jesus is not continuing an appeal to leaders who have repeatedly refused repentance. Rather, He is issuing a warning to those who will soon inherit responsibility within His Kingdom. The words “beware of the scribes” are not an insult; they are a safeguard.
Throughout Luke 20, Jesus has confronted the religious authorities with truth meant to lead them toward repentance. Yet their response never progresses beyond marveling at His answers. They admire His wisdom, but they do not submit to it. This pattern makes the shift in Luke 20:45 especially telling. Jesus turns His attention away from the unrepentant leaders and toward those who are still being shaped.
This warning is preventative. It is designed to expose how easily the same impulses can take root in any heart, even among those who sincerely follow Him.
When this warning is read alongside Jesus’ teaching about “this age” and “the age to come,” its deeper significance becomes clear. The scribes embody the values of this age: outward appearance, public recognition, institutional authority, and personal security. Their long robes, public greetings, and preferred seats are expressions of where their treasure lies.
Jesus’ words suggest that the only reliable guard against this drift is an unrelenting orientation toward the Kingdom of God. To beware is not merely to avoid certain behaviors, but to adopt an entirely different way of seeing—one shaped by the age to come.
When applied to legacy stewardship, these insights are clarifying. Legacy is easily distorted when measured by recognition, permanence, or visible influence. But viewed through the lens of the Kingdom, legacy becomes an act of trust—holding the world loosely and ordering one’s life around what endures.
The passage leaves us with a searching question: are our lives and legacies governed by the values of this age, or shaped by the Kingdom that is coming?
