And in His teaching He was saying to them, “Beware of the scribes, who love to walk around in long robes, and to receive respectful greetings in the marketplaces.
Christ warns about the danger of religious showmanship. The scribes’ long robes and their desire to receive greetings in the marketplaces showed that their hearts longed to appear great before people’s eyes. They held a religious position, but they had turned that position into a means of ambition for glory. The Lord does not condemn respect itself, but criticizes the insatiable desire to be exalted by people and to receive honor. Spiritual service must flow from a humble heart before God, not from a desire to gain praise from people.