Mark 12:39

And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

12:35-40 When we attend to what the Scriptures declare, as to the person and offices of Christ, we shall be led to confess him as our Lord and God; to obey him as our exalted Redeemer. If the common people hear these things gladly, while the learned and distinguished oppose, the former are happy, and the latter to be pitied. And as sin, disguised with a show of piety, is double iniquity, so its doom will be doubly heavy.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

In his doctrine - In his "teaching," for so it should be rendered.

Beware of the scribes - Be on your guard. Be cautious about hearing them or following them.

Scribes - The learned men of the Jewish nation.

Which love to go in long clothing - In long, flowing robes, as significant of their consequence, leisure, and learning.

Salutations ... - See the notes at Matthew 23:6-7.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

39. And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms—or positions.

at feasts—On this love of distinction, see on [1487]Lu 14:7; [1488]Mt 6:5.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Mark 12:38"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And the chief seats in the synagogues,.... Where the rulers of the synagogue, and the elders of the people sat; See Gill on Matthew 23:6.

And the uppermost rooms at feasts; or the first and chief places where they sat, or rather lay along at public entertainment; See Gill on Matthew 23:6.

Geneva Study Bible

And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

39. the chief seats] The seats of honour for the elders of the synagogue were placed in front of the ark containing the Law, in the uppermost part, where they sat with their faces to the people. In the synagogue at Alexandria there were seventy-one golden chairs, according to the number of the members of the Great Sanhedrim.

the uppermost rooms] Rather, the chief seats, “Þe first sitting places in soperis,” Wyclif. The highest place on the divan, as amongst the Greeks. Amongst the Romans, when a party consisted of more than three persons, it was the custom to arrange three of the couches on which they reclined round a table, so that the whole formed three sides of a square, leaving the bottom of it open for the approach of the attendants. These couches were then respectively designated lectus medius, summus, and imus. The middle place in the triclinium was considered the most dignified. At a large feast there would be many such triclinia.

Mark 12:39

Vincent's Word Studies

Uppermost rooms (πρωτοκλισίας)

More correctly, the chief couches,. So Rev., chief places.