‘Virtue signalling’ is not a particularly useful phrase – it’s frequently used as an insult, often relating to people who really are doing the right thing and where there’s no other way to do it – for instance people who wear masks in confined public spaces because they don’t want to give a potentially fatal disease to someone else. Machismo posturing is no less virtue signalling than mask-wearing – it’s just a kind of ‘virtue’ borrowed from a dark and destructive philosophy.
So perhaps it’s too easy to say Jesus condemns virtue signalling when he says this – “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honour at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.” – in next Sunday’s lectionary reading from Mark. He is saying something important though. Never mind how much respect you or someone else has: just doing the right thing is what is important.