Articles
The Widows Mite - Luke 21
The Widows Mite - Luke 21
As Jesus observed the poor widow put in ‘two small copper coins’ into the ‘treasury’, he commented that she contributed ‘more than them all’.
In writing on this Treasury, it is said that there were “thirteen trumpet-shaped receptacles in the temple forecourt by the Court of Women” and that they “served to collect freewill offerings that were used to underwrite temple worship.” [ Baker Exeg. Comm. On the NT, Darrell L. Bock] Interestingly, such was not a ‘collection for the poor’, but a collection that provided for the temple and the worship that took place there! It was THIS that the poor widow contributed to out of her very livelihood.
Concerning her gift: ESV Study Bible on Mark says it was a “Small copper coins (Gk. lepta [plural]; a lepton was a Jewish coin worth about 1/128th of a denarius, which was a day’s wage for a laborer) are valued at a fraction of a cent”. Yet, Jesus’ estimate was that she put in “all she owned, all she had to live on” (Mark 12:44), (Luke - she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on.” AND Luke includes the CONTRAST that the others gave ‘out of their surplus’.
Notice that:
- God sees even the smallest of actions.
- Such is judged not on ‘greatness’ but on ability.
- Such challenges our very thinking on money, benevolence, kindness, duty, and the importance of WORSHIP.
If you were down to your last penny, would you have enough trust in God’s providential care to give even a part of it? Do we treasure the worship of God enough to be willing to help provide for it out of our very livelihood? Honestly, I am always left speechless at such action on the part of this poor widow.
What do you think about this poor widow?
Hugh DeLong
