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The Widow's Mite - Luke 21
The Widow's Mite - Luke 21
Chapter 21 of Luke seems to me to be another one of those rather untimely chapter divisions. Jesus had just reproved the scribes, the self-proclaimed religious leaders and teachers of 'what was right'. He reproved them for their outward show of being religious while really seeking popularity, adulations, and fame. They did such while at the same time 'devouring widow's houses' (20:47).
Now, apparently setting in the temple area where there were special collection boxes set up so people could contribute to the needy among them, Jesus sees a 'poor widow'. According to Mark's account, Jesus calls his disciples attention to this woman. Mark also mentions that the rich were giving large sums of money into these collections. This woman was so poor that she only gave 'two mites'. This is difficult to put into today's money standards.
William Hendriksen in his commentary wrote: It took two lepta to make one quadrant (Mark 12:42); four quadrants or eight lepta to equal one as or assarion; and sixteen of the latter to reach the value of one denarius. It will be recalled that the denarius was a common laborer’s daily wage (Matt. 20:9, 10). So if a denarius was worth sixteen American pennies, then an assarion would be worth one penny, and a lepton one-eighth of a penny; hence the two lepta the widow contributed would amount to one-quarter of a cent." *
Now that we have a clear picture of the amount (said sarcastically)... What she gave would not have made much if any difference at all in the total collection. Yet, Jesus perceived that her gift was greater because she gave not out of abundance, but out of her very livelihood. We probably would have scolded her and told her that she needed to not only keep her 'two mites' but to get in line and receive some from the distribution of the collection! Jesus did neither. Rather, he acknowledged that such a gift was greater than all the others.
Such a gift indicated a complete trust in God to provide as she freely shared what little she had. She gave because she had first given herself to the Lord (see this language used by Paul concerning the Macedonian's giving in 2 Cor. 8). There was no excusing herself. There doesn't seem to be any self-pity on her part concerning her dire situation in life.
It really isn't about the giving but about the heart. Such giving is accepted not according to what a person has but "if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not" (2 Cor. 8:12).
Bottom line for me is asking myself: "What would Jesus say about my attitude towards my possessions?" That is a difficult question to be honest in answering. What is your answer about yourself?
Hugh DeLong
*Exposition of the Gospel According to Luke, Baker New Testament Commentary, William Hendriksen, Logos Edition.
