Understanding the Widow’s Offering: A Deeper Look
Mark 12:41-44, Luke 21:1-4
And Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the crowd was putting money into the treasury. And He looked up, and saw many rich people putting their many gifts into the treasury. And He saw a certain poor widow come and put in two small leptons, which amount to a quadran.
And calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury, for they all put into the offering [of God]T out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”
There are two ways to interpret this story. Most of the time I’ve heard it said that Jesus was praising the widow for giving all that she owned, all that she had to live on. Does this mean we should give until we are in poverty? Then Jesus will praise us? I don’t think so. He wants us to use our money wisely so that we can help those who are truly in need.
If you look at the account just before this in Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus is pronouncing a woe on the Scribes and Pharisees –
Matthew 23:14, Mark 12:40, Luke 20:47
[Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because]T you (are those) who devour widows houses, and for appearances sake offer long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.
With that in mind, it seems much more likely that Jesus was still upset with the Scribes and Pharisees about forcing widows to give all they have so that can’t even live on what they have left. If someone gives away everything, how can they help anyone else?
I know I’m repeating myself, but I think it’s important.
Number of Fish: 1
Total Fish: 139
153 Fish 