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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadMatthew Poole Commentary - Mark 12:41 - 12:41
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Ver. 41-44. This is the only piece of history in this chapter which we did not before meet with in Matthew. Luke hath this, Luk_21:1-4. For the understanding of this history, both as to the letter and profitable instruction arising from it, we must know, that in the temple (where our Saviour now was) there was a treasury, or rather treasuries. And famous Dr. Lightfoot said, there were treasure chambers, called Lesacoth, and thirteen treasure chests, called Shopheroth, all called by the general name of Corban or Corbonah. Two of these chests were for the half shekel, which every Israelite was to pay according to the law, Exo_30:12,13. There were eleven more, the inscription upon which showed what money should be put there.
1. For the price of the two turtle doves, or two young pigeons.
2. For the burnt offering of birds.
3. For the money offered to buy wood for the altar.
4. For those who gave money to buy frankincense.
5. For those who offered gold for the mercy seat.
6. For the residue of the money for the sin offering.
7. For the residue of the money for a trespass offering.
8. For the residue of an offering of birds.
9. For the surplus of a Nazarite’s offering.
10. For the residue of a leper’s trespass offering.
11. For whosoever would offer an offering of the herd.
The Israelites, tied to their several offerings, were not tied to
provide them themselves, but they might bring sums of money, with which the priests provided them, and if there were a surpulsage, it was put into one or other of these chests. These chests were placed in that part of the temple which was called the court of the women, not because none but women might come there, but because women might go no further, as the court of the Gentiles (into which Jews came) was so called because the Gentiles might go no further. Our Lord so sat, as he observed men come and put their offerings into one of these chests. He saw many Jews that were rich casting in much money of silver, or gold, or brass, though brass money was most in use. Amongst others a poor widow came;
she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. As to the value of what she threw in, let us hear the learned Dr. Lightfoot in his Temple Service, chapter 19.
“The weight of the piece of silver mentioned in the law, was three hundred and twenty barley corns. The wise men added to it, and made it four hundred and eighty-four middle barley corns. This made four Denarii; each Denarius made six Meahs, which in Moses’s time was called a Gerah. The Meah made two Pondions; the Pondion made two Issarines or Assariusses. The Assarius, or Issarine, was the weight of four barley corns, the weight of a mite was half a barley corn.”
According to this rate, the widows’s two mites made in silver the weight of a middle barley corn. This our Saviour calls all that she had, and all her living. The Greek is all her life, that is, all that she had to sustain her life. Arias Montanus thinks that that which is meant is, all that she had to uphold her life for one day. For it is said, that this quantity was usually reckoned the livelihood, or a sufficiency, for a poor man for a day. Christ said, she had cast in more than any of the rest; not more strictly, but pro rata, comparing what they were able to do with what she was able to do. The two great instructions which this history affords us are:
1. That the poorer sort of people are not excused from good works, 2Co_8:2,3.
2. That God in his acceptation of our good works looks at the heart, the will, and affections, not at the quantum of what we do: If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not, 2Co_8:12. It is the obedience and love which God accepteth, not the quantum of the gift.