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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Luke 21:1 - 21:4
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The Widow's Gift.
v. 1 And He looked up and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.
v. 2. And He saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.
v. 3. And He said, Of a truth I say unto you that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all;
v. 4. for all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God; but she of her penury hath cast in an the living that she had.
Jesus had probably delivered His last discourse in the Court of Women, where there were situated the thirteen trumpet-shaped treasure-chests, or collection boxes, of the Temple. Looking up now, He saw something which not only did not insult His holy eyes, but filled Him with joy. His looking was not a casual, momentary glance, but He scrutinized the people intently for some time, deliberately taking note of their coming and the size of their gifts. The rich people put in large gifts, which was an easy matter for them to do. Gifts of a comparatively large size represented no sacrifice for them. But then the Lord's attention was drawn to a widow, a miserably poor and needy woman. Going up to one of the chests, this woman deposited therein two mites. "Another coin, translated mite, is in Greek lepton, 'the small one,' or the 'bit. ' It was two of these that the widow cast into the treasury. Two of them equaled a quadrans. The mite was, then, of the value of 1/8 of a cent. It was doubtless the smallest coin in circulation. " This act of real love and sacrifice made a deep impression upon Christ. With warm feeling He told His disciples: Truly I say to you that this poor widow cast in more than all the others. The actual amount was, of course, much smaller than the gifts of the rich. But in proportion to the ability of the others her simple gift stood so far ahead of the rest that there was no comparison possible. The others had given of their superfluity: they did not even feel the giving of the amount they cast into the chest. But this widow might have been expected to beg rather than to be giving to the Temple treasury. And yet out of her want, when she was deprived of practically all her living, she had given her last quarter of a cent to the Lord, all that she had to sustain life. True love and real sacrifice are here exemplified, and this is the attitude in which all work for the Lord and all gifts for His "kingdom should be given. See Mar_12:41-44.