Luke 21:1-4

¹ And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, ² and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites. ³ So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; ⁴ for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”

Commentary

Vs. 1 “And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury.”

The scene now moves back into the Temple where Jesus observed the rich putting their gifts into the treasury; that is into one of the 13 large trumpet shaped collection boxes (with the horns opening at the top) that were placed against the wall in the court of the woman where people deposited their gifts and offerings to the Lord. Now because of their shape the sound of the amount of coinage traveling down them would be quite audible. Thus, as one deposited more copper, silver, or gold coins (which would be the heaviest) the sound of them traveling down would only be more intensely magnified to all present. 

Vs. 2 “and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.”

And so as Jesus observed (and heard) the rich putting their gifts into the treasury as they entered the court, He also noticed a certain widow who rather discreetly deposited two mites, that is two small copper coins. And so amidst all of the rattling and jingling sounds being made by larger and heavier coins being deposited by the rich, which could be easily seen and heard while they were being deposited, Jesus noticed a poor widow depositing her two mites, which would’ve barely made a sound amidst all the other offerings being made at the same time, as they passed down the collection boxes trumpet shaped throat.

Vs. 3-4 ³ So He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; ⁴ for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.”

Now when Jesus observed her doing so He said, “Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; ⁴ for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had.” How often then do we acknowledge the sacrificial gifts of those who are poor? Rather is not the rich who give from their abundance to God who receive open honors and accolades and open doors from those within the church family’s leadership? Which sadly seems not dissimilar to how the world and its influencers also work. I think then as Jesus reveal here, there needs to be a correction if how we view and treat those amongst us who are truly sacrificial in their free-will giving to God. And not continue to show partiality nor seek the favor of those who are rich while ignoring or worse despising those who are poor amongst us (James 1:9-11; 2:1-17; 5:1-6, also Prov. 22:16).

Scripture Quotations

New King James Version (1982): Thomas Nelson