The Widow’s Offering

41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

During this week, Jesus continued to teach at the temple. He sat down opposite the treasury where he could also see the area of the temple called the Court of the Women. There were various boxes in this area for temple taxes and freewill gifts. He could see the rich putting their gifts in the boxes and many put in large amounts. They were giving ‘out of their wealth’ because they could afford to do so. He then noticed the woman. She was poor and a widow meaning she had very little ability to financially support herself and yet she gave all she had. She gave out of her poverty putting 2 very small copper coins in the box. Those coins would have amounted to 2 lepta and as a labourer at the time would have earned 132 lepta for a day’s work, it was a tiny amount. But as it represented all she had to live on,, it made her giving both generous and sacrificial. Jesus called the disciples over to tell them what he had seen. He told them she had put more into the treasury than all the others.

There is no doubt the positioning of this passage directly after the warnings Jesus makes about teachers of the law who ‘devour widows houses’ is significant. It is likely attention is being drawn to a system in the form of the temple treasury, that feeds off those whom it is meant to protect, leaving them destitute. The temple had fallen into the hands of those who were using it for unjust purposes.

In respect of the widow, we don’t know anything more about her, the life she lived or her motivation behind giving although we can speculate. Maybe she felt she couldn’t measure up to the others who appeared to be giving so much more that day, maybe she felt isolated and alienated within the community because of her poverty and low status as a widow. It is likely she had encountered oppression, injustice and discrimination.

What we can assume is Jesus saw her worth and in him she could find her true identity. It is also clear money has little value in the Kingdom of God rather it is the motive of the giver which holds the true value.

What issues does this passage raise for you?
As you journey through Holy week do you have a sense of your worth and true identity in God. If not what may help you find it?
Are there unjust structures that you are aware of in your community? What can you do to stand up to oppression, injustice and discrimination in the lives of others.