A Widow's Offering
Notes
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THE SCRIBES- Religious Pretense
THE SCRIBES- Religious Pretense
and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts,
And in his teaching he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes and like greetings in the marketplaces and have the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
mARK 12:3
Appearance- “Walk around in long robes”
Appearance- “Walk around in long robes”
Their “flowing robes” were full-length prayer shawls with tassels attached to the four corners, in contrast to the colorful common Jewish dress. Made of wool or linen, these blanket-like mantles, known as tallits, distinguished rabbis and scholars as men of wealth and eminence.
James R. Edwards, The Gospel according to Mark, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos, 2002), 378.
Known- “Greetings in the marketplaces”
Known- “Greetings in the marketplaces”
When a scribe walked down the street or passed through a marketplace, everyone was expected to rise before him.
James R. Edwards, The Gospel according to Mark, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos, 2002), 378.
Honored- “Have the best seats in the synagogues and the paces of honor at feasts”
Honored- “Have the best seats in the synagogues and the paces of honor at feasts”
This refers to the benches along the walls of the synagogues, which faced the congregation seated on the floor in the middle of the synagogue. These were reserved for teachers and persons of rank, and afforded the best position from which to address the congregation.
James R. Edwards, The Gospel according to Mark, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos, 2002), 378.
Malicious- “Devour widow’s houses”
Malicious- “Devour widow’s houses”
The prophets had railed against “making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless” (; also ; ).
James R. Edwards, The Gospel according to Mark, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos, 2002), 379.
Hypocritical- “Make long prayers”
Hypocritical- “Make long prayers”
Their Fate: “They will receive greater punishment.”
Their Fate: “They will receive greater punishment.”
The judgment of Jesus on those who practice religion for the purpose of self-advancement is blunt and stern: they “ ‘will be severely punished.’ ”
THE WIDOW- Humble Faith
THE WIDOW- Humble Faith
And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
Mark 13:41-44
The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order.
The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”
mARK 12:
The Mishnah (m. Sheq. 6:5) reports that there were thirteen Shofar-chests in the temple, each dedicated to a special offering.
These trumpetlike receptacles were, as their name suggests, shaped like a Shofar or ram’s horn, and positioned with the tapered end upward in order to prevent theft. Into one of these receptacles (perhaps one of the latter designated for freewill offerings)
“a poor widow” deposits “two lepta” (v. 42), the smallest coinage in circulation.
The scribes are ostentatious and prepossessing, and the crowds are rich and extravagant; but by contrast this “one poor widow” contributes two of the smallest coins in circulation.
In purely financial terms, the value of her offering is negligible—and unworthy of compare to the sums of the wealthy donors.
But in the divine exchange rate things look differently.
That which made no difference in the books of the temple is immortalized in the Book of Life.
Jesus prefaces his pronouncement on the widow’s gift with solemn authority: He “summoned” (Gk. proskaleesthai) the disciples, saying “ ‘I tell you the truth’ ” (Gk. Amēn legō hymin, v. 43), this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others, for they gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.’ ”
How powerfully ironic is the word “more” in Mark’s description. Everything about this woman has been described in terms of less, particularly in comparison to the scribes and wealthy crowd. And yet, the contrast between her genuine piety and faith and the pretense of the wealthy is beyond compare.
For Jesus, the value of a gift is not the amount given, but the cost to the giver.