My Two Cents Worth

Introduction

Today, I want to give you my two cents. "My two cents" ("my 2¢") and its longer version "put my two cents in" is an American idiomatic expression, [1] taken from the original English idiom "to put in my two-penny worth" or "my two cents". It is used to preface a tentative statement of one’s opinion.

But today, I’m not giving you my opinion rather the truth.

In fact, you should now be holding in your hands two pennies.

Pennies are funny things, aren’t they?

There has been an outcry for years over the cost of making pennies, because they are actually more expensive to make than their face value. In 2016, it is reported that the penny cost on average 1.5 cents to make.

In fact, they are worth more melted down and sold than they are if you spend them whole.

However, there is more in those pennies than you realize.

Most of us have pennies shoved in our car seats and in the dark recesses of our couch cushions.

Most of us have pennies shoved in our car seats and in the dark recesses of our couch cushions.

We hear them rattle around in the dryer when we forget to take them out of our pockets, and we rarely give them a second thought.

We hear them rattle around in the dryer when we forget to take them out of our pockets, and we rarely give them a second thought.

We find them everywhere...

Yet, as we see Jesus nearing the end of his life and ministry on earth, he took very special notice of two small, basically worthless coins, because they came from an incredible heart.

​This morning, as we read this brief but powerful account of Jesus’ teachable moment with the disciples, we are going to glean one main truth: great gifts aren’t measured in dollars; they are measured in dependence.

This morning, we are picking up our study through Mark in .

The Temple Scene

As we read this brief but powerful account of Jesus’ teachable moment with the disciples, we are going to glean one main truth: great gifts aren’t measured in dollars; they are measured in dependence.

It’s a well-known story: Jesus is doing some “people watching” in the Temple—next to the offering box. (Makes you fidgety, right?) He sees that many rich people making large contributions. But then he takes special notice of one poor widow lady who puts in two very small coins—which in his estimation is the biggest offering of the day.

What’s often not mentioned is that this little story rounds off a major section in Mark’s gospel (beginning in ch. 11) about Jesus’ visit to the temple in Jerusalem. This section has sometimes been subtitled “The Barren Temple.”

Jesus goes to the temple, finds it barren/fruitless and essentially pronounces judgment on the whole temple system.

The first scene in the section is the temple cleansing (turning over the tables and chairs of money-changers and pigeon-sellers/rebuking them)

and the final scene is observing this poor widow make her contribution to God.

In the larger context, we see that the Lord was clearly not pleased with what was going on in the Temple.

Look at what he says just before he encounters the poor widow:

Mark 12:38–40 KJV 1900

38 And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, 39 And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: 40 Which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.

Mark 12:38–40 NIVAs he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”There was a lot of show in the temple, but little of what pleased God. Now, just before his final exit, he notices one beautiful act that showed up all the temple activity. In fact, this woman embodied of the very things he taught about during his temple visit.

There was a lot of show in the temple, but little of what pleased God. Now, just before his final exit, he notices one beautiful act that showed up all the temple activity. In fact, this woman embodied of the very things he taught about during his temple visit.

The Poor Widow’s Offering

Mark 12:41–42 ESV

41 And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny.

ESV

Herod’s temple had four courts: Outer Court (Jews and Gentiles), Court of Women (Jewish men and women), Court of Israel (Jewish men), Court of Priests (most exclusive).

Court of women had 13 shofar-chests (boxes shaped like a trumpet/ram’s horn). ‘How much noise can I make with this gift?!’

Matthew 6:2 KJV 1900

2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

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So Jesus sees all this noisy giving. And then he sees a poor widow and among all the clanging coins, he hears a very tiny tink, tink. The coins she put in were the smallest unit in circulation in Judea. Mark translates for Roman readers, explaining that together they would add up to the smallest Roman coin. It’s like saying to us, “She put in a penny.”

So Jesus sees all this noisy giving. And then he sees a poor widow and among all the clanging coins, he hears a very tiny tink, tink. The coins she put in were the smallest unit in circulation in Judea. Mark translates for Roman readers, explaining that together they would add up to the smallest Roman coin. It’s like saying to us, “She put in a penny.”

Jesus notices what surely seemed to everyone else insignificant and inconsequential. Other gifts made a lot of noise as they were offered, but the little tink, tink of her two little coins resounded in heaven.

I’m reminded that the most significant things that happen at church don’t happen on the stage, they happen in our hearts.

The Lesson

Mark 12:43–44 KJV 1900

43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: 44 For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.

There are several things that the story of the widow’s mite teaches us.

First, God sees what man overlooks.

The big gifts in the temple were surely noticed by people; that’s probably what the disciples were watching.

But Jesus saw what no one else did: He saw the humble gift of a poor widow.

This was the gift that Jesus thought worthy of comment; this was the gift that the disciples needed to be aware of.

The other gifts in the treasury that day made a lot of noise as they jingled into the receptacles, but the widow’s mites were heard in heaven.

Second, God’s evaluation is different from man’s.

The widow’s two mites added up to a penny, according to man’s tabulation.

But Jesus said that she had given more than anyone else that day

Mark 12:43 KJV 1900

43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:

How could this be, when “many rich people threw in large amounts”

Mark 12:41 KJV 1900

41 And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

How could this be, when “many rich people threw in large amounts” ()? The difference is one of proportion. The rich were giving large sums, but they still retained their fortunes; the widow “put in everything—all she had to live on” (). Hers was a true sacrifice; the rich had not begun to give to the level of her sacrifice.

)? The difference is one of proportion. The rich were giving large sums, but they still retained their fortunes; the widow “put in everything—all she had to live on” (). Hers was a true sacrifice; the rich had not begun to give to the level of her sacrifice.

The difference is one of proportion.

The rich were giving large sums, but they still retained their fortunes;

the widow “put in everything—all she had to live on” ().

Hers was a true sacrifice; the rich had not begun to give to the level of her sacrifice.

Third, God commends giving in faith.

Third, God commends giving in faith.

Here was a woman in need of receiving charity, yet she had a heart to give.

Even though the amount was negligible—what could a widow’s mite buy?—she gave it in faith that God could use it.

The widow’s faith is also evident in the fact that she gave the last of her money.

Like the widow of Zarephath, who gave her last meal to Elijah (see ),

the widow in the temple gave away her last means of self-support.

Does that mean the widow left the temple completely destitute, went home, and died of starvation?

No. The Bible teaches that God provides for our needs ().

We don’t know the details of this particular widow’s future, but we can be certain that she was provided for.

Just as God provided for the widow and her son in Elijah’s day (), God also provided for the widow in Jesus’ day.