Mark 12:41-44, The Widow's Offering

⁴¹ And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. [The setting is the Court of the Women where thirteen trumpet-shaped boxes for collection of monies were placed. Each box had an inscription indicating the use of the gifts.] Many rich people put in large sums. ⁴² And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which make a penny. [In Greek “poor widow” is one word and indicated her destitute state. First-century widows had few options of earning income. This widow’s offering of two leptas—the only Jewish coin mentioned in the NT—were of little value.] ⁴³ 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. ⁴⁴ 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.” [Having just condemned avarice, Jesus observes nominal religion with all its pomp and show. Then one of the groups of the scribes’ prey, shows true devotion to God out of her poverty. God sees both for from him nothing is hidden. God measures giving, not by how much we give him, but what we keep for ourselves. She could have kept one coin for herself but chose not to.]