JESUS PRAISES A WIDOW'S DEVOTION

Passage: Luke 20:45-21:4

Key verse: 21:4

NIV

Warning Against the Teachers of the Law

45 While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, 46 “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.(A) 47 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

The Widow’s Offering(B)

21 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.(C) 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”(D)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Beware of the Scribes

45 (A)And in the hearing of all the people he said to his disciples, 46 “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and (B)the places of honor at feasts, 47 (C)who devour widows' houses and (D)for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

The Widow's Offering

21 (E)Jesus[a] looked up and saw the rich (F)putting their gifts into (G)the offering box, 2 and he saw a poor widow put in two (H)small copper coins.[b] 3 And he said, “Truly, I tell you, (I)this poor widow has put in more than all of them. 4 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her (J)poverty put in all (K)she had to live on.”

Footnotes
  1. Luke 21:1 Greek He
  2. Luke 21:2 Greek two lepta; a lepton was a Jewish bronze or copper coin worth about 1/128 of a denarius (which was a day's wage for a laborer)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Beware of the teachers of the law (2

:45-47)

The disciples may have been secretly envious of the flowing robes, respect, and position the religious leaders flaunted. But Jesus wanted his disciples to see beyond appearances to the motives of the heart. The religious leaders' devotion to God was rooted in a desire for honor and praise. They devoured widow's houses through their religious traditions (Mk. 7:11-13). Jesus says: 'Beware!' Their lives were a warning for his disciples. Such people would be punished most severely.

2. This widow put in more than the others (21:1-4)

Jesus turned his attention to the place where gifts for the temple were placed. He saw the rich putting in their gifts, but it was the two very small coins of a destitute widow that caught his admiration. He wanted his disciples to see and notice this woman's act of faith and devotion. In contrast with the religious leaders whose acts were done before people's eyes, this woman put her trust and hope in God, whose heart goes out to widows and the poor.

Prayer: Father, I am easily distracted by what people think or say. Help me seek your praise and admiration by trusting in your grace and devoting myself to you.

One Word: Jesus sees our acts of faith