THE WIDOW’S OFFERING

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

The teachers of the law looked pious, but they were hypocritical. They went to the marketplaces to show off their fancy robes and to be greeted by people; they wanted to be treated as VIPs at banquets or in the synagogues. They did not seek God and his glory; rather they used God’s name to seek human glory and people’s recognition. They used religion as a cloak for taking advantage of weak people for their material gain. Jesus said that this kind of people will be punished most severely. Jesus wants us to live in the sight of God, seeking God’s glory.

As Jesus was standing in the temple, he saw some rich people putting a large amount of money into the treasury of the temple out of their wealth. But a poor widow put in two very small copper coins, which were the smallest unit of coinage in Jewish currency and were of very little value. But she put in all she had to live on out of poverty. It was worth more than money. She did not calculate or offer leftovers, but gave everything she had, proportionally more than the rich. Jesus saw her sacrificial heart and faith. In Jesus’ eyes, her gift was the most expensive of all, for she gave God her heart and trusted him for her future. This was her faith.

Prayer: Lord, help me to seek you and your glory and give cheerfully for those who are in need out of love. Grant me eyes to see beautiful acts of love and faith in others.

One Word: Jesus valued a widow’s gift to God.