Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury

 

 Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?  For David himself said by the Holy Spirit:  'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'  Therefore David himself calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"  And the common people heard Him gladly. 

 

Then He said to them in His teaching, "Beware the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces,  the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."

 

Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury.  And many who were rich put in much.  Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans.  So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."

 

- Mark 12:35–44 

 

Yesterday we read that one of the scribes came, and having heard Jesus and the religious authorities reasoning together in the temple, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?"  Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD is our God, the LORD is one.  And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.'  This is the first commandment.  And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'  There is no other commandment greater than these."  So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher.  You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He.  And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."  Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."  But after that no one dared question Him. 

 

  Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?  For David himself said by the Holy Spirit:  'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'  Therefore David himself calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"  And the common people heard Him gladly.  Jesus asks this question to lead the people to the only logical conclusion:  that He is God incarnate.  He quotes from Psalm 110.  My study Bible explains that they supposed the Messiah to be a mere man, and therefore the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David.  But David, as king of Israel, could not and would not address anyone as "Lord" except God.  But here in this psalm, David refers to the Messiah as "Lord."  So, therefore, the Messiah must be God.  My study Bible remarks that the only possible conclusion is that the Messiah is a descendant of David only according to the flesh, but is at the same time also truly divine, and sharing His Lordship with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.  

 

 Then He said to them in His teaching, "Beware the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces,  the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."  Here Jesus urges the people to beware the scribes because of their hypocrisy, and says that such hypocrisy will receive greater condemnation.  In St. Matthew's Gospel, a very extensive critique (and condemnation) of the scribes and Pharisees is reported in chapter 23.  

 

 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury.  And many who were rich put in much.  Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans.  So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."  My study Bible comments that, according to patristic commentary, the Lord accounts the value of a gift not by how much is given, but by how much is kept back.  So, this poor widow is counted to have given a very great gift, as she kept nothing for herself.  Those who give out of their abundance but keep plenty for themselves, my study Bible says, are counted by God to have given very little.  In the conversion of Cornelius, we learn that God takes note of our giving (Acts 10:4).  According to some estimates, a modern (US) equivalent to the widow's two mites might be about approximately $2.00; in a cash economy and for a dependent person without income this amount becomes quite believable.  

 

 What does it mean to give?  In yesterday's reading (see above), we were given the two great commandments.  The first commandment teaches, "Hear, O Israel, the LORD is our God, the LORD is one.  And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength."  The second adds, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."  Jesus grouped these two together as the greatest commandments, which sum up all the law and the prophets.  Loving one's neighbor as oneself is often seen as manifested in the practice of charity, and acts of charity can take on many forms and many expressions.  When we think of giving, we most often think of money, as in the case with the poor widow giving all she had to the treasury of the temple.  But perhaps we should expand our concepts of giving to include the many other things that we can give in life.  We can give of our time.  We can give of our care, and kindness to others.  We can do many works which are charitable even if not nominally called that:  a good word to someone, letting someone know you think of them, paying attention where attention is needed.  Sometimes just spending time sitting with someone is a charitable act.  In this sense, if we should truly fulfill the first and greatest commandment Jesus gives to us, then possibly we might just find out what it is to give our all.  For if we really deeply love God in all the dimensions of focus in the commandment, then we might find that we give our whole lives to this spirit of giving, depending upon the need and where we are called should we live truly prayerful lives mindful of God.  We can practice giving our lives to God, and seeking that direction for God's will for us at any given time, whether we are at work, at home, no matter where we are and what we are doing.  This is a kind of fullness of giving that's not obvious to the world but incorporates the spirit of giving nevertheless, of being "all in" and deepening our faith in the process even as we practice giving in this way.  Expressing love is so often the process of giving, even giving when we don't know or think we have much else to give at all.  Anyone who has cared for a loved one -- even a pet that needs care -- knows this.  We find that we can give so much more than we thought we could when we're motivated by love.  This extends to our world, the care and stewardship of the creation which God has given us and put us in charge of properly cultivating and guiding it.  Genesis 2:15 reads, "Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it."  The whole of the Bible is filled with verses about proper stewardship of our world and what we do with this gift of resources we're given.  This poor widow in today's reading gives us a sense that even when we don't think we have much to offer, there is always something we have to give if we are "all in."  If we love God, we find resources we didn't know we have.  More importantly, if we have a full abundance of things we can give, we can "hand them over" in prayer to God to find the right role for our stewardship and giving.  St. James writes, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning" (James 1:17).  Thus, all that we have, every blessing comes to us from God in the first place; we may practice the fullness of giving in returning all to God for God's blessing and guidance in how to use it and live God's will for creation.  In the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, there are repeated prayers that combine a commemoration of the Virgin Mary as an icon of the fruitfulness possible through faith, together with the prayer, "with all the saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God."   We entrust ourselves to the Lord, and find fulfillment in so doing, giving ourselves to Christ's direction and guidance as Mediator for all things.  Let us find our gifts and live His teaching together with the poor widow He commends so highly in today's reading.

 

 

 

 

Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all

 

 And He said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?  Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms:

'The LORD said to my Lord,

"Sit at My right hand,

Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'

"Therefore David calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"

 

Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best sets in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."

 

And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."

 

- Luke 20:41—21:4 

 

Yesterday we read that some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, saying:  "Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.  Now there were seven brothers.  And the first took a wife, and died without children.  And the second took her as wife, and he died childless.  Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children, and died.  Last of all the woman died also.  Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become?  For all seven had her as wife."  Jesus answered and said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.  But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.  But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'  For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him."  Then some of the scribes answered and said, "Teacher, You have spoken well."  But after that they dared not question Him anymore. 

 

 And He said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?  Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms:  'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool."' Therefore David calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"  Here Jesus is quoting from Psalm 110, and quizzing the scribes with His own question now, on the meaning of the Scriptures.  My study Bible explains that the first reference to the LORD applies to God the Father, while the term my Lord refers to Christ.  This question is answered in that Christ is the Son of David in His humanity and David's Lord in His divinity.  David, as king of Israel, could not and would not address anyone as "Lord" except God.  Yet, in the psalm, David refers to the Messiah as "Lord."  The only conclusion is that the Messiah is both human and divine.

 

Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best sets in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."   After quizzing the scribes, who could not answer, Jesus goes on to criticize their hypocritical practices.  Their outward piety conceals a private predatory behavior upon the poor and those least able to protect or care for themselves.  In effect, they use the trappings of their places of honor in the religious hierarchy as shields for their greed and abuse.

 

 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."  My study Bible comments that, according to patristic commentary, the Lord accounts the value of a gift not by how much is given, but by how much is kept back.  So, therefore, the poor widow is counted to have given a great gift, because she kept nothing for herself.  Those who give out of their abundance but keep plenty back for themselves, by contrast to her donation, have given much less. 

 

If we examine the story of the poor widow, what we find is a woman who is in this sense investing all her livelihood, all that she has, in God.  By putting her money into the treasury, she is entrusting all that she has to God.  She is, in this sense, indicating her full dependence on God, and dedication to God.  When we invest ourselves, in this sense, to our faith, we do the same.  In the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, celebrated nearly every Sunday in Orthodox churches, and the foundation for other denominations around the world, we frequently hear repeated, "Let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God."  This phrase is also found in the worship of the St. Basil Liturgy which is performed on particular occasions.  This phrase is, in the same sense that the widow invests all that she has in the treasury to God, our way of giving our all liturgically, in repeated prayer.  We seek to direct our lives to the care and service of God, and leave nothing back "for ourselves."  What that means is that as we pray and as we worship, we are seeking not to dedicate ourselves in the sense of performative action such as hides the hypocrisy of the scribes which Jesus criticizes, but to dedicate ourselves to the way, the truth, and the life that Jesus teaches us (John 14:6).  We seek as best we can to follow His way and His commands, but we also entrust that the Holy Spirit will help us to see where we need to change, things we need to give up, and new things we need to take up and make a commitment to.  This is what it is to dedicate our lives to God, to entrust ourselves to God, as this widow does with her donation.  What we find is that all the practices of worship and tradition are aimed to this end, to help us to fulfill this dedication of our whole lives to Christ our God.  When we fast, we are learning to say No the things Christ would ask us to resist that tempt us, when we pray we bow down to the One who loves us and who in turn we entrust with our whole lives, when we venerate icons and share our love of the saints, we do so with this whole community in mind that is encapsulated in this prayer, "Let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to Christ our God."   For our whole lives to be entrusted to God is to go far beyond the practices of the scribes which Jesus so roundly criticizes. In so doing, we find ourselves together with that widow, where we are both part of this community dependent upon and dedicated to God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.  And we find the poor widow as our neighbor, whom we are to love as ourselves.  (See, for example,  Mark 12:30-31.)  Christ the Lord who came into the world to reveal Himself to us, to give us His care, and teach us to find the way to His Kingdom -- and this is the way He shows us in today's reading.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had

 

 And He said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?  Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms:

'The LORD said to my Lord,

"Sit at My right hand,

Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'

"Therefore David calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"  

Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."  

And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."

 

- Luke 20:41—21:4 

 

Yesterday we read that some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Jesus i the temple in Jerusalem and asked Him, saying:  "Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.  Now there were seven brothers.  And the first took a wife, and died without children.  And the second took her as wife, and he died childless.  Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children, and died.  Last of all the woman died also.  Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become?  For all seven had her as wife."  Jesus answered and said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.  But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.  But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'  For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him."  Then some of the scribes answered and said, "Teacher, You have spoken well."   But after that they dared not question Him anymore.   

 

And He said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?  Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms: 'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'  Therefore David calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"  Here Jesus quotes from the beginning of Psalm 110.  My study Bible explains that the first reference to the LORD applies to God the Father, while the term my Lord is a reference to Christ.  The question posed by Jesus is answered in that Christ is the Son of David in His humanity and David's Lord in His divinity.  This "riddle" of the Scripture is only answered by understanding that the Messiah is not a mere man, but is also divine.  David, as king of Israel, could not and would not address anyone as "my Lord" except God.  

Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."   In Matthew 23, Jesus goes into an extensive listing of His criticisms of the scribes and Pharisees.   His greatest condemnation is due to their hypocrisy, the extensive practice of outward piety and signs of their office (long robes, greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts), while at the same time their practice is to prey on the poor for their own gain and greed (they devour widows' houses), and their practice of making long prayers are but a pretense.  Christ's warnings are pertinent for us today.  My study Bible comments that because the example of a leader can be so influential, leaders who do not love God can hinder others from finding God as well.  Moreover, it maintains that these criticisms are especially important to Orthodox Christians, as the Church has maintained ancient Christians practices, using sacred vessels, and holy rites, following tradition.  It says these practices can be expressions of deep faith, lead a person to deeper commitment to God, and safeguard our life in Christ -- or they can be observed without ever taking them to heart and lead to condemnation.  

And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."  My study Bible comments that, according to patristic understanding, the Lord accounts the value of a gift not by how much is given, but by how much is kept back.  So, therefore, this poor widow is counted to have given a great gift, as she's kept nothing for herself.  Those who give out of their abundance but keep plenty back for themselves are counted by God to have given very little.

How do we give gifts?  This is a good question for today, as today is the feast day of St. Nicholas.  St. Nicholas lived in the 4th century in the Byzantine Empire.  The stories we've been given about St. Nicholas tell of a great many virtues.  As one might suspect, he's very well known for his charity and gift-giving.  Among other things, we're told about St. Nicholas that his parents were wealthy, and upon inheriting their wealth, he followed the examples of Christ's teaching in the Gospels:  he gave it all away to the needy.  According to a biography found at the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, St. Nicholas "regarded himself merely as the steward of goods which belonged to the poor and took particular care to keep his good deeds secret, so as not to lose the heavenly reward.  On three occasions he secretly left gold enough for the marriage portions of three maidens whom their debt-ridden father intended to give up to prostitution. When the man eventually discovered his good deed, Nicholas made him promise, as he valued his salvation, to tell no one of it."  He became known, perhaps in return for his generosity of spirit, for gifts given by God, of miracles and charismata (he is also known as St. Nicholas the Wonderworker).  He is known for saving those in danger of drowning at sea through his prayers to calm winds, and for other miracles regarding dangers to ships and people making sea voyages (both before and after his death).  Perhaps for this reason, Nicholas is a very common name among the people who populate islands of Greece.  He is the patron saint of sailors, and also of children.  He became a bishop at a young age, and is also famous for defending the faith against the Arian heresy at the Council of Nicea.  He is indeed the same saint who became known as Santa Claus in the West (coming from the Dutch Sinterklaas, meaning St. Nicholas).  Today's story of anonymous and generous giving is a magnificent parallel with the saint's feast day.  The story of this very humble widow no doubt quietly putting her two mites into the treasury of the temple, in parallel with the secret and hidden generosity of St. Nicholas to others, tells us something very important about our own generosity and good deeds.  Christ is aware even of the things that are hidden to others or unknown generally speaking.  The good things we do, the kindnesses, our acts of compassion, are all known to the Lord, and He takes notice.  God also clearly knows the extent of our generosity, how deeply we give from the heart, and how generous we truly are being.  St. Nicholas, in the East and in the West, becomes the embodiment of the gracious spirit of our faith.  Perhaps the best message we're given today might be one of gratitude, because no matter how small we may believe our resources to be, a gift can always be generous, and we always have indeed a generous gift we can make: of our time, our love, even the truth of our deep convictions, and whatever resources we have.  The sacrifices we make for God always count, for we worship the God who sees (Genesis 16:13).  So let us, today, venerate St. Nicholas, and the poor widow whom Jesus lauds, for each of us is more than capable of bestowing the generous gifts Christ helps us to give.  We are all rich in this respect.  For, as Jesus says, even out of her poverty, this poor widow has put in more than all.

Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury

 

 Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?  For David himself said by the Holy Spirit: 

'The LORD said to my Lord,

"Sit at My right hand,

Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'

"Therefore David himself calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"  And the common people heard Him gladly.

Then He said to them in His teaching, "Beware the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."

Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury.  And many who were rich put in much.  Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans.  So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."

 

- Mark 12:35-44 

 

In our current reading, Mark's Gospel now tells the events of what we call Holy Week -- Jesus' final days in Jerusalem, beginning with Monday's reading.  Yesterday we read that one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?"  Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is:  'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.  And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.'  This is the first commandment.  And the second, like it, is this:  'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'  There is no other commandment greater than these."  So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher.  You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He.  And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, an to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."  Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."  But after that no one dared question Him.   

 

Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?  For David himself said by the Holy Spirit: 'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool."' Therefore David himself calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"  And the common people heard Him gladly.  Now that He has answered a scribe's question regarding the first commandment, and after that "no one dared question Him" (see yesterday's reading, above), Jesus begins to pose an important question Himself to those who test Him.  He quotes from Psalm 110:1, asking them about how to understand this Scripture.  Jesus poses the question with the understanding that it is David himself, by the Holy Spirit, who wrote the words of the Psalm.  My study Bible comments that Christ asks this question to lead His listeners (particularly those among the leadership who've been testing Him) to the only logical conclusion:  that He is God incarnate.  For these religious leaders, the Messiah was supposed to be a mere human being.  As Jesus indicates here, the scribes say that the Christ (the Messiah) would be a Son of David.  But David, as king of Israel, could not and would not address anyone as "Lord" except God.  But here in this Psalm, David refers to the Messiah as "Lord."  Therefore, the Messiah must be God.  The first reference to the LORD applies to God the Father, while my Lord refers to Christ.  My study Bible says that the only possible conclusion is that the Messiah is a descendant of David only according to the flesh, yet is also truly divine, as He shares His Lordship with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.  Mark tells us that the common people heard Him gladly, while Matthew adds that "no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore" (Matthew 22:46).  

Then He said to them in His teaching, "Beware the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."  In this passage, we may suppose that Jesus addresses those common people in the temple who were listening to the questions and debate with Christ by the leaders, and who heard Him gladly.  No doubt also those people included His disciples and all those who welcomed Him as Messiah into Jerusalem.  Note that the  question regarding the identity of the Messiah was framed here by Jesus as questioning what "the scribes say."  Now He truly begins to teach and criticize the leaders, and in particular the scribes, warning the people about those who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  For their hypocrisy, these will receive greater condemnation.  In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus gives a lengthy and exhaustive criticism of the religious leaders to the people and His disciples in Matthew 23:1-36.

 

 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury.  And many who were rich put in much.  Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans.  So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."  My study Bible cites patristic commentary as saying that the Lord accounts the value of a gift not by how much is given, but by how much is kept back.  Therefore, this poor widow is counted to have given a great gift, as she's kept nothing for herself.  Those who give out of their abundance, but keep plenty for themselves, my study Bible says, are counted by God to have given very little.  In the story of the conversion of Cornelius, we learn that God takes note of our giving (Acts 10:4).  

As we read this story of the poor widow just after Jesus' condemnation of the scribes and their love of worldly glory, so to speak, we might consider it the real answer to the questions posed by Jesus' criticism.  Indeed, if the religious leadership are corrupt -- if they bear within themselves the hypocrisy of those who seek honor from God and before people, and yet in secret do things dishonorable in the eyes of God (they "devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers"), then we can conclude that the alternative teaching to the people is the example of the poor widow.  Let us compare the two classes of people from which these examples come.  The scribes were those who were knowledgeable of the law.  As such they were necessary for transactions such as drafting legal documents; i.e. for marriage contracts, divorces, loans, inheritance, land sales, and other matters.  Of course, when we speak of legal matters in this context, we speak of the Scriptures and the Mosaic Law; formally a scribe is someone who copies manuscripts, and thus their expertise.  By Christ's time they occupied many necessary positions in governing bodies from the villages to Jerusalem and the Council, and they could also pronounce judicial opinions as they were the ones who knew Jewish law and practice.  From the New Testament Scriptures, we know that they also gave opinions on texts citing rabbinical experts (see, for example, Mark 1:22).  So between the scribes and the poor widow we can probably find a great deal to contrast.  While the scribes were experts in the law, necessary for many legal transactions (notably those involving money and property, hence the capacity to "devour widows' houses"), and employed at virtually every layer of government in Christ's time, this poor widow, we can assume is formally unlearned.  As she is very poor indeed, we might also understand how little power she wields in the society, and isn't even protected by a family or descendants who provide her with greater means than her meager sum of two mites.  A mite was the smallest coin of the time.  According to one source, two mites were worth 1/64th of a day's wage for a laborer.  We are speaking of a very tiny sum indeed.  But Jesus points her out in His teaching to the crowds and His disciples as an example of one truly beloved and honored by God, "she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."   In contrast to the scribes, who love wealth, authority, and social position above all, she is humble and has no real social stature.  But the point of Christ's teaching is that she has given more generously and lavishly than all the rest, and her sacrifice is greater than all others for the love of God.  It is yet another Biblical example that through the small, God teaches the great.  The world of material power is upended through her example, for in God's sight, she has given more abundantly than the rest.  It is ironic to consider in this context that, while it is the scribes who are experts in the law and who may pronounce legal judgments as well as expert opinions of Jewish tradition and even philosophy, it is this poor widow whom God judges to be the greatest giver of all.  She becomes yet another example in the Scriptures that "the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).  Clearly, when we're told that the Lord looks at the heart, it means that the Lord knows everything about us, from the heart, to what we are capable of doing in our lives, to the state of our pocketbooks, and everything else.  Let us consider carefully what this teaches us when we come to rely too much on the opinions of others, for it is the opinion of the Lord that really counts, the honor that comes from God, and this is the clear teaching of Christ.  In keeping with Jesus' answer to the scribe's question of the "first commandment" in yesterday's reading, let that be our first motivation, our first love.  Let us be grounded in this place of the truth, and the humility necessary to perceive it.

 

 

Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had

 

 And He said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?  Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms:

'The LORD said to my Lord,

"Sit at My right hand,

Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'

"Therefore David calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"

Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."

And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."

 

- Luke 20:41-21:4 

 

 In our current readings, it is Holy Week, the final week of Jesus' life.  He has made His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, and has been questioned by the leadership in the readings of this past week.  Yesterday we read that some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, saying:  "Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.  Now there were seven brothers.  And the first took a wife, and died without children.  And the second took her as wife, and he died childless.  Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children, and died.  Last of all the woman died also.  Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become?  For all seven had her as wife."  Jesus answered and said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.  But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.  But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'  For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him."  Then some of the scribes answered and said, "Teacher, You have spoken well."  But after that they dared not question Him anymore.

 

And He said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?  Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms:  'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'  Therefore David calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"  Jesus poses an important Scriptural question, one that involves both the idea of Messiah or Christ, and also a question of authority (such as has been posed to Him in Monday's reading).  The passage He cites is from Psalm 110:1.  My study Bible tells us that, to understand this question, we must know that the first reference to the LORD applies to God the Father, while the term my Lord refers to Christ.  It says that the key to fully answering this question is that Christ is the Son of David in His humanity and David's Lord in His divinity.  

Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."  In Matthew's Gospel, these statements are part of a longer narrative by Christ regarding the scribes and Pharisees, how they use their authority (Matthew 23:1-36), and particularly focuses on their hypocrisy in so doing.  Here we get the focus on hypocrisy of these teachers of the law to the people.  They treasure the signs of their authority and position:  the long robes, formal greetings in the marketplaces before the public, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, designating honor.  But as guardians of the Scripture and its meaning they fail to live what they preach, for they devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  The greater condemnation which Christ pronounces upon them comes as a result of their hypocrisy.  This passage is important for all of us who call ourselves Christians, because it is an emphasis on the power of faith motivating how we live and what is in our hearts.  In another context, Jesus has taught the disciples about being a light to the world.  He said to them, "For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light."  We can bring that statement to mind here as well.  (See in context Luke 8:16-18.)

And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."  The example of this poor widow chosen by Jesus magnifies His teaching on hypocrisy, as He shines a light on her as an opposite example to the powerful who hold significant positions that allow them to use wealth and cover the condition of their hearts.  My study Bible comments that according to patristic commentary, the Lord accounts the value of a gift not by how much is given, but by how much is kept back.  In this light, the poor widow is counted to have given a great gift, having kept nothing for herself.  Those who give out of their abundance but keep plenty back for themselves are counted by God to have given very little.  

Jesus' example of the poor widow magnifies the problem of hypocrisy for us, shines a light on it in terms of how we view public appearance.  We can contrast the hypocrisy of the scribes noted just before by Jesus, and look at the poor widow as she puts her two mites into the treasury.  The word translated as "mite" is λεπτον/lepton in the Greek of the text.  It was the smallest currency at that time.  According to one analysis, at roughly the time of the writing of the Gospels, it was worth 1/64 of a denarius. A denarius was a day's wage for a common worker.  In terms of today's money in a modern economy, these two "mites" constitute a tiny amount of money, a fraction of a single cent or smallest unit of currency.  But as my study Bible points out, the amount of money is not what is important here.  What is important is the contrast between the hypocrisy of the scribes which Jesus points out, and the thorough heartfelt gift of this poor widow, who gives literally all she has.  What this teaches us about is how God looks at gifts and giving.  When Samuel the prophet was sent to anoint a king, a son of Jesse, the youngest son David was not the one he expected God would choose.  But Samuel was told that "the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7).  What Jesus shows us about this widow is what the view is from the heart, that she gave all she had.  While we may not all be expected to hear this story and donate all our livelihood to the Church, we are expected nonetheless to give our all to God.  That is, if we really follow the teachings of Christ, we know that He has taught that the two greatest commandments, that sum up all the Law and the Prophets are as follows:  "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself'" (Luke 10:27, in which Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18).  This widow shows that her love of the Lord is complete in the sense that the commandment gives, with all her heart, soul, strength, and mind.  Moreover, to love like that is to give as she gives, and there are many ways to give our all.  Can we help a neighbor?  Do we turn to someone in distress and ask if we can help?  Most of all, it seems to me, we can set aside our time to help others in all kinds of ways, whatever ways we have resources and skills to do.  We can donate our care, our skill, our concern.  A simple phone call might make all the difference to one person, a prayer may be what we can give for another.  And of course there are many ways to donate our wealth.  Sometimes an apology is a great gift, as is repentance and forgiveness.  We should note that the text points out many wealthy people giving money to the treasury, and Jesus contrasts those people with this poor widow.  As we often cite in our commentary, we should remember Christ's parable of the sheep and the goats, and the byword of compassion that constitutes the kind of giving favored in judgment (see Matthew 25:31-46).  That parable of judgment is all about giving, but it is a particular kind of giving, one that comes from the compassion to fill a need, to restore, to truly help.  So let us look around in our world and consider what we can give and how we can give.  God gives us minds creative enough to consider how to give in ways that make a difference, to do so even with subtlety if necessary that will not embarrass or shame those in need, and the sensitivity to truly observe as Christ does, even simply to listen and look and pay attention to a hurt or address a form of suffering.  In whatever way we can give, let it be first understood as a gift to God, wholly and freely given, for this is also what Christ teaches in the parable of judgment in Matthew 25, cited above.   For what we give to God first with our whole heart can then be shared with others, asking God's blessing to know where and how we're needed, and where and how God calls us to those in whom we may behold the face of Christ -- for this is what it truly means to give (Matthew 18:10, 25:40).

Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had

 

 And He said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?  Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms:

'The LORD said to my Lord,

"Sit at My right hand,

Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'

"Therefore David calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"

Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, "Beware the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."

And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."

 

- Luke 20:41—21:4 

 

Yesterday we read that some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, saying:  "Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.  Now there were seven brothers.  And the first took a wife, and died without children.  And the second took her as wife, and he died childless.  Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children, and died.  Last of all the woman died also.  Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become?  For all seven had her as wife."  Jesus answered and said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.  But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.  But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'  For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him."  Then some of the scribes answered and said, "Teacher, You have spoken well."  But after that they dared not question Him anymore.

 

 And He said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?  Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms:  'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'  Therefore David calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"  Jesus quotes here from Psalm 110:1.  This is a question concerning the identity of the Christ, the Messiah.  As frequently is His wont, Jesus turns the tables on His questioners by asking a question of His own.  My study Bible explains that the first reference to the LORD applies to God the Father, while the term my Lord refers to Christ.  This question is answered in that Christ is the Son of David in His humanity and David's Lord in His divinity.  My study Bible explains that Christ asks this question in order to lead the scribes, other religious leaders, and the people who listen to the only logical conclusion:  that He is God incarnate.  They expected the Messiah to be a mere man.  But David, as king of Israel could not and would not address anyone as "Lord" except God; therefore the Messiah must be God.  The only possible conclusion is that the Messiah is a descendant of David only according to the flesh, but also truly divine, sharing Lordship with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.  Note that His listeners do not respond.

Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, "Beware the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."  In Matthew's Gospel, we're given an extensive final public sermon by Christ.  It is a grand critique of the ways of the scribes and Pharisees (see Matthew 23:1-39).  This appears to be a truncated version of that sermon.  There are several themes in that sermon, including that the religious leaders have God-given authority and teach God's Law, but are personally ungodly and cold-hearted -- they fail to lead the people to God.  Instead, they place themselves in God's position.  He charges the scribes and Pharisees with inverting God's values, being mean-spirited, judgmental, greedy, ambitious, absorbed in externals, and blind to their self-righteousness.  These criticisms apply to all those in the Church who behave the same way.  Here His words are directed at the scribes, but in the hearing of all of the people.  He speaks of their hypocrisy, selfishness, and focus on appearance and position, telling them that these will receive greater condemnation.

 

 And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."  According to patristic commentary, the Lord accounts the value of a gift not by how much is given, but by how much is kept back.  So this story of the poor widow means that she's counted to have given a great gift, as she kept nothing for herself.  It is an expression of extravagant love and devotion, such as we see elsewhere; for example in the pouring out of the expensive perfume to anoint Christ (see, for example, John 12:1-7, Luke 7:36-50).  Ultimately it is the whole heart and soul and mind and strength that is involved in what we give to Christ (Mark 12:50), and these gifts represent that wholehearted giving with nothing held back.

It's important to note, as my study Bible says, that all the scathing indictments that Jesus gives to the religious leaders of His own time apply equally to us today.  This would particularly be true for those of us who call ourselves His followers.  None of the warnings Jesus gives apply only to His contemporaries.  As such, let us take a look at the stories in today's reading.  Jesus interprets the Scriptures with a brilliance that belongs only to Him as Logos.  Of course He has insights into the Scriptures.  The amazing thing to "watch" as the stories of debate in the temple unfold is that He leaves the authorities tongue-tied.  They dare not answer Him, nor ask Him again.  They know He has answered in ways to which they cannot respond and for which they have no argument.  But then He goes on the offensive against the scribes regarding their failings as religious leaders and pastors to the people.  He does this in the hearing of all, and therefore we understand the great seriousness of what He says.  He says that they desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.   What does all of this have in common?  It is an indictment of their love of appearances, which covers up their greed and willingness to make victims of those who are least able to defend and protect themselves.  Let us note that they make long prayers only "for a pretense."  We contrast Jesus' description of the scribes with the humble portrayal of the poor widow putting her two mites into the treasury.  Small copper coins, we might think of them as pennies, and yet, they are what she has.  A "mite" (called a "lepton" in Greek) was worth about six minutes of an average daily wage.   This widow lives in a level of poverty that those of us in the West and from more developed countries can no longer even imagine.  And yet her gift is the most generous and gracious of all, because of the immensity she gives from what she has.  It is a gift of love for God, indicating the enormity of her faith.  It's very important that we take into our understanding the idea that at the time of Christ, humility was not considered a virtue in the wider context of the cultures to which Christianity would soon be introduced.  In the Roman world, to be "great" was to be conquering and powerful.  As Jesus says, it meant to "lord it over" others (see Matthew 20:25).  When Christianity first began to spread, it was derided as a religion for slaves and women.   In the Jewish tradition, of course humility before God was always of importance, and we can read this throughout the entire Old Testament, and its indictment of  leaders who failed in such endeavor.  But Christ brought humility to the forefront of what it means to lead (see, for instance, Mark 9:35), and this prime example of the widow with her two mites solidifies front and center the sensibilities of what He praises in human beings.  It is the capacity to love God that ultimately results in her magnificent gift.  She is antithetical to the scribes, and Jesus effectively praises her as an example of what it is to be great, and to be a benefactor.  As we are told, God looks at the heart, not the appearance.   When Samuel must find the one to anoint as king to replace Saul, he is at first very impressed by the stature and and appearance of one of David's brothers.  But God says to Samuel:  "Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."   Jesus, the Messiah, the Lord, and descendant of David whom Samuel would anoint, echoes with His teachings the words of God to Samuel.  Humility becomes our way to know the heart, to see the heart, even to come to know truthfully our own hearts -- to really see.  Jesus views the widow and the scribes through the same lens of God's perspective on the heart.  Humility is the only way we can truly see ourselves.

 

All these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had

 

 And He said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?  Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms:

'The LORD said to my Lord,

"Sit at My right hand,

Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'

Therefore David calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"

Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."

And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."

 

- Luke 20:41—21:4 

 

Yesterday we read that some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, saying:  "Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.  Now there were seven brothers.  And the first took a wife, and died without children.  And the second took her as wife, and he died childless.  Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children, and died.  Last of all the woman died also.  Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become?  For all seven had her as wife."  Jesus answered and said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.  But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.  But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'  For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him."  Then some of the scribes answered and said, "Teacher, You have spoken well."  But after that they dared not question Him anymore.

 

And He said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?  Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms:  'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'  Therefore David calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"   Reversing the questioning against Himself, Jesus decides He will question His adversaries.  He cites a passage from Psalm 110:1.  The first reference here to the LORD applies to God the Father, as my study bible explains it, and the second term my Lord is a reference to Christ.  This question is answered in that Christ is the Son of David in His humanity, but David's Lord in His divinity.  To answer properly, one must not conceive of the Messiah, or Son of David, as simply a mortal human being.  But King David would not address another person as "Lord" -- this title would apply only to God.  Therefore, the Messiah must also be divine.  

Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."   In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus delivers His final public sermon on this subject.  It's a grand critique of the ways of the scribes and Pharisees (see Matthew 23:1-39).  But here, in a sort of condensed version, we're given Jesus' critiques of the religious leaders and their hypocrisy.  The message is all about position and appearance, the "praise of men, rather than the praise of God" (John 12:43).  The outward appearance of honor hides greed, even a willingness to victimize those who are without protection.  The word devour indicates a predatory nature, one that more rightly would belong to a "ravenous wolf" (see Luke 10:3, Matthew 7:15).  Their long prayers are for mere pretense.  And once again, Jesus indicates a judgment that is not of this world (John 18:36), when He speaks of the greater condemnation in store for these religious leaders.

And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood that she had."  My study bible says that according to patristic commentary, this passage is traditionally interpreted and understood as teaching that the Lord accounts the value of a gift not by how much is given, but by how much is kept back.  So, the poor widow is counted to have given a great gift, having kept nothing for herself.  Those who give out of their abundance but keep plenty back for themselves are counted by God to have given very little.

Although there is a chapter break between Jesus' criticism of the scribes and the story of the poor widow that Jesus notices putting her two mites, or two coins of small worth into the temple treasury, we really cannot miss the contrast between the poor widow and the scribes whom Jesus describes as those who "devour widows' houses."  A widow is often highlighted throughout Old and New Testaments , and in a noteworthy way in the psalms, who -- together with orphans -- are a group who are of special concern to the Lord.  This is because they were generally considered to be helpless or poor (the two conditions frequently going hand in hand).  For the majority of the world and the majority of its history, a widow is a person dependent either on the generosity of family, especially children, or others.  In an earlier time, before the development of systems of pensions or other kinds of social supplementation of income, and before modern justice systems, one's own potential for self-defense against fraud or other predatory crimes really depended upon clan and kinship, systems of relations who could help get justice or rectify a grievance.  Widows and orphans, therefore, are images of the "least of these," those who are dependent and yet may not have those upon whom they can depend for much at all.  A widow, then, in the image here, would be one who had little social recourse and possibly even fewer rights or means to start with.  With Christ, it is important to remember "the least of these," those for whom resources are scarce, strength or power or any other form of currency is slight or even nonexistent, and justice is hard to come by.  Yet in comparison with the powerful scribes, who are described by Jesus as those who go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, but who also devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers, the widow who has only two mites to give to the treasury is far more generous and by far the more gracious donor to the temple.  I think it is a question of comparison of gifts to God and those who are ostentatiously celebrated for their support of the temple:  penny for penny, hers is the more generous gift.  It is this kind of "equal measuring stick" in the eyes of Christ that becomes the real way to measure justice.  His is an equalizing force that measures all people by true measure, and Jesus is the One for whom there is no falsehood in judgment.  For His is the only eye that sees truly with a lens that carves out all the extraneous falsehood and miscellaneous details that might distract from the real story of what is going on.  Purely and simply, while others grandiosely measure themselves in the eyes of the public by a great show of authority, position, and honor, God sees those who truly give more generously and with, in fact, much greater gifts even in a monetary measure, because they give so much of what they actually have.  All the extraneous details meant to impress fellow human beings don't count for much, if anything, with God, and especially in the eyes of Christ which are given us here in the Gospel.  When all is said and done, we should be grateful that His is the judgment that counts, and His way of seeing the true measure of us all.  We have a hard time seeing what He sees, for even today we fail really to own up to ourselves to what extent there are those around us who might be dependent in ways we don't see, who have very few resources in fact or struggle against hardship we don't know about.  We hear harsh judgments all the time about some person or another, we judge by appearance seemingly more than ever, and we have plenty of those who seek applause in the images they can create for others while they may "devour" what belongs to those who cannot fight back behind the scenes.  We are invited by Christ first of all to understand that He sees what we can't see and don't see, that it is His judgment that will count at the end of the day, and His condemnation that will truly see through all things and measure what is real.  He asks us to practice the compassion that sees the widow's true state, and to aspire to know what God knows about her generous gift.  We are asked not to be fooled by appearances or swayed by whatever it is that impresses the crowds.  Somehow, in our passage for today, we seem to be told to understand that real authority cannot be seen simply by institutions of power, but requires another kind of sight that is willing to see what God is asking us to see instead.  Jesus is telling us that if we really want to see what is in front of us, we need to look with eyes not easily fooled by predators in sheep's clothing, to cling to Him in our dependency and need for good judgment, to remember that the heart is the place of true gifts.  As we enter into the Christmas season, let us keep in mind the power of the small over against the great and mighty, a tiny gift of two mites that is greater than all the generous gifts of others.

Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all of these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had

And He said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?  Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms:

'The LORD said to my Lord,
"Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'

"Therefore David calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"

Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."

And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all of these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had."

- Luke 20:41-21:4

Yesterday we read that some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, saying:  "Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man's brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.  Now there were seven brothers.  And the first took a wife, and died without children.  And the second took her as wife, and he died childless.  Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children, and died.  Last of all the woman died also.  Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become?  For all seven had her as wife."  Jesus answered and said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.  But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.  But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'  For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him."  Then some of the scribes answered and said, "Teacher, you have spoken well."  But after that they dared not question Him anymore.

And He said to them, "How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David?  Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms:  'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool." ' Therefore David calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"  Interestingly, it is some of the scribes -- experts in Scripture -- who have just approved of Christ's answer to the Sadducees regarding resurrection and what the Scriptures indicate (see yesterday's reading, above).   Immediately following, Jesus here challenges them regarding what the Scriptures indicate about the Messiah.  This directly involves Jesus' identity as both human and divine.  The first reference to the LORD in Christ's quotation applies to God the Father, and the term my Lord refers to Christ, the Messiah.  The question is answered in that Christ is the Son of David in His humanity and David's Lord in His divinity.   As king of Israel, David could not and would never address anyone as "Lord" except God.  But in the first verse of Psalm 110, David refers to the Messiah as "Lord."   The only possible conclusion for the scribes -- experts in Scripture -- is that the Christ, the Messiah is both a descendant of David and also shares His divine Lordship with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.

Then, in the hearing of all the people, He said to His disciples, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."  We can perhaps assume that it is their failure to give an answer to His question about the understanding of the Psalm that leads Jesus to make these statements to the people.  Most likely, as in the question regarding the authority of John the Baptist, they understand His implications regarding the Scripture, but refuse to answer.  He links their failure to respond truly to their love of stature in the eyes of others, a love of position -- their deep desire for the praise of men over the praise of God (John 12:42-43).  

And He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury, and He saw also a certain poor widow putting in two mites.  So He said, "Truly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all; for all of these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had."  Immediately after condemning the hypocrisy and focus of the scribes on their status among people, Jesus singles out this widow -- who in her humility gives a greater gift to God than all others.

There is an American expression (which most likely derives from an earlier English expression), in which one gives one's opinion as "my two cents."   It's a way of indicating humility and politeness while nevertheless stating one's opinion or position on a matter.  The idea is that one's opinion may be just that, one's own opinion -- but it is nevertheless of value to oneself.  So it is understood that the expression comes from the story of the widow's two mites put into the treasury of the temple.  There is a lot to be said for the evolution of language through time, and the expression actually helps to illuminate the truth of Christ's teaching in singling out the poor widow.  She's the image of humility in her poverty.  There is no nonsense about her.  In contrast to the showy and ostentatious hypocrisy of the scribes, who apparently (according to Jesus) love to assert themselves and their public honors in front of the world, this poor widow gives all she has to God, out of her poverty and sincerity and tremendous love.  She becomes, in the image given to us by Christ, the antidote for what plagues, demeans, and even delegitimizes the religious authorities -- their hypocrisy that results from their love of position, of "the praise of men" as opposed to the praise of God.  She, on the other hand, has devoted her whole life to God and contributes everything at her disposal.  She becomes, in some sense, the image of the people of God, of Israel.   It is an image in which poverty is a positive quality -- one in which poverty serves as a great leveler to get down to the truth and total honesty and transparency.  She cannot hide behind an image in the eyes of others; she has only what she truly has, and it is all that she can offer.  And yet a whole heart offered to God is simply the greatest gift that we can give; it is all that we can give.  When we strip down all the worldly honors and images and opinions others have of ourselves, we simply stand as we are before God -- and it is in that place where we offer ourselves as we truly are.  This is the great gift that God wants.  The scribes could never admit that the words of the Psalmist indicate Christ as both human and divine.  It would eradicate their standing among those who await a Messiah who will be merely a great and righteous king, who can re-establish the political and material fortunes of the land of Israel.  They could never admit that Jesus who has no worldly position and no worldly authority could nevertheless be a divine and human Messiah.  This would go too far in threatening their places and the whole of the order in which they participate.  Christ looks to the poor at heart for His disciples, for those who have only their two cents to give (that is, their whole heart and soul and mind and strength).  These are the ones -- both rich and poor, both common people and prominent members of the Council -- who can hear His call and who will clearly respond to it.  It is this image of the poor widow that teaches us about the value of humility to ourselves, stripping down to what is real and true, and to what really counts.  For that -- her two cents -- simply becomes everything we have.

Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury

 Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?  For David himself said by the Holy Spirit:

'The LORD said to my Lord,
"Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'

"Therefore David calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"  And the common people heard Him gladly.

Then He said to them in His teaching, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."

Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how many people put money into the treasury.  And many who were rich put in much.  Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans.  So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."

- Mark 12:35-44

Yesterday we read that one of the scribes came, and having heard Jesus and members of the religious leadership reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?"  Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is:  'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one.  And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.'  This is the first commandment.  And the second, like it, is this:  'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'  There is no other commandment greater than these."  So the scribe said to Him, "Well said, Teacher.  You have spoken the truth, for there is one God, and there is no other but He.  And to love Him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."  Now when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God."  But after that no one dared question Him.

Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, "How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David?  For David himself said by the Holy Spirit:  'The LORD said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool."'  Therefore David calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?"  And the common people heard Him gladly.   Jesus quotes from the first verse of Psalm 110, in order to, in turn, question those who question Him.  Perhaps we could say He's responding to the scribe to whom He has just said, "You are not far from the kingdom of God"  (see yesterday's reading, above).   But the question is a challenge to all, for He asks this question to lead His listeners, as He taught in the temple, to the only logical conclusion:  that He is God incarnate.  The expectation is that the Messiah will be purely human and possess no divinity.  Therefore the Christ is called the Son of David, indicating the Messiah's lineage is of the house of David.  But in the Psalm, as Jesus points out, David calls the Christ my Lord.  As king of Israel, David could not and would not address anyone as Lord except God.  Therefore, the Messiah is God.  The only possible conclusion, my study bible says, is that the Messiah is a descendant of David only according to the flesh, yet is also truly divine, sharing His Lordship with God the Father and the Holy Spirit.  The first reference to the LORD is to God the Father.  Here in Mark's Gospel we are told that the common people heard Him gladly, teaching us about His appeal to the people and their delight in His challenges to the religious leaders, in the face of the general hostility to Jesus among the leadership.  No doubt the people also enjoy hearing the debate.

 Then He said to them in His teaching, "Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive greater condemnation."  Even as one scribe seemed to have understood Him and praised His teaching (the one in yesterday's reading, whom He said was "not far from the kingdom of God"), Jesus -- both here and in the question just raised concerning Psalm 110 -- challenges the scribes as a group.  Here He is scathing in remarking on their hypocrisy, linked to their love of social honor.

 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how many people put money into the treasury.  And many who were rich put in much.  Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans.  So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood."  This story is linked to Jesus' condemnation of the hypocrisy of the scribes, just above, in which He claimed they devour widows' houses, even as for a pretense they make long prayers.  It goes straight back to all of His teachings to the disciples about how they must treat the "littlest ones," the meek and humble.   A widow, being less likely to be protected within the society would not only be vulnerable to those who can prey on her trust, but also financially dependent only upon what might belong to her, and therefore easily poor.  Even with the protections modern society generally seeks to build into care for the poor, and for all kinds of reasons, this sadly remains a scenario we are all too likely to encounter.  Jesus puts things into correct spiritual perspective by pointing out the generosity of the widows' great gift.  My study bible says that according to patristic teaching, the Lord accounts the value of a gift not by how much is given, but by how much is kept back.  Therefore, here the poor widow is counted to have given a great gift, because she has kept nothing for herself.   The Lord reads the heart when accounting for a gift.  My study bible points to the story of the conversion of Cornelius, in which we learn that God takes note of our giving (Acts 10:4).   See also Christ's encounter with the rich young man, for whom a greater detachment from possessions was a spiritual necessity.

Throughout Mark's Gospel, we receive the repeated teaching about consideration for the humble in the society and especially within the Church.  Here, Jesus goes out of His way to single out the poor widow and her great contribution for all who listen to Him in the temple.  Two mites, according to Wikipedia, would have amounted to the equivalent value of less than 15 minutes of the average daily wage, a very small sum indeed.  Yet it is very large for this woman and her capacity to purchase things for her own needs.  It is just one more occasion on which He takes great pains to point out to His disciples, and to all those who would hear Him teach, that it is their mission not to use power and authority as they see it used around them -- including by the hypocrites in the religious leadership -- but to care for the humblest among the faithful, for whom God has great regard.  Jesus' condemnation of those in leadership who do not care for the poor and powerless, but rather prey on their vulnerability, is repetition of His constant admonition to His own disciples about how they are to conduct themselves in the care of His Church and in particular the most vulnerable and meek.  His notice of the widow's donation makes it clear that this is not just a question of redistribution of wealth.  It is not a merely consideration of money that is His point here.  Jesus' point is about something more profound, and reflects His response to the scribe in yesterday's reading about the two greatest commandments.  Jesus' perspective calls us to understand first and foremost the relationship to God.  This widow isn't commended simply because she gave generously to the treasury of the temple.  She is commended because of her tremendous love of God; it is this which creates her generosity.  Her gift is an expression of the great love and generosity of her heart.  That gift is also a reflection not only of her capacity to honor the greatest and first commandment of the love of God "with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength," but also of the second, to love neighbor as oneself; for her generous gift is all about an expression of love for neighbor through giving to the community embodied in the temple.  In effect, Jesus is singling out the poor widow not simply for an act of large donation, but for the goodness of her whole being, as an example to all, but who is overlooked in the grand scheme of things.    Let us understand that if He does so in the middle of the temple while teaching all who listen, during the Passover Week, in which pilgrims come from everywhere among the Jews (including the diaspora), then this example clearly was meant never to be forgotten by His disciples and all who would follow Him.  In effect, through this public teaching in the temple, and by contrast to the hypocritical practices He condemns of the scribes, Jesus is once again hammering home His teaching about greatness in the Church, and who would be great among them (see this reading, and all those from last week).  What He risks in publicly condemning the scribes as hypocrites, even as He teaches in the temple, He does so knowing those in leadership are plotting to kill Him, but as a gift of love to the Church -- as another unforgettable teaching about the kind of leadership He wants from His disciples.  Today in our Churches, 2,000 years later, we all know of plenty of examples of failure to follow these teachings.  I would venture to say that it really doesn't matter which church or denomination we might be talking about.  Human weakness and failure is still with us, and it is human beings upon whom the Church relies.  But the Holy Spirit still calls us; we still need the Church to remind us of who we truly are and where we need to go to be the ones Christ calls, and to be true to that calling.  His teachings are still as compelling to all those in leadership, and to every single one of us who would be His disciples.  We need to remember this widow, to see Christ in all those who are like her whom we may encounter in our churches, and to remember the One whom we receive.  Jesus' teachings are not about changing the social order, nor redistribution of wealth, nor about accounting and economics.  They are not abstract social theories nor simply intellectual concepts for a public policy paper.  As in the story of the rich young man, Jesus is not teaching us that we all need to give all we own to a treasury or fund.  We are reminded that all that we have belongs to God to begin with, and that the commandments Jesus gives teach us to seek the way God would direct us in all our transactions.  These are teachings about the heart and about compassion; about how we see and especially about our capacity for the practice of His commands in our every day personal encounters with others.  His teachings are calls to our own hearts and how we stretch ourselves, where we are called to make an effort in our own awareness and conduct and practice.  He calls us to a kind of accountability and responsibility, to a place where we can continue to become the persons He asks us to be, with His help, even sacrificing our deepest impulses and ingrained habits of character if necessary in order to do so.  Let us consider the love and compassion to which He calls us, and the way He teaches that God sees all of us.