He looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury; He also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them; for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.” Luke 21:1-4
“The reader must imagine Jesus as teaching near a spot where the treasury was located and being able to see what alms various people were giving. The contrast throughout is between the rich and poor widow. The rich are simply identified as being rich (plousious, v.1), while her poverty is highlighted by means of three different Greek terms that Luke uses to describe her impoverished condition, “poor” (penikran, v.2), “poor” (ptōchē, v. 3), and “poverty (hysterēmatos, literally, “lack,” v. 4). She is clearly the heroine in the story. The rich put in their gifts, while the impoverished widow put in her “two cents,” her lepta duo, the smallest coins then in circulation and all that she had. Without condemning the rich, Jesus commends the poor widow for her total generosity. They gave their loose change; she gave all that she had.”
Raymond F. Collins in Wealth, Wages, and the Wealthy: New Testament Insight for Preachers and Teachers (Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2017) 152.
On Palm Sunday I am preaching on this text in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, so I am beginning my study from this new book that came in the mail while I was traveling. It is a fitting post for Lent because alms come into view. It also contains my word for the year – abundance – used in a interesting way.
While the world celebrates how much we give, Jesus looks at how much we don’t give and what that says about our hearts. To give from our abundance is to amass wealth and hold back money from God for ourselves, and to give out of poverty is to give everything and assume a posture of complete trust.
The word “poor” (penikran, v.2) connotes a posture of insufficient resources for one’s livelihood. The other word for “poor” (ptōchē, v. 3) implies economic disadvantage and dependence on others. The third word, “poverty” (hysterēmatos, literally, “lack,” v. 4) connotes a state of want. So why would Jesus commend this widow?
It is as if the widow has the bold faith of the writer of Psalm 23 knowing the because the LORD is her shepherd, she shall not want. She knows that she will be cared for by the the LORD and demonstrates her dependence through total generosity. No wonder Jesus celebrates her sacrifice. She held nothing back.
Collins rightly notes that Jesus does not condemn the rich, but merely commends the behavior of the widow to show us that He sees our giving and to point to the kind of giving He desires from us: total generosity. What does Jesus see when He looks at your giving? What do you want Him to see?
Father, teach us to give out of our poverty. By your Holy Spirit help us demonstrate our dependence and trust in God by holding nothing back. Help us do this so that Jesus, who sees our giving, will commend us someday. Amen.