As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” Luke 21:1-4
“Observing wealthy people in the outer court putting offerings into one of the thirteen receptacles placed there for that purpose, Jesus stops as an extremely “poor” (penichros) widow approaches and casts in two “mites” (lepta), coins with the value of about a hundredth of a denarius. Hers is a very modest contribution. But Jesus makes the profound judgment that, relevant to ability, she has “put in more than all” the affluent folk who have been putting their gifts into the “treasury” (dōra tou theou), perhaps making their much larger offerings a kind of public statement. The rich men have given such as costs them little (cf. 2 Samuel 24:24 – King David’s contrary remark as he purchased the threshing floor that was to become the site of Solomon’s Temple [“No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”]); the widow, out of her near destitute penury, has given essentially what she had to live on. Her gift costs her not less than all she had.”
David Lyle Jeffrey in Luke (BTCB; Grand Rapids: Baker, 2012) 242.
I am blessed by the sweet and abundant hospitality of Randell and Linda Beck, faithful meditations readers, with whom I am lodging in Sioux Falls. In my preaching today at Oak Hills Baptist Church, in addition to teaching from the triumphal entry text (cf. Luke 19:28-40), I will teach from this text about giving which Luke locates during the passion week. Humor me for a quick Greek lesson so you can get a glimpse of the little old lady whose giving Jesus celebrates.
She’s penichros, which means “subsistence poor,” in contrast to ptōchos, which means “destitute poor.” In modern terms, she’s the greeter at Walmart who heads off to work, gets her meager paycheck, buys groceries to live, walks home, gets a ride to church, and after her bills her paid has two pennies to rub together and gives them to Jesus. Get the picture? In modernity, she’s the last person you’d think would put in all she has.
She knows something that many never learn. Before I tell you, hang with me for another point. With this remark celebrating the sacrifice of the widow, Jesus, also known as the Son of David, echoes King David’s statement that he would not give a gift that would not cost him. He insisted that his sacrifice cost him! King David modeled sacrifice, and soon, on the cross, so will the Son of David. What did David and the widow know that the rest of us need to learn?
I can hear David saying it to himself by a stream. The Lord is my shepherd, I have everything I need. Likely the widow said it another way. God takes better care of me than I can. Jesus sees everyone’s giving and celebrates sacrifice. David would not give a gift without sacrifice. For the widow, “Her gift costs her not less than all she had.” What does your giving cost you? What could be more important than what Jesus thinks of your giving?