May the mumbling commence!
Humble though offering appeared, the two copper coins were an extravagant display of giving. Both Mark and Luke record the widow’s offering. Read the passages below:
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on." (Mark 12:41-44)
As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. "I tell you the truth," 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)
Usually, Mark has a greater economy of words than either Luke or Matthew. In this case, Mark bears out more detail than Luke. This story of Jesus’ life must have had special significance to Mark. I noted some detail not in Luke but in Mark with blue italic.
Mark tells us that Jesus was watching people give their offerings. The offerings could attract quite a bit of attention. The receptacles for offering at the temple were large stone jars. They were constructed with a wide mouth to help catch coins thrown into them. Mark does talk about the rich throwing in large amounts of money. It would make a loud noise – probably satisfying to the person giving the offering.
The noise that the coins would make reminds me of a character in an old TV show called Family Ties. Michael J. Fox played a teenage boy who lusted after money. His character would be able to tell the type of coin just by the sound of it hitting a countertop. I wonder if some of the temple goers could do the same thing…
Anyways, the offering jars were wide at the mouth, but they narrowed at the neck to prohibit someone from taking money from them. And the bottoms of the jars were fat to store the money. In other words, the offering jars were in an hour-glass shape.
When the other temple goers saw the widow, they probably thought she might be there for alms – a free handout. Instead, she went to one of the offering jars and put in two very small coins. Mark tells us that they were not even worth a penny together. Plink, plink.
Sometimes, I am treated to the sounds of change hitting the offering plates at church. Those sounds make me smile, because I know that some child is giving from their heart. Change hitting the offering plates makes more noise than the larger amounts, like various denominations of dollar bills and checks.
And change hitting the offering plate makes heaven rejoice. Both children and the widow in today’s passage give out of their poverty and give most everything they have.
You know, there is a general difference in how someone poor and someone comfortable give to God. Financially poorer people often give without regard to their own needs. If their primary concerns were their own needs, they would have nothing to give. Poor people do not think it terms of tithe, and they give cash.
People who are more financially comfortable tend to figure more exactly a ten percent (or less) tithe, and they write out a check. People living comfortably often think more about their own needs.
People from different socio-economic backgrounds can learn from each other – really! O God, give me the faith of the poor little ones. I do not fully depend on my checkbook balance. I fully depend upon God.
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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