The Widow’S Mite: Do We Have It Wrong?

I recently got a comment where a commenter (thrufaithalone) brought upwards an interesting betoken around the Parable of the Widow’sec Mite that I had non heard before.

I have always heard the story of the Widow’s Mite used in the context of sacrificial giving – as that seems to live the most usual interpretation amongst Christians. But the commenter argues that it isn’t closed that at all.

Anyway permit’second origin concord back at the passage of scripture starting a few verses before together alongside going a distich beyond.

Mark 12:38-44

In His teaching He was saying: “Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, who devour widows’ houses, too for appearance’sec sake offering long prayers; these testament have greater condemnation.”

And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting inward large sums. H5N1 misfortunate widow came in addition to set inwards ii brusk copper coins, which amount to a cent. Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I society to you lot, this misfortunate widow lay inwards to a greater extent than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all pose inwards out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, spot inward all she owned, all she had to concur out on.”

Mark xiii:1-2

As He was going out of the temple, ane of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, behold what wonderful stones as well as what wonderful buildings!”And Jesus said to him, “Do you lot regard these bully buildings? Not ane stone volition concord out left upon some other which will not hold upward torn downward.”

Below is the comment received from a reader virtually the Widow’s Mites passage (edited for brevity)…

The widow’second mite is non an trial of how to give; it’sec an trial of how the scribes were “devouring widows’ houses”. Consider:

1. Jesus really says NOTHING to commend the widow for what she did. Words of praise are ABSENT. NOTE: THERE ARE NO ADJECTIVES

2. Jesus’ arguing is 1 of RELATING FACTS equally He observes (She gave more than than they all because she shape inward all her living)

iii. Jesus says NOTHING most how the widow FELT virtually what she gave. NOTE: THERE ARE NO ADVERBS.

four. The alarm to beware of the scribes “who devour widows’ houses” in vs. xl parallels Jesus’ usage of a widow every bit His resultant.

v. If this were a lesson on giving, Jesus could maintain simply as easily chosen a “wretched human” as His upshot – or but a “misfortunate woman”, but He was rattling specific inwards His choice of “a pitiable widow.” This ties it to His criticism of the Scribes who He said were “devouring widows’ houses inwards vs. xl.

Scripture repeatedly reveals God’sec attending for the widow, the poor, the fatherless in addition to the stranger, too also reveals His anger at those who deprive them of what they yell for to live.

If we have got read all of our Bible, the storey of the widow’sec mites, given inward context of Jesus’ condemnation of the religious leaders, should create us cringe. The flush reveals the repetition of their abuses inward add-on to consequential inevitable judgment.

It makes no feel that Jesus, who is inward the pump of a warning to His disciples well-nigh the scribes devouring widows’ houses, would all of a abrupt interrupt the lesson alongside a grade on giving past times deplorable widows. I believe that the story is move inwards summation to package of His warning together with an illustration of how the scribes were “devouring widows’ houses.”

Thoughts?

Regardless of your interpretation of this verse, the Bible is still full of passages that emphasize the importance of giving – and therefore I don’t scream upwards anything changes on that front, but it is interesting to run across this passage inwards a novel visible calorie-free.

What do you lot telephone call upward – Do yous run across the Widow’s Mites floor differently at nowadays?

I’ve been earthworks inward to scripture inwards add-on to involve been learning a lot, just every scrap I did for this article.  In my studies, I hold institute Bible verses near money that bring had a potent affect many decisions inward my life therefore far. And, I want to percentage them alongside you because I hope they will aid yous too!

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