Luke 21:3 Komentaryo

In this chapter we have, I. The notice Christ took, and the approbation he gave, of a poor widow that cast two mites into the treasury (Luk 21:1-4). II. A prediction of future events, in answer to his disciples' enquiries concerning them (Luk 21:5-7). 1. Of what should happen between that and the destruction of Jerusalem - false Christs arising, bloody wars and persecutions of Christ's followers (Luk 21:8-19). 2. Of that destruction itself (Luk 21:20-24). 3. Of the second coming of Jesus Christ to judge the world, under the type and figure of that (Luk 21:25-33). III. A practical application of this, by way of caution and counsel (Luk 21:34-36), and an account of Christ's preaching and the people's attendance on it (Luk 21:37, Luk 21:38).

And he looked up,.... As Christ sat over against the treasury, looking upon the ground, he lift up his eyes; for the treasury was not in an high place, or above Christ, who was right against it. The Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions leave out this clause. And saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury; See Gill on Mar 12:41.

And he said,.... To his disciples, as the Ethiopic version adds; these he called to him, upon this occasion, as appears from Mar 12:43 of a truth I say unto you, that this poor woman hath cast in more than they all: than all the rich men; not in quantity, but in proportion to her ability; See Gill on Mar 12:43.

But you who are such as this, cannot labour in the Church. For your eyes, overcast with the gloom of blackness, and shadowed in night, do not see the needy and poor. You are wealthy and rich, and do you think that you celebrate the Lord's Supper, not at all considering the offering, who come to the Lord's Supper Without a sacrifice, and yet take part of the sacrifice which the poor man has offered? Consider in the Gospel the widow that remembered the heavenly precepts, doing good even amidst the difficulties and straits of poverty, casting two mites, which were all that she had, into the treasury; whom when the Lord observed and saw, regarding her work not for its abundance, but for its intention, and considering not how much, but from how much, she had given, He answered and said, "Verily I say unto you, that that widow hath cast in more than they all into the offerings of God. For all these have, of that which they had in abundance, cast in unto the offerings of God; but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had," Greatly blessed and glorious woman, who even before the day of judgment hast merited to be praised by the voice of the Judge! Let the rich be ashamed of their barrenness and unbelief. The widow, the widow needy in means, is found rich in works. And although everything that is given is conferred upon widows and orphans, she gives, whom it behoved to receive, that we may know thence what punishment, awaits the barren rich man, when by this very instance even the poor ought to labour in good works. And in order that we may understand that their labours are given to God, and that whoever performs them deserves well of the Lord, Christ calls this "the offerings of God," and intimates that the widow has cast in two farthings into the offerings of God, that it may be more abundantly evident that he who hath pity on the poor lendeth to God.

While [Jesus] stood in the temple, he also gave the verdict of which we are speaking. In the following verses, you have: “Jesus spoke these words in the treasury while teaching in the temple. And no one seized him.” What is the treasury? It is the contribution of the faithful, the bank of the poor, and the refuge of the needy. Christ sat near this and, according to Luke, gave the opinion that the two mites of the widow were preferable to the gifts of the rich. God’s word preferred love joined with zeal and generosity rather than the lavish gifts of generosity.Let us see what comparison he made when he gave such judgment there near the treasury, for with good reason he preferred the widow who contributed the two mites. That precious poverty of hers was rich in the mystery of faith. So are the two coins that the Samaritan of the Gospels left at the inn to care for the wounds of the man who had fallen among robbers. Mystically representing the church, the widow thought it right to put into the sacred treasury the gift with which the wounds of the poor are healed and the hunger of wayfarers is satisfied.

(Hom. 1. in Ep. ad Heb., Hom. 28.) For God regarded not the scantiness of the offering, but the overflowing of the affection. Almsgiving is not the bestowing a few things out of many, but it is that of the widow emptying, herself of her whole substance. But if you cannot offer as much as the widow, at least give all that remains over.

She offered two oboli, which with the sweat of her brow she had earned for her daily living, or what she daily begs for at the hands of others she gives to God, showing that her poverty is fruitful to her. Therefore does she surpass the others, and by a just award receives a crown from God; as it follows, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more, &c.

This may perhaps irritate some among the rich. We will therefore address a few remarks to them. You delight, O rich person, in the abundance of your possessions.… You offer not so much in proportion to your means as merely that which when you give, you will never miss—out of great abundance, a little. The woman offered two farthings, but she possessed nothing more than what she offered. She had nothing left. With empty hand but a hand bountiful of the little she possessed, she went away from the treasury. Did she not therefore justly carry off the crown? Did not the decree of superiority come to her by a holy judgment? Did she not surpass your bountifulness, in regard at least of her readiness?

For here I perceive that Jesus also looks on willingly at the gifts of the rich men, when they are put into the treasury. All too little, at the same time, is it if gifts are cast into the treasury by the rich alone; and so there are the two mites of the poor widow which are also received with gladness; and in that offering verily something is exhibited that goes beyond what Moses prescribed on the subject of the receipt of moneys. For he received gifts from those who had; but Jesus receives them even from those who have not.

Although the spite of some people does not grow gentle with any kindness, nevertheless the works of mercy are not fruitless, and kindness never loses what is offered to the ungrateful. May no one, dearly beloved, make themselves strangers to good works. Let no one claim that his poverty scarcely sufficed for himself and could not help another. What is offered from a little is great, and in the scale of divine justice, the quantity of gifts is not measured but the steadfastness of souls. The “widow” in the Gospel put two coins into the “treasury,” and this surpassed the gifts of all the rich. No mercy is worthless before God. No compassion is fruitless. He has given different resources to human beings, but he does not ask different affections.

Now mystically, the rich men who cast their gifts into the treasury signify the Jews puffed up with the righteousness of the law; the poor widow, the simplicity of the Church which is called poor, because it has either cast away the spirit of pride, or its sins, as if they were worldly riches. But the Church is a widow, because her Husband endured death for her. She cast two mites into the treasury, because in God's sight, in whose keeping are all the offerings of our works, she presents her gifts, whether of love to God and her neighbour, or of faith and prayer. And these excel all the works of the proud Jews, for they of their abundance cast into the offerings of God, in that they presume on their righteousness, but the Church casts in all her living, for every thing that hath life she believes to be the gift of God.

And he saw a poor widow casting in two small coins, and said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them." This place morally communicates to us how acceptable to God anything we offer with a good heart is, for He undoubtedly weighs the heart and not the substance, and does not consider how much is given in His sacrifices, but from how much it is given. According to the laws of allegory, the rich who were casting gifts into the treasury represent Jews puffed up by the righteousness of the law, while the poor widow signifies the simplicity of the Church. She is rightly called poor because she has cast away either the spirit of pride or sins as if they were the riches of the world. She is called a widow, for her Husband bore death for her, and now, hidden from her eyes in the recesses of heaven, He lives as if in part of another region. She casts two small coins into the treasury because she presents into the sight of the Divine Majesty, where the offerings of our work are kept as if inscribed and recorded by a certain number, either charity towards God and neighbor, or the gifts of her faith and prayer, which are considered small due to her realization of her own fragility, but accepted due to the merit of her pious devotion, surpassing all the works of the proud Jews.

Or the widow may be taken to mean any soul bereft as it were of her first husband, the ancient law, and not worthy to be united to the Word of God. Who brings to God instead of a dowry faith and a good conscience, and so seems to offer more than those who are rich in words, and abound in the moral virtues of the Gentiles.

The poor widow casting two mites into the treasury, Luk 21:1-4. The destruction of the temple foretold, Luk 21:5, Luk 21:6. The signs of this desolation, Luk 21:7. False Christs, Luk 21:8. Wars, Luk 21:9, Luk 21:10. Earthquakes and fearful sights, Luk 21:11. Persecutions against the godly, Luk 21:12-19. Directions how to escape, Luk 21:20-22. The tribulation of those times, Luk 21:23-28. The parable of the fig tree, illustrative of the time when they may expect these calamities, Luk 21:29-33. The necessity of sobriety and watchfulness, Luk 21:34-36. He teaches by day in the temple, and lodges by night in the mount of Olives, and the people come early to hear him, Luk 21:37, Luk 21:38.

THE WIDOW'S TWO MITES. (Luk 21:1-4) looked up--He had "sat down over against the treasury" (Mar 12:41), probably to rest, for He had continued long standing as he taught in the temple court (Mar 11:27), and "looking up He saw"--as in Zaccheus' case, not quite casually. the rich, &c.--"the people," says Mar 12:41 "cast money into the treasury, and many rich east in much"; that is, into chests deposited in one of the courts of the temple to receive the offerings of the people towards its maintenance (Kg2 12:9; Joh 8:20).

And he said--"to His disciples," whom He "called to Him" (Mar 12:43), to teach from it a great future lesson. more than . . . all--in proportion to her means, which is God's standard (Co2 8:12).