I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Luke 21-22

Today’s passage begins with the account of the woman giving two small coins.  Jesus tells us that she gave more than those who gave much larger sums because they gave from their surplus, while she gave everything she had.  We need to read this in light of the fact that elsewhere Jesus told the rich young man to sell all that he has and give it to the poor.  The lesson being that if our giving does not cause us to sacrifice at least some of our desires we are not giving enough.

However, there is more to this story than just that.  My brother pointed out to me a few years ago that we need to look at this story in the context of what was going on in the Gospel accounts where this is recounted.  He focused on the things which immediately preceded it, but I think what comes after is just as important.  So, what is the context?  Well, immediately before this Jesus had a confrontation with the leaders of Jerusalem over where He got the authority to drive the merchants out of the Temple. At the end of that confrontation, Jesus condemned those who publicly did showy things to gain admiration while privately cheating those with no power.  Immediately after this, He told His disciples that the Temple would soon be completely destroyed in response to their expressions of awe over the magnificence of its construction.  That section ends with a warning not to let our hearts be dulled by partying and the worries of this life.

So, the widow stands in contrast to those who spend their wealth on ostentatious display to impress others and those who spend their wealth on material pleasures, or even just attempting to secure their well-being.  I also want to point out that the placement of this account suggests that the widow was in such dire straits because she had been cheated, yet she gave anyway. As so often happens when I write these blogs, I find myself having failed to fully flesh out the thought that was in the back of my mind when I began writing.