The widow's mites

St Luke Chapter XXI : Verses 1-4

Contents

• Luke xxi. Verses 1-4.  Douay-Rheims (Challoner) text & Latin text (Vulgate)
• Douay-Rheims 1582 text
• Annotations taken from the Scripture Commentary on St Mark's Gospel by Madame Cecilia (1905-1908)

Luke xxi. Verses 1-4.

He saw also a certain poor widow casting in two brass mites.
J-J Tissot. Brooklyn Museum. vv

1 And looking on, he saw the rich men cast their gifts into the treasury.

Respiciens autem, vidit eos qui mittebant munera sua in gazophylacium, divites.

2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in two brass mites.

Vidit autem et quamdam viduam pauperculam mittentem æra minuta duo.

3 And he said: Verily I say to you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:

Et dixit : Vere dico vobis, quia vidua hæc pauper plus quam omnes misit.

4 For all these have of their abundance cast into the offerings of God: but she of her want, hath cast in all the living that she had.

Nam omnes hi ex abundanti sibi miserunt in munera Dei : hæc autem ex eo quod deest illi, omnem victum suum quem habuit, misit.

Douay-Rheims : 1582 text

1. AND beholding, he ſaw them that did caſt their guifts into the treaſurie, rich perſons.

2. And he ſaw alſo a certaine poore widow caſting two braſſe mites.

3. And he ſaid: Verily I ſay to you, that this poore widow hath caſt more then al.
4. For al theſe of their aboundance haue caſt into the guifts of God: but ſhe of penurie, hath caſt in al her liuing that ſhe had.

 

Annotations

    1. And looking on. Jesus was weary after the discussions which had lasted the whole of this day of questions in the Temple, where for the last time he had taught the people.

    He looked on in silence for some time, but not a gift escaped His eye, and He knew its exact value.

    rich men cast their gifts. In Hebrew coin only. Neither the tribute shekel nor the ordinary Roman coins would be used for this purpose.

    into the treasury. The treasury stood in the outer court of the women, and consisted of thirteen brazen chests, called trumpets, because the openings through which the money passed were broad at the top and narrow at the bottom, and resembled a trumpet in shape.

    “ Nine chests were for the appointed temple tribute and for the sacrifice tribute, that is, money gifts instead of the sacrifices ; four chests for freewill offerings for wood, incense, temple decorations, and burnt offerings ” (Lightfoot ).

    many that were rich cast in much.

    “ The Jews were generous in their gifts, so much so, that a law was passed forbidding the gift to the temple of more than a certain proportion of one’s possessions. The amount of such contributions may be inferred by recalling the circumstance that at the time of Pompey and Crassus, the temple treasury, after having lavishly defrayed every possible expenditure, contained in money nearly half a million, and precious vessels to the value of nearly two millions sterling ” ( Edersheim ).

    2. And he saw also a certain poor widow. Perhaps one of those to whom Christ had recently referred ; the woman was poor , but not a beggar.

    casting in two brass mites. The two equalled a quadrans, which was a quarter of an as, which in Cicero’s time was worth about one halfpenny. The widow’s mites therefore amounted to about an eighth of a penny. This amount, however, had a greater purchasing value than half a farthing of our money has now.

    3. And he said (to His disciples) : that He might instruct them, and thus hand down this example of generosity to posterity for their admiration and imitation.

    this poor widow hath cast in more than they all. Christ does not reject the gifts of the rich if given with pure intention. Doubtless many of these rich gifts were worthless, while others were acceptable, because given in the right spirit. Jesus estimated the value by the sacrifice, which the alms had entailed, not by its intrinsic value.

    4. For all these have of their abundance cast into the offerings of God : better, of their superfluity ; they gave what they would not miss.

    but she of her want, hath cast in all. She gave even what was necessary for her sustenance, hence her alms was precious in God’s sight, because accompanied by self-denial.

    Lesson. — From this incident we should learn —

    1. To be generous in giving alms, remembering that God counts each offering, and will reward us in due time.

    2. If our means are limited, we are not thereby excused from almsgiving, but should give according to our ability, and be willing to sacrifice comforts, and even necessaries, for the love of God and of our neighbour.

     After this last discourse Jesus left His Father's house, never again to enter it. His public ministry was over, and His suffering life was about to begin. His work there was done ; He had taught, warned, and worked miracles. Now He was to finish the work which the Father had given Him, by dying for our Redemption.

 

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The Vladimirskaya Icon. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.