Offering (7)

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. (12:43)

Jesus told his disciples that the poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. It is a complicated situation and a hyperbolic statement. In comparison, the amount of the widow’s offering is much smaller than that of the rich. However, the important point lies in the right attitude of the poor woman whose remarkable offering becomes the central point of the passage.

The life of a poor widow is always perilous. This person is put into triple difficulties. She was poor, a woman and a widow. Which situation comes first? Woman would be first. Then her husband died. There is no fixed rule that all widows should be poor but mostly helpless. In the ancient society, most people did not store their wealth. At the sudden demise of her husband who was the sole bread earner for the family it is evident that the widow had to face severe situation of life.

In verse 12:40 the author says, “They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers.” That signifies that the teachers of the law were responsible for the grim poverty of the widow. It is not sure whether the author has the intention to point out this or not but there is a possibility of this.

The relationship between wealth and poverty is dynamic. Greedy exploitation of the one side of the people brings about absolute poverty on the other side of the people. The property on the earth is limited and one side cannot escape from poverty if they have to go only one sided. To be prosperous it should work between nations and nations. There are many developed countries who act like the teachers of the law who devoured a widow’s property.

What is the meaning of the word of the Lord, “this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others”? It means that the relationship between God and man can be abundantly generated mostly for our survival. In other words, offering is the matter of death and life.